NASA gives Google founders a coveted parking place for their private jet
By Miguel Helft
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO: In the annals of perks enjoyed by American corporate executives, the founders of Google may have set a new standard: an un-crowded, federally-managed runway for their private jet that is as close as can be to being in the company's own backyard.
It is a perk that is likely to turn other Silicon Valley tycoons green with envy, but one that may not sit well with a community that generally considers itself proud to have Google in its midst.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration confirmed earlier this week that H211, a limited liability company that counts Google's chief executive, Eric Schmidt, as one of its principals, had secured rights to operate a refurbished wide-body Boeing 767-200 out of Moffett Field, an airport that is run by NASA and is generally closed to private aircraft.
The Google founders and billionaires, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, through another limited liability company, own just such a plane, which is unusually large and rare by private jet standards.
Moffett Field is nearly adjacent to Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California, and the four-mile, or 6.5 kilometer, drive between the two facilities takes just seven minutes, according to Google Maps. Other Silicon Valley executives have to make do with space for their jets at San Francisco or San Jose international airports. More...
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Originally Posted by cancidas
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