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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What types of airplanes are flown by Aeronautics?
    • Aeronautics flies passengers in three twin engine turbo prop airplanes:
      • Beechcraft King Air C90
      • Beechcraft King Air B200
  • How are trip miles determined?
    • Air miles are calculated from latitude and longitude values for locations of departure and arrival airports.
    • Road miles are derived by adding 12% onto air miles.
  • How are salary costs calculated?
    • Studies by PRC Aviation and MnDOT determined hourly values that an employee is worth to an organization. Those values are 5.7 for Office Directors/District Engineers, 3.8 for Managers/Supervisors/Professionals, and 2.4 for Transportation Worker. These values are multiplied by an average hourly employee cost (currently $107,386/year or $51.43/hour including benefits, etc.) to determine the hourly value a person has. This hourly value is multiplied by the number of hours of travel by car to determine cost to the organization. These values are not applied to the cost of flying because the aircraft is viewed as a secure office environment where work can be accomplished. Automobiles do not offer an environment conducive to productive work.
    • Sources used for salaries, benefits, and justifications are the State’s bargaining units and Human Resources, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
  • Who can use the aircraft?
    • Any state agency personnel, elected officials, and people doing business with the State.
  • How do I schedule a flight?
    • Call 651-234-7222.
  • Where do the planes fly?
    • Nearly 100 airports in Minnesota
    • Around 3,500 airports in the U.S.
    • Canada.
  • What is the shuttle?
    • Scheduled flights every other week to Bemidji and Detroit Lakes. If there are not at least two MnDOT employees scheduled to ride on the shuttle, the flight will be canceled.
    • There is no cost to ride the shuttle.
  • What are the advantages of using MnDOT aircraft?
    • Office on the move. Conduct business while traveling. Maximize time management
    • Group productivity because of seating arrangement
    • Privacy
    • Security
    • Interruptions and distractions eliminated
    • Unexpected meetings can be accommodated
    • Flexible departure and arrival schedule
    • No wasted time waiting in line for a commercial flight.
    • Less travel time, therefore, savings of expenses for lodging and meals
    • Post trip fatigue eliminated.
    • Safest form of transportation available
  • What assumptions were used to determine travel costs?
    • Average employee cost: $107,386/year including benefits, etc.
    • Lodging costs: $120.00/night per person
    • Meals: $9.00 breakfast, $11.00 lunch, $16.00 dinner
    • 4 people maximum per vehicle
    • $0.58/mile vehicle cost
    • $9.75/mile airplane cost
    • Overnight flying trip add $272.00 per night ($120.00 lodging and $16.00 meal for 2 pilots)

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©2002 Minnesota Department of Transportation
Mn/DOT Information Center      E-mail: info@dot.state.mn.us
395 John Ireland Boulevard St. Paul, MN 55155-1899

Phone: 800/657-3774 800/627-3529 (TTY, Voice, ASCII)