Google executives set to break ground on $82 million private air terminal next month

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Google's ruling trio of Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt are reportedly ready to begin construction of a 29-acre, $82 million private air terminal at Mineta San Jose International Airport.

Google terminal
Source: Fast Company


Builders will start work in February and wind up construction by the end of 2015, according to a report from CNBC. Word of the project, which is also expected to service the private jets of other Silicon Valley luminaries, first surfaced early last year.

The facility will reportedly contain 270,000 square feet of hangar space and be capable of servicing aircraft at least as large as a Boeing 737. When complete, five of the terminal's seven wings are expected to be dedicated to Google.

Google terminal
Source: Fast Company


Page, Brin, and Schmidt -- who will finance the project with their own money?--?tapped renowned architecture firm Gensler to design the buildings. Gensler is also responsible for, among other projects, Seoul's Incheon International Airport, Denver International Airport, and Los Angeles's new Farmers Field football stadium.

Fixed-base operator Signature Flight Support will run the terminal, which is expected to bring nearly $3.5 million per year to the city of San Jose in the form of rent and tax revenue. When complete, the terminal will be one of the largest private air facilities in the world.

Google terminal
Source: Fast Company


The Googlers' fleet is currently based out of NASA's Moffett Field, but the lease --?which ends next year --?has often been the subject of intense debate, and is expected not to be renewed.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 35
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    The mockups look nice. I wonder if they will also use it for testing Google drones?
  • Reply 2 of 35
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Hmm...how are private jets good for the environment?
  • Reply 3 of 35
    adhiradhir Posts: 50member
    Nice life. I'd do it if I could.
  • Reply 3 of 35
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Hmm...how are private jets good for the environment?

     

    How is Google good for the environment?

  • Reply 5 of 35
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    Hmm...how are private jets good for the environment?

    They are excellent for the environment. Your environment changes from a cramped tube with 100 strangers and their crying children to a comfortable armchair with a glass of wine and a dedicated waiter. ;-)

  • Reply 6 of 35
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    I heard that Google has a fleet of private jets for their business, like any company like this, how does that bring value to share holders. I wonder how many apple owns, we know they rented Steve Private jet, do that own any other their own.

    Yeah these 3 are using their own money but you can bet google will house their jet there and those 3 will make money off google renting space.
  • Reply 7 of 35
    pscooter63pscooter63 Posts: 1,080member
    Brindlefly.
  • Reply 8 of 35
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,694member

    LOLOLOLOLOL @ ascii's comments.  Very true.

  • Reply 9 of 35
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Is Google now taking "cloud" computing literally?
  • Reply 10 of 35
    Wow, my first thought was 'Amazing how much it will look like the new Apple campus'
  • Reply 11 of 35
    creepcreep Posts: 80member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Maestro64 View Post



    I heard that Google has a fleet of private jets for their business, like any company like this, how does that bring value to share holders. I wonder how many apple owns, we know they rented Steve Private jet, do that own any other their own.



    Yeah these 3 are using their own money but you can bet google will house their jet there and those 3 will make money off google renting space.

    I can see the value in maintaining a fleet of jets if you're a multinational corporation.  You don't have your management team waiting for their flights (and inevitable delays) like normal commercial passengers.  They show up at the airport, and they're ready to go.  Depending on how their jets are equipped, the planes become flying offices, which probably allows them to get work done while they're in flight without worrying about nosey passengers looking over their shoulders or picking up on their conversations.

  • Reply 12 of 35
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post

    Is Google now taking "cloud" computing literally?

     

    Since the data center barges are banned in literally every single port in the world, they’ve decided to build data center zeppelins.

  • Reply 13 of 35
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Since the data center barges are banned in literally every single port in the world, they’ve decided to build data center zeppelins.

    That might not be too far from the truth since a dirigible can sustain itself for long periods on very little fuel as well as remain in an exact spot. It could be a way to work out those cell tower issues in big cities, especially one with lots of hills.



    edit: This company says theres can/will stay aloft for up to 18 months and has a 300,000 mile line of site (which I think means radius, not diameter)…



    edit2: Ignore Stratelite as a legit option even though the specs and image are neat. It Looks like the company had lofty goals but was ultimately full of hot air.
  • Reply 14 of 35
    jessijessi Posts: 302member
    These guys could put $29M into political reform to turn the US away from facism and back towards liberty, but like typical socialists they got theirs so they are just spending money to benefit themselves.

    It's their right to do this, but it just shows their character.
  • Reply 15 of 35

    Page, Brin, and Schmidt, I wouldn't worry about that air-shit-hole to carry your dumb assess around!

     

    Watch out! UK is coming after you but they don't let you get away like you did by paying a lousy 23 something million to FTC! In fact, the whole world appears to be sick and tired of you morons and willing to go thermonuclear:smokey:

     

     

    Activist Judith Vidal-Hall has issued a statement in response to today's ruling. "We want to know how Google came to ignore user preferences to track us online; how did they get around Apple's program settings -- they have said it was accidental, but how do you accidentally interfere with someone else's program? We want to know how long they have done this for, what they've done with our private data, how much they have made from this, and why they keep flouting privacy laws? This case is about protecting the rights of all internet users who use a company that is virtually a monopoly but seems intent on ignoring their right to privacy."

     

    http://www.electronista.com/articles/14/01/16/court.says.anonymized.data.can.still.be.used.to.identify.people/

     

     

    http://googlegovernance.co.uk/g-day-for-google-it-cant-ignore-english-justice/

  • Reply 16 of 35
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    jessi wrote: »
    These guys could put $29M into political reform to turn the US away from facism and back towards liberty, but like typical socialists they got theirs so they are just spending money to benefit themselves.

    It's their right to do this, but it just shows their character.

    I'd always heard that Google is one of the more philanthropic techs. Didn't employees say it's one of the best companies to work for too? Perhaps it does show their character.

    EDIT: Looks like that was accurate
    https://www.google.com/giving/
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/22/working-at-google_n_2526889.html
  • Reply 17 of 35
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member
    Quote:



    Originally Posted by Jessi View Post



    These guys could put $29M into political reform to turn the US away from facism and back towards liberty, but like typical socialists they got theirs so they are just spending money to benefit themselves.

     

    You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

  • Reply 18 of 35
    mvigodmvigod Posts: 172member

    Pretty awesome to have your own terminal.  When you have 10's of billions this isn't a bad way to spend it.  If given a choice all the haters would take a limo to their private terminal and their G650 private jet.  You have to give the google trio props for spending some of that cash in style.  Give me a choice of flying commercial out of a public terminal or my own jet and private terminal.  Yeah I'm going the google exec way.  Congrats on their success and the spoils that come with it

  • Reply 19 of 35
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    I heard Apple considered using jets themselves but had issues getting the aerodynamics to work correctly flowing over the NSA personnel clinging to the wings.

    Oh, the humanity!
  • Reply 20 of 35
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mvigod View Post

     

    Pretty awesome to have your own terminal.  


     

    You mean you don't have your own?

     

    You should try it.

     

    Extremely useful!

     

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