Google Pays NASA 1.3 Million to Land Jet

Apparently Google and NASA are best buds these days. Despite the fact that NASA’s Moffett Federal Airfield is off limits to private aircraft, they decided to allow Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s Boeing 767 plane land at their field. The reason Google’s co-founders want to land there is all a matter of convenience. You see, Moffett field is located in Google Land (a.k.a. Mountain View, California) which means when they land, it’s only a short drive (about 2 miles) to the Googleplex.

The clearance to land the Google Jet at Moffett Airfield didn’t come for free though, it’ll cost Page and Brin 1.3 million each year. And not only do they have to pay the parking fee, they’re also required to carry NASA scientists and equipment on the various Google planes. I suppose when both co-founders are worth $17 billion each, they have the money to splurge on a jet, and the fee to land at the airfield of their choice.

Below is a Google Map which shows just how close the Googleplex is to Moffett Airfield which helps to explain why Larry and Sergey wanted to make a deal with NASA.

It seems a bit ironic to me though, that Google focuses so much on "going green" with their Googleplex Solar Power Project, and their recent investment in green transportation solutions, yet they own 3 jets with one of them large enough to hold 180 passengers but modified to hold 50 passengers once "amenities" were added. Sounds like a waste of energy to me!