NASA Gives Google Founders Own Runway For Private Jet

International Herald Tribune:

In the annals of perks enjoyed by American corporate executives, the founders of Google may have set a new standard: an un-crowded, federally-managed runway for their private jet that is as close as can be to being in the company's own backyard.

It is a perk that is likely to turn other Silicon Valley tycoons green with envy, but one that may not sit well with a community that generally considers itself proud to have Google in its midst.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration confirmed earlier this week that H211, a limited liability company that counts Google's chief executive, Eric Schmidt, as one of its principals, had secured rights to operate a refurbished wide-body Boeing 767-200 out of Moffett Field, an airport that is run by NASA and is generally closed to private aircraft.

Read the whole story: International Herald Tribune

Comments

[Independent voter]

03:14 PM on 09/13/2007

It's way past time to shutdown NASA. I don't care if there is water or mars or cheese on the moon. It's time to stop public funding for a bunch of geeks who never grew up and want to play rocketman on somebody else's dime.

[wadenelson1]

10:05 PM on 09/13/2007

As the son of a NASA rocket scientists, I say...

Amen, brother.

[Destin]

11:32 PM on 09/13/2007

I don't know about you, lol, but I don't wanna be stuck on this sorry rock for the rest of my life. I wanna go places where you don't have all the many bullshit problems that this planet does. And I'd love to get the hell away from Bush and his disasters before the rock goes poof.

[InofTouch]

01:34 PM on 09/13/2007

You do know that half it not all of around the site is all google.

[SolarPowerGuy]

12:50 PM on 09/13/2007

I live in Silicon Valley. The local newspapers have been running articles for years about proposals to change the way that Moffett Naval Air Station is used (NASA shares the facility with the Navy).

Among the proposals is one to allow private air traffic. This may make some sense. The three nearby commercial airports -- SFO, SJC and OAK -- are overcrowded. The US military has been closing military bases around the country for decades, and Moffett is pretty quiet. Alameda Naval Air Station is only about 40 miles away from Moffett. Finally, there is a bitter fight over expanding the runway and facilities at SJC, which is surrounded on all sides by development.

In this context, I can see Google's private jet as the first customer for a potentially sensible idea. Google wouldn't need a commercial air terminal, which means that they can move in right away.

I also interned at Ames about twenty years ago. A large amount of the research being performed there did not depend on having runways at all. Unless things have changed radically, NASA only has a few aircraft, which fly only occasionally. It's not like there's a holding pattern over Moffett. I saw no secret military technology sitting on the tarmac, so there's nothing to hide from the public. (The military likely develops the secret stuff in Nevada, away from prying eyes.)

Now, I haven't failed to notice that military base closures have been concentrated in Blue states, since at least the Gingrich Congress. Closing or downsizing Moffett would fit into the pattern of trying to punish us progressives for our distaste for war. But if a commercial use were to replace a military one? Hey, no problem. Just compensate the taxpayers appropriately for the use of the facility.

[JulieSA]

01:10 PM on 09/13/2007

Distaste for war? Actually, cities like San Francisco and Olympia, WA have made it quite clear that they have an intense contempt for the military itself. Can you really blame the military for wanting to leave areas where they know they're not wanted? Doesn't it make more sense to have bases where the populace actually likes and respects you?

That aside, that's a really interesting comment. Thanks for the information.

[wadenelson1]

10:05 PM on 09/13/2007

Fine, make Moffett a PUBLIC airport not just a landing spot for fat cats.

[Destin]

10:29 AM on 09/13/2007

I guess NASA has to get their money from somewhere, since Bush is blowing all of America's money on a wasteful, needless war. He sure ain't giving any to NASA. Even NASA gets tired of trying to get by on the cheap. ;)

[TJS]

08:49 AM on 09/13/2007

NASA should assign Lisa Nowak to be the Google plane's pilot. Flying around all these pampered babies, at least she'll have the diapers!

[godlessclif]

02:54 AM on 09/13/2007

They are going to paint the word Google on the moon.

[CATO90025]

10:58 PM on 09/12/2007

Could rendition flights be next? What does the gvt, have on these 2? Sergei sounds very GRU.

[Ginzaman]

10:32 PM on 09/12/2007

Does the mean that every time we watch the shuttle on TV we'll be bombarded with Google ads?

[farseer]

10:23 PM on 09/12/2007

Not quite true that they "gave" them the use of the runway. They're paying good penny for it - over 1.5 mill, IIRC

[dadw5boys]

10:20 PM on 09/12/2007

Why does an internet company need an airplane?
ALL THEIR WORK IS DONE ON A COMPUTER!
OH SORRY, I forgot the trips to Washington to hand carry cash to the lobbist.

[plages]

09:59 PM on 09/12/2007

and you thought that royality was only for the English!

[godlessclif]

02:53 AM on 09/13/2007

I know Bush and Clinton have moved Heaven and Earth to establish an aristocracy of wealth in America. A plague on both their houses.

[kellygrrrl]

09:57 PM on 09/12/2007

So I take it they won't be visiting Canada anytime soon

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

09:23 PM on 09/12/2007

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091200791.html?nav=rss_nation
Chinese Official Accuses Nations of Hacking

By Edward Cody
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, September 13, 2007; Page A16

BEIJING, Sept. 12 -- A senior Chinese official has accused foreign intelligence agencies of causing "massive and shocking" damage to China by hacking into computers to ferret out political, military and scientific secrets.

[ownsthepodium]

09:48 PM on 09/12/2007

Ok, so what's your take or opinion on the story? What's the point of just linking/quoting a news story, an irrelevant one at that, on an opinion blog and not give any opinion?

[dryfactoidobotanoid]

02:48 AM on 09/13/2007

my comment:

Onoez! the Google is haxoring China!!1

[JulieSA]

08:58 PM on 09/12/2007

Oh, I'd wondered what happened to that thing. It was hidden for months due to the legal dispute. According to the guy who refitted the plane, it has one large bedroom for each of the two founders, and a lounge for the CEO. Basically, it's fitted to fly three (3) guys around, if reports are correct.

I don't care how someone wants to spend his own money. BUT, if any of these Google wants to make a statement about climate change, he can go to the hot place. A 767 uses puts out more CO2 taxiing for one flight than my SUV does in a YEAR.

[JulieSA]

09:21 AM on 09/13/2007

I just remembered this. Al Gore is, or has been, a special advisor to Google. I wonder if he gets to fly around in the 767?

[malisam]

02:56 PM on 09/13/2007

Your a twit. Go drive your SUV and blame all the liberals for all the bad stuff that happens because Republiars crap gold bricks.

[ornery]

07:29 PM on 09/13/2007

Gore was on Board of Directors of Google before it went public and had stock options.

According to a recent issue of FAST COMPANY, he made about $30 million (with an "m") when he exercised those options.

So, occasionally, nice guys do OK.

[WilliamWallace]

08:54 PM on 09/12/2007

Anything's for sale, eh?

[godlessclif]

02:50 AM on 09/13/2007

If NASA was for sale I would not mind, but Google wants it for free, or whatever bribing a politician costs.