NAS Moffett

And Now Google Is Buying Its Own Airports

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The U.S. government has picked a Google subsidiary to run and renovate a federal airfield that is frequently used for the personal flights of the Internet company's billionaire executives.

The decision announced Monday clears the way for Google's Planetary Ventures LLC to take over management of the 1,000-acre Moffett Federal Airfield, a former U.S. Navy based 4 miles from Google's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. The airfield, which was built in the 1930s, has been managed by NASA's Ames Research Center for the past 23 years.

Financial terms of the new arrangement still must be worked out among Google, NASA and the General Services Administration.

As part of the deal, Google Inc. must renovate the airfield's three hangars, including one that is a Silicon Valley landmark because of its massive size and location off a major highway. Google also has agreed to upgrade a golf course located next to the airfield.

"We are delighted to move ahead in the selection process and we look forward to working with both GSA and NASA to preserve the heritage of Moffett Federal Airfield," Google said in a statement Monday.

Norsk Orion på samme stedet den 6. mars, 1969. Vi var på vei til NAS Barbers Point på Hawaii på såkalt Long Range Overwater Nav flight. Det går mot slutten av kurse på Pax River. På returen fløy vi direkte fra Hawaii til Pax River i Maryland.