Fresh from giving a speech warning disabled veterans that the sequester would cut their health benefits (more than he has already), Barack I ferried his dog on an advanced Marine Corps chopper.
This is how CNN reported the momentous event.
Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys, aircraft that take off vertically, provided a dramatic new look for President Barack Obama’s travel detail as he and the first lady began a Martha’s Vineyard vacation on Saturday.So naturally they are being moved to the front lines of Martha’s Vineyard. Won’t see them anywhere near Benghazi. But left unsaid is that the Ospreys shuttled the First Dog.
The Ospreys — making their presidential debut — shuttled White House staff, media and Secret Service members from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod.
The sleek tilt-rotor aircraft can take off like a helicopter but fly like an airplane.
The Marines say the Ospreys are twice as fast, can travel six times farther and are capable of carrying three times the weight of the Vietnam-era CH-46E helicopters which have supported missions involving the president.
Rooms have to be found for dozens of Secret Service agents, someone has to carry a selection of presidential basketballs, and of course the family dog needs his own state-of-the-art aircraft.
Bo, the president’s Portuguese Water Dog, arrived separately on one of two MV-22 Ospreys, a hybrid aircraft which takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane.
It was the first time the Ospreys have been taken on holiday by a US president.
There’s a reason Obama may have let Bo take the Osprey.
The Osprey has raised some safety concerns over the years. It earned the unceremonious nickname “the Widowmaker” after crashes during initial development and testing.While the Osprey is available to fly around Obama’s dog, don’t expect any new Ospreys.
There are no plans yet to have the president fly in the MV-22s.
Obama canceled plans for a new fleet back in 2009 after projected costs soared to $11 billion.
No comments:
Post a Comment