Sen. John McCain last week fresh off the Sept. 30 defeat of his first amendment to kill the additional 10 C-17 airlifters that Senate appropriators included in the 2010 defense spending bill introduced two new amendments—splitting into two parts his original amendment, which would have eliminated the additional C-17s and put that money in operations and maintenance. The first new amendment (SA 2580) would strike the 10 additional C-17s, and the second (SA 2581) would increase O&M funding. Part of McCain’s pitch has been that appropriators robbed Peter (O&M) to pay Paul (more C-17s), but during the extensive floor debate on the first amendment, Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that was not the case. Continue
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
