Google Founders Buy Fighter Jet 356
Ponca City, We love you writes "The NY Times reports that H211 LLC, a company controlled by Google's top executives, including billionaire founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, appears to have added to its fleet a Dornier Alpha Jet, a light jet attack and advanced trainer aircraft manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. The 1982 Alpha-Jet seats two and was originally used by European air forces, but is now being sold relatively cheaply to civilians. The jet has landing rights at Moffett Field, the NASA-operated airfield that is a stone's throw from the Google campus. It is not clear who exactly flies the fighter jet, although Google chief executive Eric Schmidt is an avid pilot. If the top Googlers indeed own the fighter jet, they would be following in the footsteps of Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison, who has owned several aircraft, including fighter jets."
FYI (Score:5, Informative)
When fighter jets, tanks, etc. are sold to civilians, most of the fun stuff is ripped out.
This is basically the rich fuck's version of buying a sports car when you're 50 to stroke your ego.
Re:FYI (Score:2, Informative)
Why the hell is everything I post posting as AC?
Well, now it works... (or so claims the preview).
Re:Not that unusual. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Pot, meet Kettle (Score:5, Informative)
and Michael Dorn (Score:3, Informative)
Even some actors [wikipedia.org] are into that.
I have to say that there's something fitting about Worf in a fighter jet
Calling it a jet fighter is more sensational (Score:3, Informative)
The Collings Foundation owns an actual jet fighter, an F-4D Phantom II from the Vietnam War. They had to get all kinds of waivers from the Feds to be able to own and operate it. This is for display at airshows.
Re:Just think (Score:2, Informative)
who says the 2 are mutually exclusive. I would bet the google top execs contribute more to charity than this douche bag.
Re:That's right, mods (Score:5, Informative)
Science, of course! H211 LLC uses many of its jets for NASA-sponsored experiments, since they operate primarily out of Moffett field, a NASA-controlled airstrip that's conveniently located right next to Google's Mountain View HQ. The jet was acquired to carry scientific instruments that could not be rigged up to Boeing 757/767 and Gulfstream jets the company already operates, some of which were used to monitor the re-entry of the ESA's Jules Verne satellite.
Just a guess (Score:4, Informative)
But I suspect is has to do with a large stack of paper with pictures of presidents on them. You'd be amazed out how well such things work when the stack is large enough. The key is to make sure that your get them into the right hands. Elected officials are particularly partial to them, and hold a great deal of sway over what is and what isn't allowed.
Re:That's right, mods (Score:4, Informative)
That's a fact. And when he was alive, he lived an unostentatious life, as have many entrepreneurs.
Re:So? (Score:3, Informative)
http://barsupplies.com/bomb-shotz-jager-bomb-shots-p-761.html
Re:Not that unusual. (Score:5, Informative)
Purchasing through an LLC isn't that big of a deal. It just gives an easier way to split ownership, liability, maintenance, etc.
Bob Lutz has owned two Czech built L-39's. One was damaged in a landing accident and donated to the Yankee Air Museum. It was destroyed by fire in 2004. His current L-39 is in Marine corps livery. I don't believe he's ever owned a Mig, though the original L-39 was in Czech colors.
Jack Roush currently owns two P-51's. "Gentleman Jim" a P-51D that is for lack of a better term, his 'daily driver.' He flies this aircraft to some of the Nascar races, when he's got time. His 2nd P-51 is a gorgeous, freshly restored B model "Old Crow." At one point he had three mustangs, the other being another D Model P-51 semi-incorrectly painted as "Old Crow", formerly "Rascal." This has since been sold to the founder of Scotts lawn care. Roush also owns a T-6, and several other non-military jets.
These are all housed at, or are frequent visitors to, Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti / Belleville, MI. In addition, there are a Mig-17, Mig-21, and Alpha Jet (in luftwaffe markings), and a Stinson L-2 that are based out of Willow Run, where we house our B-25, B-17, and C-47.
Suffice to say, being the admin for Yankee Air Museum (check the homepage) affords the opportunity to see some pretty interesting day-to-day air traffic.
Re:That's right, mods (Score:5, Informative)
The construction and maintenance of a fighter jet is one of the more labour intensive things you can buy. So I look at this as a large transfer of money from the rich guys to working people.
Our little company has done engineering work for the Canadian Forces Alpha Jets but mostly we convert super expensive large business jets. We charge a lot.
Flying toys are one of the worlds best wealth re-distributors. Small numbers of ridiculously wealthy middle eastern princes and other "principles" keep our team of engineers and techies employed, not to mention a whole raft of suppliers. And then you have to include all the people who work for airframe OEMs.
After they buy something from us they are quite a bit less wealthy than they were before.
Re:Not that unusual. (Score:4, Informative)
Austria, which like Switzerland, is a neutral country and has mandatory military service.
Re:Pot, meet Kettle (Score:5, Informative)
Wouldn't work. What ever governments replaced the ones wiped out would become corrupt in a few, short years. Just look at Zimbabwe if you need an example.
Zimbabwe has had the same leader since the first post-independence election in 1980. Not sure how that supports your point.
Um, because said leader went from freedom fighter to corrupt entrenched establishment in a few, short years. Doesn't seem hard to understand... maybe you should ask Joshua Nkomo how he feels about it.
Re:Controversy (Score:4, Informative)
They let NASA use their planes for research.
Re:That's right, mods (Score:5, Informative)
Re:So? (Score:3, Informative)
Don't think JM and RB is that big in the UK, which - as I'm sure you're aware - is the world's capital of drinking. Pints.