AP Downplays Luxury White House Chief Of Staff Travels In

The AP reported this weekend that the plane carrying White House Chief of Staff Andy Card made an unplanned landing when smoke was discovered coming from the cockpit.  Thankfully, no one was injured.

In the coverage, the AP characterizes the Gulfstream 4 as a "small, twin engine" plane.   Hardly. 

A Gulfstream 4 is a business class jet with seating for 12.  It has a range of 4,200 miles, with a maximum altitude of  45,000 feet, and a maximum cruising speed of 525 mph.  Going rate for a charter?  $5,200 per hour.

That's hardly a "small, twin engine" airplane.  And hardly the little Cessna that most people would conjure up if they heard the AP's description.

It makes you wonder if the White House was intentionally trying to downplay the style in which Card travels.