Air Force One costs $55,000 PER HOUR to fly.

[KyuzoGator]

Something that deserves it's own thread. A nice tidbit of information to drop on any Republicans you meet bitching about gas prices.

I've always believed that it should be illegal to use Air Force One for unofficial trips, like partisan campaigning or going on vacation. I fly a lot, and more than once has AF1 grounded all traffic for hours at an airport I've been trying to catch a flight on. Thousands of people are inconvenienced whenever that plane lands anywhere.

And it's so goddamn expensive. Ground the fucker.

[rurallib]

1. Think of how many barrels of oil it takes to make the jet fuel

for that worthless fucker to fly around for his play-dates. Stick him on a rocket and give him one last ride.

[TheCowsCameHome]

7. To say nothing of the vehicles and personnel to protect his sorry butt.

[KyuzoGator]

10. The $55,000 per hour is a total of fuel, security and crew.

But it's still staggering.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. What about disruption on the local level? (Expenses, delays, etc.)

Surely the location being visited must incur big headaches and monetary loss when that outfit lands.

[KyuzoGator]

13. Oh, without a doubt the economic impact is into the millions.

$55k is just the direct costs of operation.

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. Staggering. Hundreds of thousands of $$$ per trip, easily.

[DemoTex]

19. There are many other higher hidden costs.

Mainly the phenomenal ATC delays to airline traffic any time AF-1 flys. If AF-1 flys into Newark (EWR), for example, all airline traffic is shut down for a couple of hours around the arrival time and a couple of hours around the departure time. That throws Continental's national schedule into chaos. If the losses to the airlines alone were factored into AF-1 hourly costs, those costs would be in the millions. AF-1 is nothing but an extravagant royal barge. Cake, anyone?

[KyuzoGator]

20. Air traffic AND road traffic is shut down.

When Bush visited Orlando a few months ago, the entire downtown area was on lockdown throughout the lunch hour (people were not allowed to leave their buildings) while Bush attended a fundraiser.

It's fucking absurd. He's not king.

[DemoTex]

23. Bingo!

But he thinks that he is king.

[Divernan]

2. Bush uses AF One far more than other presidents have.

At least I've read info stating that on DU - would be curious to see some statistics on that. I know that you will often hear that Bush or Cheney come into an area for some major GOP fundraising, and then tack on some pissant "official" visit to some local group, allowing them to charge much if not all of the trip to the govt.

[KyuzoGator]

6. What gets me is when he uses AF1 for FLYOVERS.

That's gotta be the most worthless use of fuel ever.

[DemoTex]

22. And it is a major security risk.

A 5000' fly-over puts AF-1 "in range," if you know what I mean. Even with its defensive counter-measures, why take the chance? It is a perverted ego thing with Bu$h. I'll bet he used to buzz college campuses (and sororiety houses) in his TANG days. It's the "big clock, little cock" syndrome.

[riderinthestorm]

3. Yah, and the fucker has to fly to CA to ride his bike on Earth Day

Setting a great Earth Day example ..... Wonder what that little jaunt cost us?

:sarcasm:

[DS1]

4. Just as it did with Clinton

BUT

Bush has used AF1 to fly back and forth on Vacation more than Clinton has taken it anywhere during his full 8 years.

Vacation trips. We're not even talking about fund-raising or stumping.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Mothball the silver sucker and let Bush ride his damn bike.

$55k per hour for a personal taxi? That should be for business only. No way should we pay for that thing to be abused by Bush or any other president.

[pstans]

8. Bu$h recently did a fundraiser here in Iowa

He stopped at a nursing home for 30 min in Des Moines, did the fundrasier for Jim Nussle, who is running for Governor for 2 hours or so and went home.

[uppityperson]

9. put him back onto the train

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. or under it.

[uppityperson]

14. now now now, we would NEVER suggest hurting the president here on DU

:rofl:

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. Or a perfectly good train................

Sorry.

[KyuzoGator]

16. Seriously, this needs to be a major issue RIGHT NOW.

The president doesn't need a personal 747 jetting him wherever he feels like popping up. They need to ground that tin can RIGHT FUCKING NOW.

[TheCowsCameHome]

18. I did a LTTE two days ago about this very matter.

I really hope it gets printed.

[C_U_L8R]

21. Bush needs to take public transportation....

AF1 is a total boondoggle.. and besides
Bush just uses it for partisan efforts.
Oh and that fleet of Armored SUVs...
how many miles to the gallon do those
oinkers get ???

Bush SHOULD be taking the bus.

[KyuzoGator]

24. Kick. nt