Haley Stevens: “The operational support airlift fleet has decreased from 520 in 1995 to 364 today. We are reducing the number of these…”

“The operational support airlift fleet has decreased from 520 in 1995 to 364 today. We are reducing the number of these aircraft. Now we are starting a pilot project of leasing them to see if we can save even more money. But we must go through the concept of replacing these aging aircraft. By the way, one last comment as a pilot: People say: Well, they can land and take off, and they can land and take off, and they can land and take off. I am also a pilot. Every time you let down and land and take off again, you use more fuel than if you fly straight through. These planes are designed to save us money by having ``the legs,'' as we call it, to go the distance and not have to stop and burn more fuel as they land and take off.”