Kerry's an Aitran Fan....

[rvsm410]

Guess Airtran is doing well, just saw the Kerry Campaign leave out of KTIX on one of their 717's Neat to once again see a commercial aircraft take off out of this airport. Back in the 70's it use to be an Eastern stop with a little terminal...its still there...
And yes I leave close by, here on my off days, I cut my aviation teeth at this airport....

 

[chawbein]

I thought he flew around on a 757?


http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5059360/

 

[ShawnC]

I thought he flew around on a 757?


http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5059360/

Well if you aren't in the media or part of Kerry's 20 or so inner circle members you would be riding in Sardine class within the 717.

The plane has two conference tables, eight phone lines, a copy machine, a printer and a standup bar for socializing. It has sections for campaign staff, the media and Secret Service. Each of its 94 seats has a power outlet for laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices.

Some 72 seats are reserved for the media.

I know that the media also uses AirTran 717's when following the President around.

 

[mattpilot]

wasn't kerry critizised some time ago for flying around in an airbus?

 

[ShawnC]

wasn't kerry critizised some time ago for flying around in an airbus?

Don't remember. Though I doubt any candidate that wants to win Washington would fly in an Airbus.

Wasn't a 757-200 Bush's campaign aircraft? Wonder if it's the same aircraft? After all there can't be too many 757's in an executive configuration.

 

[A1FlyBoy]

Though I doubt any candidate that wants to win Washington would fly in an AirbusBut he does like to be driven around DETROIT in his Rolls...

http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/goto/?getPage=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewashtimes%2Ecom%2Fnational%2F20040723%2D111416%2D8086r%2Ehtm&return=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edrudgereportarchives%2Ecom%2Fdsp%2Flinks%5Frecap%2Ehtm

linky

 

[rvsm410]

Kerry and media at TIX

I did say "campaign" I was at my house about 3 miles away, I did not see a 757 leave today, that would indeed be a rare occurance and one that I would have heard about for sure. Still neat to see any commercial flights fly out of here....

Since he was just here for a few hours today, maybe he is meeting up with the 75 somewhere else before his return to BOS on Wednesday...I thought I read somewhere here that he was flying on a TMA 757 charter???

 

[FracCapt]

TIX....as in Tyco? I never would have imagined him going into there....was he doing something at the Cape? If he was in Tyco(assuming I'm thinking of the right place, that is), then there's probably a good reason he wasn't in a 757...the runway is not stressed for anything that large. IIRC, the limit is like 175k.

 

[FlyinTim]

wwoohoo haha

 

[mattpilot]

uhmm... come again?

 

[ShawnC]

TIX....as in Tyco? I never would have imagined him going into there....was he doing something at the Cape? If he was in Tyco(assuming I'm thinking of the right place, that is), then there's probably a good reason he wasn't in a 757...the runway is not stressed for anything that large. IIRC, the limit is like 175k.

Titusville, I would be worried about the runway stressing the plane. That runway expansion feels like a field of speedbumps.

 

[chawbein]

Bush's 757 was provided by North American? I found the company a while back, they are a charter service. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Just from watching "Journeys with George", I believe that Bush started off on a 737 during the primaries, then when he secured the nomination switched to the 757. I saw it when I was in college, he came twice. Clinton also came the preceding summer, but I wasn't able to go out to the airport and see what he flew in on. I'm pretty sure it was the VC-25, though. I did get to see Clinton as he drove by while I was on my way back from class. It's funny, I very much dislike Clinton, but there I was waiving and grinning like a retard. Funny how that works....

P.S. Bill Clinton has an ENORMOUS head, and I'm not just saying that, he really has a very large head. It took up almost the entire window of the Limo.

 

[NEDude]

Wasn't a 757-200 Bush's campaign aircraft? Wonder if it's the same aircraft? After all there can't be too many 757's in an executive configuration.

It wasn't in executive configuration. I worked ramp in Manchester, NH in the summer and fall of 2000 when he came in. We had to go inside the airplane to help empty garbage and clean up. Regular first/coach configuration with the exception of some of the first few rows of coach were turned around in a club arrangement.

The funniest thing was in the back, where the staffers and media were. Each row of three began to look like someones desk. There were family pictures pasted up on the cabin walls, memos pinned to the backs of seats, stacks of papers piled up on the tray tables.

I do believe it was operated by North American, but not entirely sure.

Also got to work Air Force 2 when Al Gore came in. The military will not let anyone but AF personel work AF1, but will allow regular rampers to work AF2 under supervision. It was kind of cool. Had to go through a security and protocall briefing and stuff.

One of aircraft carrying the majority of the media contingent was a Pan Am (the latest version of them) 727. Can't remember which candidate they were with though.

 

[rvsm410]

you are correct sir KTIX

TIX....as in Tyco? I never would have imagined him going into there....was he doing something at the Cape? If he was in Tyco(assuming I'm thinking of the right place, that is), then there's probably a good reason he wasn't in a 757...the runway is not stressed for anything that large. IIRC, the limit is like 175k.

Your right on the mark dude...., Now called Space Center executive Airport. When Eastern flew the 72's here they were the -100 series and lightly loaded as I recall, I was young then...but my old buddy was one of their captains at the time...

 

[Ty Webb]

I know we (AirTran) do charters for the Press Corps. I haven't heard anything specific about the Kerry campaign.

Bush had chartered some with Miami Air during the Republican primary (1999), a 727. I think he changed to a larger aircraft after he secured the nomination.

 

[CF34-3B1]

uhmm... come again?

"No, it's mustard this time."

(Monica, to the guy working at the dry cleaners.)

 

[rvsm410]

I know we (AirTran) do charters for the Press Corps. I haven't heard anything specific about the Kerry campaign.

Bush had chartered some with Miami Air during the Republican primary (1999), a 727. I think he changed to a larger aircraft after he secured the nomination.

Like I said, it was the Campaign group that got on the 717, maybe Kerry went out on one of the Gulfstreams that went out earlier, they all turned towards the south after T/O.....I normally would not have even mentioned this other than it was nice to see somthing bigger fly out of KTIX, thank the usual GA stuff..

Hey Ty, shoot me a private message sometime if you can....thanks...