by Ana Maria Ruiz-Brown, Staff Writer
Chihuahua State Government has been critized for its airplane fleet which cost taxpayers of Chihuahua $3.3 million pesos to maintain and operate in 1995, according to a report in Diario de Juarez. The operation cost for the Turbo Commander 1000 alone is $9000 pesos ($1,116 dollars) per hour. Operation cost for one of the Cessna airplanes was calculated at $4,600 pesos ($600 dollars) per hour, about half of the the Turbo Commander's cost. The Turbo is a small luxury jet, able to carry 8 people, and is designed for long trips. However, according to a federal police official interviewed by Diario de Juarez, it has only been used on short trips. For long trips, such as flights to Mexico City, Governor Francisco Barrio and other State functionaries prefer travelling on commercial planes. The unnamed official also explained that even if the plane was used for day trips from Chihuahua to Mexico City, the Turbo would still be too expensive. Planes like the Turbo are cost-effective when used as aero-taxis on flights over 1 hour, with an annual average of 500 hours of flight. He added that only large companies -- and some drug dealers -- can afford the Turbo plane.
The Turbo Commander was obtained by the state after it was confiscated by the PGR (Procuraduría General de la Republica), and given to then-Governor Fernando Baeza. In 1995 the State Administration showed a cost of $3,257,625 million pesos in total maintenance expenses. Legislators in Chihuahua's State Legislature have criticized the expenses in light of the state's budget problems. Dagoberto Gonzalez, PRD delegate, suggested a 20 % reduction for the airplane expenses in the new State budget, that would save $651,525 pesos.
Source: Diario de Juarez