A New (Fighter) Jet for Google’s Founders?

By Miguel Helft
Alpha Jet(Credit: Adrian Pingstone)

UPDATED 6:45 p.m.: Added NASA’s comment
UPDATED 8:00 p.m.: Added Google’s comment

A company controlled by Google’s top executives, including its billionaire founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, appears to have added a new plane to its well-equipped fleet: a fighter jet, or more precisely a Dornier Alpha Jet. According to Wikipedia, the Alpha Jet is a a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France.

The last time we checked on H211 L.L.C., the company that operates the private jets owned and used by Mr. Page, Mr. Brin and the chief executive, Eric Schmidt, was in October 2007. The company had just added a Boeing 757 to a fleet that already included a refurbished Boeing 767 and two Gulfstream V’s. All four planes had landing rights at Moffett Field, the NASA operated airfield that is a stone’s throw from the Google campus.

On Thursday, The Mountain View Voice reported the existence of the fighter jet, which it said had been spotted at Moffett Field. Federal aviation records confirm that H211 L.L.C. has registered a Dornier Alpha Jet made in 1982.

Google, which does not own any of the airplanes and has no relationship with H211 LLC, said that like the other planes, the Alpha Jet is being outfitted with scientific instruments for NASA missions, including instruments that the other planes could not carry. “Because of the type of aircraft we are talking about, NASA now has the ability to do even more than they could before,” said Matt Furman, a Google spokesman.

Ken Ambrose, a vice president of H211 L.L.C., could not be reached for comment.

After The New York Times filed a Freedom of Information Act request with NASA, the agency released documents related to the lease agreement between NASA and H211 LLC. In an e-mail message Thursday, Dolores Beasley, a NASA spokeswoman, said: “The agreement was amended to support a recent science mission — observation of the re-entry of the European Space Agency’s ‘Jules Verne’ Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Additional amendments are in progress in regards to the Alpha jet.”

It is not clear who exactly owns or flies the fighter jet. Mr. Schmidt is an avid pilot.

If the top Googlers indeed own the fighter jet, they would not be the first Silicon Valley moguls with such luxury toys. Oracle’s chief executive, Larry Ellison, has owned several aircraft, including fighter jets.

Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time.

See a follow-up post on what NASA has to say about its plans for the jet.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Tim Chuma October 23, 2008 · 7:07 pm

Wake me when Google buys a volcano on a tropical island for their secret base.

LCL October 23, 2008 · 7:40 pm

“Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time.”

Microsoft would never admit to it anyway.

Brian Wilson October 23, 2008 · 10:57 pm

The whole time I was reading this article I was thinking about how xkcd would draw it up…

Duncan October 23, 2008 · 11:32 pm

“Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time.”

Classic!

Kushal H October 24, 2008 · 12:24 am

@LCL, No results matched “Microsoft would never admit to it anyway.”. Did you mean “Google would never admit to it anyway.” :P

hartman_john October 24, 2008 · 7:46 am

another example of the endless greed, arrogance and self-centeredness of American Corporate owners. Why is the Times giving us this information? Bill Gates has probably bought some shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles by this time.

DHA October 24, 2008 · 8:26 am

Where the h.. are giant corporate industries driving the world into? Explain me one thing, why on earth a Google exacutive might need a jet fighter? To resist the US Army when they come to inspect their tax fakes, or against people who decide to change their search service? I think it is very high time to clean the dast from Marx and Engels’ books.

Varun October 24, 2008 · 12:07 pm

“Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time” , this is beautiful.
Tell this to Ballmer please. I want to see his reaction

Rumiam October 24, 2008 · 12:10 pm

In related news, Jeeves of Askjeeves.com recently bought a Supersoaker 2000. Go get ’em Jeeves!

Ima Nidiot October 24, 2008 · 12:29 pm

The Alpha was produced from 1973-1984.

As a shareholder, do you really want your CEO flying a military aircraft from the 1980s built by a French/German consortium? Heloooo…..

When I think of reliable machinery built in the 1980s, cars like the Audi Fox, the Peugeot 504, or Renault LeCar don’t exactly inspire MY confidence…..

Military aircraft are horrendously complex machines and are very un-forgiving of any pilot error.

France uses Alpha-Jets for their ‘Patrouille de France’ (French Air Force Aerobatic Team)….one of their pilots was killed when he ejected at low altitude in 2002.

The ‘cool factor’ of having a toy like this is going to go south if somebody gets hurt…..

