Matt Coyne

mcoyne@lohud.com

Hillary Clinton is getting plenty of use out of her new jet.

The Democratic presidential hopeful and Chappaqua resident held a press conference Thursday morning on the tarmac at Westchester County Airport, right before taking off for Charlotte and a voter registration drive and rally.

While standing in front of the white and light blue Boeing 737 emblazoned with her campaign slogan "Stronger together" on the side, Clinton said her Republican opponent Donald Trump is unfit to be president.

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After the press conference, Clinton — who has been shy about taking questions from the press during her campaign — traveled to North Carolina and then flew to Kansas City to speak to the National Baptist Convention before returning to Westchester late that evening.

The airport is less than 8 miles from her home in Chappaqua.

But what do we know about the presidential candidate's new jet?

1. It isn't very new...

According to AirFleets.net, a website that tracks airlines and their fleets, Clinton's plane first flew in January 2002 for Air Berlin.

2. And then?

Starting in 2012, the plane was owned by Russian airline Orenair, AirFleets.net said. By 2015, it had ended up in the hands of AerSale, a Florida company "specializing in the sale and lease of mid-life commercial aircraft," which leased it to Corendon Dutch Airlines.

In 2016, Xtra Airways began leasing the plane. Xtra Airways is a charter airline primarily serving college and pro sports teams, entertainment and media figures and various dignitaries.

3. Why not just buy one?

According to Boeing, a new 737-800 series costs $96 million. Clinton's plane is a Boeing 737-86J, according to the Federal Aviation Administration Registry. Clinton's campaign has raised $435 million, both through her campaign committee and outside groups, according to OpenSecrets.org, but for context, Clinton has only spent $74 million in media buys and $46.6 million in salaries.

Spending on travel was not broken out as its own category, and AerSale was not listed as a top vendor.

4. Where has she flown it?

Besides to Charlotte and Kansas City? Clinton used the plane to fly to Cleveland and Illinois for Labor Day events.

5. What about security at the airport?

The press office for Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, forwarded questions to the Westchester County police, whose spokesman, Kieran O'Leary, who in turn deferred to the Secret Service.

"The United States Secret Service has primary responsibility for Mrs. Clinton's security and we would defer all questions on that topic to that agency," O'Leary said. O'Leary added that county police have helped the Secret Service "for quite some time" as Clinton has traveled in and out of Westchester County Airport in her roles as first lady, senator, secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate.

The Secret Service did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Officials at the airport said that since Clinton leaves from a private terminal, her presence at the airport has created no delays for the average traveler - even when she paused to hold a press conference on the tarmac.



Twitter: @coynereports