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  • MONDAY MAY 1 2006 2:28 PM

Attention New Internet Millionaires: Fighter Jets are the New Sports Car

Submitted by mat8drb

Edited by Rahodeb

Recently, a Chinese businessman bought a MiG-21f plane from eBay to decorate his office, and interest in purchasing fighter jets for private use skyrocketed from zero to four.

Fighter jets have, until now, been out of reach of even the most enthusiastic (and richest) of pilots. Years of military training are needed before anyone can safely take a Harrier Jump Jet off the ground.

But the [ATG Javelin, a small, high-speed personal jet,] requires just 1,500 hours of flying time and a short training course. Michael Pearce, chief executive of Air Touring, the firm selling Javelins in Europe, said this was the closest a civilian could get to flying a military plane. "Unless you have been trained by the RAF, it gets no better than this. Military planes are designed for military pilots," he said. Daniel Fox-Davies, a 31-year-old London financier who is the first Briton to put down a six-figure deposit for a Javelin, described the plane as the "ultimate boy's toy".

For those who have yet to get a driving license, salivating at all of this, it isn't all good news by any means: with the price of oil on the rise and more emission targets, the UK is introducing eco-driving into the driving test. This does not mean following the example of the UK's leader of the opposition by cycling to work and then getting your flunky to take your shoes and papers in a Lexus.

Or railing about fuel consumption, and driving your hydrogen car a block away before hopping back into your SUV -Ed.

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Comments
Helter

Helter

Chester, PA
OLD SKOOL

MAY 01, 2006 03:37 PM

I can't be 100% sure, but I think that fighter jet was imported by a friend of mine...
Incidentally, you've been able to purchase military fighter jets for years. Whether this czech fighter was one of his imports or not, a friend of mine has been selling imported fighters (and specifically he imported a number of czech fighters) since at least 1990.

waldo

waldo

I'm lost
June 2004

MAY 01, 2006 04:08 PM

Oh for fuck's sake. Why does anyone take these people seriously?

I mean, really. Way to advertise your insecurity.

ZPO

ZPO

Roy, WA
July 2004

MAY 01, 2006 04:18 PM

The MIG-21F is pretty old tech. The L-39C already has several examples flying in the US. Many of them came in before the moratorium so you have less beauracratic hassle.

For the money, I'd rather have a nicely appointed Long-EZ, Cozy-MkIV, or perhaps a Berkut. The performance isn't up to MIG standards, but they are much more affordable and definitely a huge step up from a C172.

WilWheaton

WilWheaton

Los Angeles, CA
June 2005

MAY 01, 2006 04:20 PM

Michael Dorn, who played Worf on TNG is a pilot, and he bought a retired Soviet MiG a few years ago. I remember him telling me that he thought it was so cool that he could fly all the way to Texas in less than an hour, or something like that. He was like a kid with his first Red Ryder BB Gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.

Oz_the_Vamp

Oz_the_Vamp

Lorain, OH
June 2005

MAY 01, 2006 05:47 PM

Fuck it, for $24,000, I'd buy a MiG in a heartbeat. It would be like reliving my Top Gun infused pre-teens all over again.

elicit77

elicit77

USA
October 2003

MAY 01, 2006 10:30 PM

Holy SHIT! I"m gonna pick me up a fighter jet too! I'd put gold plated spinners on my wheels. That would be pimp-a-lixious.

[Edited on May 01, 2006 10:33PM]

Andvari

Andvari

Calgary, AB
April 2005

MAY 01, 2006 11:19 PM

I'd rather buy a decommisioned destroyer as a yacht. biggrin

Andvari

Andvari

Calgary, AB
April 2005

MAY 01, 2006 11:20 PM

WilWheaton said:
I remember him telling me



I love how casually you throw that out.

moniker42

moniker42

Seattle, WA
October 2003

MAY 01, 2006 11:24 PM

Andvari said:
I'd rather buy a decommisioned destroyer as a yacht. biggrin


If I had the bank, me too, I would just live on the thing with my pirate ninja army.

Yuriel

Yuriel

I'm lost
January 2004

MAY 02, 2006 05:27 AM

Fighter jets (and helicopters -lucky for us not only nicer than planes but often -cleaner and such-
were the military's ONLY allure for me....)

Goddamn. I don't care how much of a puss I am. I would love to feel the sheer rush of having NO speed limit and just being able to streak through the sky at around five times the speed of sound

mmm -le sigh-

I like that whole destroyer as a yacht thing too. But only if I can still at least fire off the guns. Or the guns on a pt boat would work fine for me. Hell.

I don't want to destry any actual property or hurt anyone. I just want to play with the toys

(the army seriously should just give me a non combat position playing with toys and things that go boom. damn would I be happy.)

Yes I'm ranting. Deal with it. My love of "toys" and things that go boom tends to make me do that.

EL SUICIDO LOCO

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