THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 18, 1994 TAG: 9409160018
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
The president's plane continues to fly while ``Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter planes are grounded at Oceana NAS because there is no money in the budget to fly more than a handful'' (editorial, Sept. 13).
Flying Air Force One costs $6,000 for each hour that it is on the ground or in the air, and three times this amount goes for salaries and accommodations of support personnel, not including the Secret Service.
Why should we deny Bill Clinton the pleasure of Air Force One to do his Christmas shopping in NYC, attending his high-school reunion in Arkansas, attending sporting events in the United States and visit his political buddies at small-town meetings?
His leisure time is more important than the defense of this country, it seems.
BRUCE H. BANKS
Norfolk, Sept. 14, 1994 by CNB