Hey! Mr President, i got an idea!!

[BubbaZanetti]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/business/27econ-new.html?th&emc=th


How bout you stop flying around in that SUV of the sky 747 you've got???


seriously though, i'd like to see a cost savings analysis if he were to trade in that beast for something a little smaller, like a brand new 777, or heaven forbid, maybe a gulfstream business jet if he still needs to feel powerful and his support staff can follow in a 737. i just think that if the leader of a nation is calling for that nations government to be more gas concious this would be a perfect symbolic step.

[Visian]

Yeah... and save the 747 for long hauls. When that sucker taxies up to the gate in some foreign land, the sheer presence alone is worth all the gas (actually kerosene) it burns.

Ian

[MarkF]

Yeah... and save the 747 for long hauls. When that sucker taxies up to the gate in some foreign land, the sheer presence alone is worth all the gas (actually kerosene) it burns.

Ian

I understand the press corps on board compensates the government for the cost of a first class or charter flight.

[kbasa]

If I recall, that plane has a ton of special electronic stuff on it too.

[BubbaZanetti]

If I recall, that plane has a ton of special electronic stuff on it too.


you might be thinking about the E4A mobile command posts that are used in times of an immenent threat to Washington DC. there are a couple of them and the military and vital portions of the executive can still run the government from the skys. they have something like a 12 day stay airborne capability w/refueling, i'm pretty sure airforce 1 doesn't have mid air refueling................

[lorazepam]

you might be thinking about the E4A mobile command posts that are used in times of an immenent threat to Washington DC. there are a couple of them and the military and vital portions of the executive can still run the government from the skys. they have something like a 12 day stay airborne capability w/refueling, i'm pretty sure airforce 1 doesn't have mid air refueling................

Air Force 1 can be refueled in the air. Do you think the prez would have it any other way? It was on modern marvels some time back, and It is a pretty amazing aircraft.

[HexST]

It's not just the 74 that does have some cool stuff on it too. But they send a C5 Galaxy in for the entourage and secret service vehicles too plus a Scoot A/C. When A1 lands the airport is closed except for comercial Air Carriers. any other airport within ten miles is also closed with the same restrictions. So charter, business flights are stopped. Even air ambulances have to get waivers to operate two hours before operating.

[The_Veg]

The 747 also carries a lot of stuff that they can't talk about- various electronic countermeasures, etc., and some have even speculated that it has mdost self-defense capabilities. Given the size of the entourage and number of aircraft that make the trip, changting to another type of aircraft won't save much and you don't even want to know what a presidential transport plane costs...we NEED to get our money's worth out of them! Yes, THEM- there are always more than one in the fleet, all equipped as above. Smaller planes do get used sometimes when necessary, such as if the prez needs to go someplace where the runway is inadequate for the 747 and it's too far to drive from a larger airport. The 707 with tail number 26000 was the original Prez-plane, and it continued to serve as a backup for many years after the 747s arrived. It's last mission was to pick up President Clinton when the 747 got a wheel stuck in the mud due to taking a taxiway turn a little wide. 26000 Is now on display at the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton Ohio (which I failed to go see while at Lima dammit).

More info here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_One)

All that having been said, I find the contents of that article disgusting. Tap the strategic reserve so Geroge's buddies can sell mosr to replace it while we continue to guzzle...Dick The Dick says conservation is not good...look who profits from not conserving.

[GeoffMiller]

I got it! Give W a RT with a full face helmet and he can go everyplace incognito!! :laugh

[AZ Greg]

What's the matter with you folks? Rather than being disgusted, you should have been invested in energy stocks way back in May when the world energy shortage just started to surface in the media about us competing with China and other emerging industrialized countries. ECA, CHK, VLO, and yes even Haliburton (HAL) were great buys back then!

Why conserve, we just have to make more money to buy more fuel? Isn't that what runs our favorite toys? I'm not going to stop riding! Are you?

[GS20Rider]

Why conserve, we just have to make more money to buy more fuel? Isn't that what runs our favorite toys? I'm not going to stop riding! Are you?

In fact, ride more, because it costs less in fuel and is cleaner for the environment. I agree energy stocks have sky rocketed, I made a bundle on them. :groovy

I read somewhere that if the crude oil prices stay at $70/barrel it will be enough catalyst to produce more energy saving and environmentally sutable vehicles. The funny thing is that they are already here. Motorcycles of the right quality already do these things; and, they bring joy to the owners soul when they ride them. Ride on man. :usa