Commercial pilot explains why AF-1 as used by Obama is wrong

As a private pilot, I never had the commercial problems to carry passengers. We can carry them so long as they do not pay a fare. We can't fly passengers for profit. We also have a lot more airports to use than the big boys have.

We do not burn nearly the fuel of a 747. We take up far less facilities at airports than his airplane does.

 

This isn't "as used by Obama". It is "as used by Presidents of the United States." The problem is that we still have this cold war mentality that the President must be in a flying castle surrounded by protective aircraft.

 

Bush took 77 trips on af1 to Crawford. That plane was his taxi

 

Let me get this straight - a commercial passenger pilot.... who owes his entire living to being able to fly in publicly-owned airspace - is resentful because a publicly-owned aircraft has to use it? Who the #%#%ing hell does he think he is?!? It reminds me of TV networks being resentful of having to give some of their air time to cover Presidential addresses to the nation. If you're going to use public resources to make your living, why don't you think you owe on obligation for that privilege from time to time?

 

Good thing that being a commercial airline pilot makes you an expert on making sure the president follows your own personal travel rules, just because. Perhaps he should never leave the building at all. Come to think of it, what about all those poor Washington DC'ers who are inconvenienced by the government using the city as it's capital? What about them?

I think the government should move it's entire staff and infrastructure to a bunch of boats in the middle of the ocean.

Oh wait, all those fish will be inconvenienced......

Okay okay, they should all move to the moon.

Errrr wait, they might inconvenience a chunk of asteroid just looking for a soft landing in some moon dust.

Boy this is quite a pickle indeed....

 

What a ridiculous thread. President's use AF1 as they see fit. They've all used it for short trips and wasteful trips. Such small minded BS, just grab a tissue and deal with your Obama feelings.

 

I believe it's a Democrat thing started by the Clinton's and heavily abused by the Obama's.

I still remember when I got stuck on Pershing Dr. for over an hour because they closed down LAX and all surrounding streets so President Clinton could get a haircut on A.F. One while it sat on the tarmac. Hundreds of flights were delayed or diverted and tens of thousands of people had their lives interrupted because of a hair cut.

The question is, why didn't Air Force One used one of the many military air bases in the area ??? That's what Presidents Nixon, Reagan, both Bush's always did so commercial aircraft flights weren't interrupted.

Nixon always used MCAS El Toro. Reagan always used March AFB unless he was going to his ranch then Air Force One always used Pt. Mugu NAS.

 

That brings back what I thought were closed memories. Remember how Democrats defended Clinton over that haircut?

OMG, they tossed a fit we objected.

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Crawford is like Chicago to you?

 

77 trips. Bush was a disgrace

 

Obama owns the air per this poster. Very interesting.

I take it were you on amy those hundreds of aircraft it would be fine with you to waste an hour more just so Obama could do his flying?

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He was stronger than Obama.

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Obama uses it daily for his taxi

I did not mind Bush doing his job at Crawford.

 

Bush wasted millions on all those trips. Disgraceful

 

I had no idea the flies landed here. I am pleased to pick at their eyes over the misuse by Obama. Obama uses the airplane to hunt down cash to elect Hillary.

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Bush was stronger than Obama. Lovely.

 

Daily? Why are you lying?

 

I am stronger than you.

 

2 years ago, Obama surpassed Bush and Clinton.

But the point is, Democrats do not care what happens to other passengers so long as Obama gets his way.

http://ijr.com/2014/03/123748-money-well-spent-obama-now/

 

Is that why you are lying? Ok. Lol

 

But the Bush's only used one Air Force One, George and Laura always flew together. While Michelle Obama maybe going to the same place as Barack is but Michelle flies in a separate plane.

Anyone keeping track on how many times Michelle Obama has boarded that 757 to fly from Andrews AFB to NYC just to have dinner in NYC or the numerous trips to spend a couple hours shopping in NYC ? I stopped counting years ago when she hit 24 trips.

Don't they have any shopping malls in Washington DC ?

I know Washington DC has all kinds of restaurants, I've seen them.

 

I guarantee you it was not 77 times. Bush broke the bank on presidential vacation spending. More than any president in history by a mile

 

LBJ, Nixon, Reagan, G.W. Bush spent months every year as President running the country and fighting wars from their homes. All had communication facilities and living facilities for their Secret Service details. They don't meet the legal definition as being a vacation. Don't know about LBJ but Nixon, Reagan and G.W. Bush would meet heads of states at their private residence. They say Putin loved the Texas White House in Crawford, Texas. Nixon's Summer White House in San Clemente was pretty nice. I hear that Reagan's ranch Secret Service quarters were rather cramp.

If Obama were to stay at his private residence in the hood on the south side of Chicago it wouldn't be called a vacation. But Obama would have a problem, it's Obama's responsibility to put up his Secret Service detail in his home. Not right for the taxpayers paying for hotel rooms for the Secret Service. LBJ. Nixon, Reagan and Bush all had living quarters for their Secret Service detail on their property.

 

We gave bush a nice house to live in. It has a nice office too. Did you get 77 working vacations in 8 years? No president has ever done that in history. They have to move a battalion of people every time he went there. But who cares....he wasn't paying for it

 

I didn't say the word "Obama" in my post. I do think that under normal flying conditions, Government aircraft should have priority, though. If that means people have to wait, so be it. If it means the airlines have to spend more on fuel, oh well... cost of doing business.

 

I truly wish posters had fully digested the complaint of the captain of that airliner.

He made plenty of awesome points but the Obamamites rush to make excuses.

He was speaking for many airplanes, not merely his own. Read it again. How long was the flight delayed?

It is very easy for Government to coordinate with flights to minimize the problems caused by Obama.

 

Funny how you don't mind it that Obama passed Bush and Clinton in the use of AF-1 and bolts to various places for vacation.

Funny how that does not bug you yet you got bugged by Bush. Figures I saw place Obama on AF-1 about every other day.

I used to laugh at the whining by Democrats every time Bush flew. Like Clockwork the caterwauling began.

 

Bush was more powerful than Obama.

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If you were not discussing Obama on the airplane, you must be confused. AF-1 is not just a Government aircraft, is it?

 

Well, you managed to divert this to vacations. Proud of yourself?

The pilot did not complain about vacations. He was speaking for his passengers. I have flown many times where I saw no airplanes at all away from the airports. But this flight and others were forced to wait. To fly in circles.

That you don't care is to be expected. That you divert topics is also to be expected.