On October 20th of this week, the Navajo Nation Council voted 13-5 to secure a $20 million loan that will enable the purchase of three King Air jets. Additionally, a portion of the loan will be used to pay for pilot training, warranties and maintenance costs.
“We need to buy these planes. We’re long overdue for this,” said Council Delegate Davis Filfred told New Mexico publication Daily Times.
Filfred sponsored the bill due to the age of the tribe’s current fleet. The two King Air 200s the tribal government has are 30 years old and the one King Air 90 is 20 years old. Filfred noted that each airplane has had its engine overhauled three times and safety issues have arisen. In one of the latest incidents, a number of delegates were flying from Window Rock, Arizona to meet Utah Gov. Gary Herbert in Salt Lake City. During the flight, one of the engines started leaking fuel, resulting in an emergency landing in Kayenta, Arizona.
Opposition was minimal, with some delegates expressing that air travel could be avoided due to the advent of technology, (such as teleconferencing). Ultimately, the need for delegates to cover long distances with quickness won out. According to Wikipedia, the Navajo Nation covers 27,425 square miles, occupying portions of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.
The bill will be submitted to Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye for review. After submission to his office, he has 10 days to sign it, veto it or use his line-item veto authority. Sources did not reveal what will happen to the older King Air or what King Air models the tribe plans on purchasing.