Curtis October 24, 2008 · 12:32 pm

I want one!!

I presume google won’t actually be arming this thing :P

Ira October 24, 2008 · 12:33 pm

Come on Guys,
These are just rich boy toys. You can be sure that the
plane is completely demil’ed, no guns, no hard points
for rockets or bombs, no targeting systems. It is fun as
might imagine to get to a meeting the quick way by
flying yourself from Mountainview to LA in 30 min.
Lots of rich folk have warbirds, only they can afford the
gas (or kerosene as the case might be)!

TheRealNix October 24, 2008 · 1:39 pm

Buying an expensive jet plane because you are a gajillionaire? Not surprised… That is giving back to society for sure…

C’mon man, at least buy American!

william October 24, 2008 · 1:54 pm

Since a fighter jet is so dangerous, I suggest all the Google execs practice safety maneuvers, especially the ejection mechanism. I am sure that after several live experiences with the ejection seat, they will be fully qualified to understand what fighter pilots paid military wages (low) face on a daily basis.

johndpalm October 24, 2008 · 1:57 pm

I would not presume that these aircraft are merely billionaire boys’ toys. The vast majority of hi-res aerial photography is flown by planes, not satellites.

Google has been quickly buying up exclusive rights to the highest quality aerial photography available, not to mention securing exclusive commercial rights to the best private sector photographic satellite, GeoEye-1.

Less than 5 years ago, there were only a small handful of private aerial photography vendors. The detail level averaged around 10M/pixel and you only could get an update every couple of years. Google (and Microsoft) have accelerated the schedules, greatly increased the coverage area, and exponentially increased the resolution in very short amount of time.

The concept of a high-resolution, high-speed aerial photography aircraft is a game-changer. Attaching a 1000lb photo capture rig to the bottom of a fighter is something out of a photogrammetrist’s wildest dream.

John Palmer, former IT Director, Digital Map Products

James B October 24, 2008 · 1:58 pm

To say: “[Google] does not own any of the airplanes and has no relationship with H211 LLC” is misleading. And this isn’t the first time you’ve reported this. There may be no legal relationship between the corporations, but there is certainly a meaningful relationship. As you point out, H211 is “controlled” by Larry and Sergey — the same people who founded and maintain control of a good chuck of Google. That’s a clear relationship.

Nate October 24, 2008 · 2:58 pm

“Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time.”

Maybe not by Google…

Varun October 24, 2008 · 3:11 pm

Presumably no attacks on Microsoft are planned at this time.

I just love the closing line its freaking awesome ..

jk October 24, 2008 · 4:29 pm

To me this is a sign that Google has peaked, when the execs have time and hubris to do this kind of stuff.

Paul October 24, 2008 · 5:14 pm

Yes but do they have sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads!

Google fan October 24, 2008 · 7:27 pm

Congrats to those guys. It’s a fun airplane if you can afford it. It will also make an ideal high altitude platform for Hi Res photography which it will be used for. BTW, No problem if there having fun while flying their “mission”.

Isn’t this what the American dream is about?

David Ul, October 24, 2008 · 7:28 pm

“According to Wikipedia…”

Red flag alert.

kenny October 24, 2008 · 7:39 pm

johndpalm……You don’t know what you speak of….there are hundreds of private aerial photo companys and they have been around for many decades. Resolution is much better than the 10M pixels you report. Try .02 Meters! Most large area coverage is done at .25 Meter pixels. The Alpha jet they bought would make a horrible camera platform. Flight range is extremely short. It has very limited room for a 300 lbs camera, and all the gear that controls it. Not to mention the expense and approval needed to engineer a 20″ camera hole in the belly of a pressurized jet. How do I know all this….I own an aerial photogrammetry company. As for ex-military jets…look on Ebay. Ex russian supersonic Migs can be had for a song. It is the fuel and maintanence that gets you. The Google boys bought this purely for fun. More power to them. Whats with all the Socialist envy statements such as “Greed” Give me a break. They earned it, let em play with it all they want.

Rudy October 24, 2008 · 7:45 pm

Lets hope the ejection seat works backwards.

kenny October 24, 2008 · 7:47 pm

Anther problem with jets as camera platforms is that they suck fuel like mad down at lower altitudes. If you run an Alpha jet up high where the engine is designed to be effecient then the resolution of the immagery would be at best 1 meter. At that pixel size the satellites are just as good.