Blue Crab Boulevard

A Solution To A Major Ruckus

Well, the ruckus over whether or not Nancy Pelosi asked for a personal jet to fly her around appears to have been answered. Yes she did. (Who was the left-wing blogger that tried to prove conclusively that she had not even asked just a day or two ago?)

Feb. 7, 2007 — A source close to the controversy over the request made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for use of a military plane that can fly to and from her home district in San Francisco, Calif., without having to stop to refuel, tells ABC News that the Pentagon has rebuffed Pelosi's request.

The source says that Pentagon officials and the Bush administration have instead offered Pelosi use of the same plane made available to former Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.: a C-20, which seats about 12 passengers and five crew members.

A C-20 can make the 700-mile flight to Hastert's Aurora, Ill., district easily but would generally have to stop to refuel to complete the 2,800-mile trip from Washington, D.C. to the San Francisco Bay Area, depending on the headwinds.

Pelosi has expressed concern about having to stop and refuel, primarily for security reasons, her office says. Since 9/11, the Speaker of the House — second in line of presidential succession behind the Vice President — has received what the Air Force refers to as "shuttle service," the use of military planes to travel for security reasons. Pelosi's predecessor, Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., used a C-20, the military version of the Gulf Stream 3 business jet, a twin-engine turbo-fan aircraft that seats 12 passengers with a crew of five.

Pentagon spokesman Cmdr J.D. Gordon outlined the rules and restrictions governing Speaker Pelosi's use of the C-20:

No more than 10 passengers (C-20's only seat 12 passengers, not including up to 5 crew members);

No travel to political events;

Members of the Speaker's family cannot fly unless the Speaker puts a request in writing. The Pelosi family has to reimburse the US Treasury for the cost of a coach ticket per person for the travel, as well as for any food;

Members of Congress cannot fly on the plane unless their travel has been cleared with the House Committee on Standards (the Ethics committee);

Pelosi's husband can travel for free, but only for official protocol purposes.

In response to the Pentagon offer, Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly tells ABC News, "We appreciate the Defense Department's continuing concern for the Speaker's security. We are reviewing their letter."

Pelosi: I Want an Aircraft That Will Reach California

Earlier today Pelosi responded to Republican critics who have accused her of making unreasonable demands on the Pentagon for a luxurious airplane her Republican predecessor never requested.

"I want an aircraft that will reach California," Pelosi told reporters Wednesday afternoon, insisting that she doesn't care what kind of plane it is as long as it can fly nonstop to her home district.

Happily, there is a solution! We here at Blue Crab Boulevard suggest that the Air Force simply go out to the boneyard and drag one of these beauties out! With a range of 5,400 miles it could just about make it both ways on one tank of gas! Pelosi says she doesn't care what kind of plane it is, problem solved! Damn, we're good.

Greg Tinti has a different solution. Oh, we still like ours better, but we're certainly fairly balanced around here.

UPDATE: We are very pleased to be the first to announce the ultimate solution to the problem! Bonus: Unlimited hot air, unlimited range!

Humor, Politics | Gaius February 7, 2007

By Sam L., February 8, 2007 @ 12:13 am

The Connie is a far better-looking aircraft than any jet passenger plane; it has style, elegance, and character.

OK, that means Our Nancy won’t take it–it outclasses her.
By Stew, February 8, 2007 @ 10:58 am

This whole event is funny. Itis clearly just a distraction and an attempt to discredit. You would think that everyone would just tire of this stuff and get on to the big issues and how our representatives are addressing them. I personally have had enough of “congressional entertainment tonight” correspondents who don’t to the research and just report whispered knee jerk gossip.

The rule is that the Speaker of the House (3rd in line to the Oval Office) gets a military flight home after 9/11/01. It is not unusual to request a non-stop aircraft. The C-20 has a range of over 4,000 miles at 576 MPH.

There are only 2 options available in the airforce inventory unless the VP wishes to give up AF2. I left out the C-21 since it is a really medivac aircraft and holds 8 plus crew max – range under 3000 Miles. It could be used in a pinch since there are more of them, but then people will say Pelosi is steal aircraft from wounded soldiers.

“Mission: The C-20 is a twin-engine, turbofan aircraft acquired to fill the airlift mission for high-ranking government and Department of Defense officials. The 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., operates five C-20B’s for worldwide special air missions. The 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, operates two C-20H’s for operational support airlift missions”. Inventory: C-20B, Active force, 5; ANG, 0; Reserve, 0 – C-20H, Active force, 2; ANG, 0; Reserve, 0

The C-37A has a longer range and is specified “Mission: The C-37A is a twin-engine, turbofan aircraft acquired to fill the worldwide special air missions for high-ranking government and Defense Department officials” Inventory: Active force, 9; Air National Guard, 0; Reserve, 0
By dennisintn, February 8, 2007 @ 11:22 am

why does pelosi need more security than all other airline passengers? she’s all ready flying military, non-commercial so let her sit at the airport getting refueled like everyone else that flies on those things. i’d like to see her get an upgrade to the next moonshot.
dennisintn
By DocJim, February 8, 2007 @ 11:54 am

The old Connie was a handsome craft. My one ride on one (years ago) was one of the most unpleasant air journeys, because of VI BBBBR A TI O N. I doubt there is a pilot still flying who can fly one of those (and they need a knowledgeable flight engineer–that may be the biggest stumbling block).

However, I can’t help but think that Madam Speaker maybe needs to be “all shook up.” Somethings that come forth might do better with some revision.

On the other hand, I wonder about an ICBM, maybe an old John Glenn era capsule is till available. If non-stop distance is the main criterion — just might work.
By Gaius, February 8, 2007 @ 12:11 pm

Non-stop and fast, too!
By McQ, February 8, 2007 @ 1:46 pm

Gaius, don’t laugh. As a kid I flew from Taipei to San Francisco on a Constellation. Took us 3 days and 2 nights. Taipei-Manila (overnight)-Guam-Kwajalen-Hawaii(overnight)-SF.

Sounds perfect for Madame Speaker.
By Gaius, February 8, 2007 @ 1:58 pm

I actually would have loved to fly on one of those. They really were a beautiful aircraft. I have heard that there was a lot of vibration in them, though (DocJim pointed that out as well).
By Continuum, February 8, 2007 @ 2:19 pm

Just because Pelosi is 2nd in line for the presidency does not mean she deserves any more protection (or use of government planes) than the Vice President, the First Lady, and members of the president’s cabinet. These people all fly commercial and so should she.

I think ex-speaker Hastert should hold a press conference and explain how he only used the plane for trips to his home district. He should further state that only his wife and personal body guard were on board.

Once the ex-speaker Hastert holds his conference, then the air force should further release all records on his use of the military planes and all people who travelled on the plane.

I think we should start an email campaign to ex-speaker’s Hastert office to encourage him to hold such a press conference and expose this corruption.

Please, Speaker Hastert, tell the American people how you always used the plane exactly as the air force said you should have.
By Gaius, February 8, 2007 @ 2:42 pm

Um, actually that is incorrect. The VP definitely has a plane (Air Force 2) and I think the first lady has one as well. Cabinet members generally do not as I understand it. They may get to use one for specific reasons, however.