Google Guys Get NASA Airstrip Deal

In exchange for carrying scientific instrumentation for NASA experiments on board Google’s airplane, the search engine’s founders will be permitted to use a federal airstrip that is otherwise restricted to civilians.

The San Francisco Chronicle said Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page paid $1.3 million to NASA for the privilege. They should be the envy of their super-rich jet-setting neighbors, who would love to strike a similar deal.

NASA was forced to confirm the deal took place after people spotted the easily-identifiable Google plane on the federal airstrip. In addition to the $1.3 million annual fee, Page and Brin will pay for the usual extras associated with use of the field, like fuel, utilities, and parking, the report said.

The locals don’t seem very happy with the deal, although NASA claimed Google’s use of Moffett Field won’t exceed the 25,000 flights per year limit as mandated by NASA’s environmental impact statement. Mountain View’s city manager wants more information about noise from the big plane.

NASA could make similar deals with others whose aircraft could help NASA conduct experiments. We imagine plenty of tech moguls will express a newly-found interest in atmospheric science now.

The EU is filing a complaint with the WTO claiming that Boeing gets illegal aid through military contracts. The U.S. on the other hand has already accused Airbus of getting illegal aid.

“In order to sustain conditions for fair competition in civil aircraft production and to maintain a proper commercial balance between the two companies, the European Union is resuming action in the WTO to confirm … the illegality of subsidies paid to Boeing,” said Mandelson.

The U.S. and EU have been having talks and trying to negotiate on this matter for months, trying to avoid this legal action with the WTO, but that changed yesterday when the U.S. backed out of the talks and went to the WTO. Now the EU has done what was expected and filed a counter complaint. AFX News Limited writes:

The simmering dispute over aid to Airbus and Boeing has become inflamed lately after Airbus requested UK government aid for its A350 long-haul plane designed to compete with Boeing’s planned 787 Dreamliner.

Mandelson added, however, that he will make all efforts to ensure the row does not damage broader trade relations between the EU and US.

“I can assure you Europe’s interests will be fully defended,” Mandelson said. He also said that he was “disappointed that the United States has chosen this confrontation with Europe.”

“America’s decision will, I fear, spark the biggest, most difficult and costly legal dispute in the WTO’s history,” he said, adding it would be “manifestly expensive and (involve) quite destructive litigation.”

According to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, the Bush administration felt like it needed to act because EU member nations were preparing fund Airbus with $1.7 billion to Airbus to develop its A350.

Chris is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.

The Redwood Shores, Calif., company said it will announce the initial release of the product, called Oracle Complex Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO), on Tuesday. The software is supposed to help aircraft manufacturers and airline operators manage the maintenance of planes more efficiently with applications for tracking and scheduling aircraft repairs.

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