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wildeyed

(11,243 posts)
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 08:21 PM Mar 2017

Trump, Russian billionaire say theyve never met, but their jets did in Charlotte

Source: Charlotte Observer

Five days before the November election, a Russian billionaire’s jet wheeled to a stop at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Less than 90 minutes later, Donald Trump’s campaign jet arrived on the same tarmac for an afternoon campaign rally in nearby Concord.

Who was aboard Dmitry Rybolovlev’s luxurious jet and whether the planes’ near-simultaneous arrival facilitated another previously undisclosed Russian contact with Trump, his family or campaign associates remain unanswered questions.

snip...

Trump and Rybolovlev, however, agree on this: They say they have never met, although Trump sold a Palm Beach mansion to the Russian fertilizer magnate for $95 million eight years earlier. Rybolovlev recently bulldozed the mansion and is selling the oceanfront property.

The proximity of their intersecting flights, coupled with evidence that Rybolovlev’s plane was also in Las Vegas briefly on the same day as Trump, Oct. 30, has fueled internet plots.



Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article136940273.html

42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump, Russian billionaire say theyve never met, but their jets did in Charlotte (Original Post) wildeyed Mar 2017 OP
NC is a horrible state... scscholar Mar 2017 #1
NC is horrible because Trump and an oligarch's private planes were here? wildeyed Mar 2017 #4
Really? Red Mountain Mar 2017 #6
I live in Washington state where our ballots... scscholar Mar 2017 #21
Yes, but how does that relate to a Russian oligarch's plane in NC? The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #22
Our votes aren't counted scscholar Mar 2017 #24
I'm not arguing but your point is irrelevant to the plane in NC. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #25
littlemissmartypants Mar 2017 #32
That makes no sense rockfordfile Mar 2017 #8
WTF? NC has no control over which airplanes land at its airports. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #20
In what ways would you say littlemissmartypants Mar 2017 #31
I often allows my bias to dissuade me from discussing the relevant as well. LanternWaste Mar 2017 #42
Let's keep an eye on that tail number, M-KATE. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #2
It did, while tRump was vacationing there, after tRump was inaugurinated. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2017 #7
"Inagurinated"!!! Codeine Mar 2017 #10
I first saw it on DU :) Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2017 #11
I have seen that plane!! BlueEye Mar 2017 #16
The paint job is very snazzy. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #18
My jet's going to look just like that one! NBachers Mar 2017 #35
Now that it's been noted... Red Mountain Mar 2017 #19
I wonder if there is any tarmac security video to be had? Hassin Bin Sober Mar 2017 #29
russians got the republican Draft-&-Tax Dodger-in-Chief by the short hairs Achilleaze Mar 2017 #3
And when Clinton met with the former Attorney General, what did the GOP say about that? guillaumeb Mar 2017 #5
projection. it's always projection w them. mopinko Mar 2017 #17
True. The GOP has become a party of thieves so it is reasonable for them to assume guillaumeb Mar 2017 #30
yes they met rockfordfile Mar 2017 #9
hey, what happens on the jet "stays on the jet." Ask the girls, /wink. Sunlei Mar 2017 #12
The airplane is registered in the Isle of Man, of all places. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #13
Is this the plane that Rachel reported on a few nights back? randr Mar 2017 #14
Yes. See #13. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #15
Yes! I first "found" Louise via a Malcolm Nance tweet a month ago? And I posted this the night Leghorn21 Mar 2017 #23
M-KATE is the airplane's registration code. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #26
Thank you, Ocelot - after her tweets about that FL weekend, she proceeded to investigate all Leghorn21 Mar 2017 #27
Off topic: how does the Isle of Man get its own registration codes? mahatmakanejeeves Mar 2017 #38
I have no idea. ICAO decides these things, I think. The Velveteen Ocelot Mar 2017 #39
The Fertilizer King? Who bought a Trump house that cost $40 million for $100 million. Botany Mar 2017 #28
"I want you to know, Donald... wordpix Mar 2017 #33
K&R. dchill Mar 2017 #34
So their jets met March 4th Mar 2017 #36
And in Concord to boot. wildeyed Mar 2017 #37
Also met in Vegas and recently it's possible they met in Florida 2 more times. KittyWampus Mar 2017 #40
It should be interesting when it all finally comes out. wildeyed Mar 2017 #41

wildeyed

(11,243 posts)
4. NC is horrible because Trump and an oligarch's private planes were here?
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 08:28 PM
Mar 2017

That makes no sense. I live in NC, BTW, and don't think it is horrible. Just thought this was a good story from my local paper that people here might find interesting.

Red Mountain

(1,735 posts)
6. Really?
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 08:30 PM
Mar 2017

Horrible?

Where would you rank NC on your 'horrible' scale compared to the other states?

For damn sure Democrats will never regain a majority anywhere with that sort of blanket condemnation. Not helpful. Not a bit.

 

scscholar

(2,902 posts)
21. I live in Washington state where our ballots...
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 10:24 PM
Mar 2017

have been thrown in the trash since 2008. How is that anything but horrible?

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
42. I often allows my bias to dissuade me from discussing the relevant as well.
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 02:24 PM
Mar 2017

I often allows my bias to dissuade me from discussing the relevant as well.

BlueEye

(449 posts)
16. I have seen that plane!!
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 09:31 PM
Mar 2017

M-KATE, an A319 with a gorgeous paint job. I saw it while we were taxing past the remote ramp at Newark (EWR). I think it was Saturday 2/18. Never would have guessed all this scandal behind it!

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,757 posts)
18. The paint job is very snazzy.
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 09:35 PM
Mar 2017


If you're a Russian oligarch I suppose you can afford to have your plane done up nicely.

Achilleaze

(15,543 posts)
3. russians got the republican Draft-&-Tax Dodger-in-Chief by the short hairs
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 08:28 PM
Mar 2017

republicans are selling america out to the russians

disgusting

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
30. True. The GOP has become a party of thieves so it is reasonable for them to assume
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 12:32 AM
Mar 2017

a similar motivation for everyone. It normalizes their behavior.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,757 posts)
13. The airplane is registered in the Isle of Man, of all places.
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 09:18 PM
Mar 2017
It turns out that the aircraft belongs to a company called Sophar Property Holding BVI (British Virgin Islands, I believe). The history of this company is somewhat mysterious, because some years ago it was bought by the Russian potash mining company called Uralkali, the head of Uralkali being a Russian oligarch called Dmitry Rybolovlev. At the time that it was bought, its only assets were an option to buy two private jets: a much smaller Falcon and this A319.

Somehow, when Dmitry lost his position in Uralkali, it seems that he was rather attached to these jets, so apparently he bought them back (effectively buying Sophar Property Holding at the value of the two aircraft). If this is so, then he can travel around in either of them.

The three overnight visits of M-KATE to Geneva this year have been on 15/16 March, 20/21 March and 28/29 April. Data from an aircraft tracking web site appears to show that this last visit came from Zurich and then went to Nice. Not exactly long flights from an aircraft which is said to have installed extra long-range fuel tanks.

Mr Rybolovlev appears to be another of the eastern European rich people who like to acquire Football clubs in Europe: he was at the head of a consortium which bought a controlling interest im Monaco FC last year. Another Russion, Roman Abramovich, has long owned Chelsea FC, and will have a prime seat for the European Champions League final shortly. Other East European adventurers have been less successful, including in Switzerland (Neuchatel Xamax!).

http://aviationanecdotes.blog.tdg.ch/archive/2012/04/30/m-kate-not-the-british-royal-family.html

randr

(12,412 posts)
14. Is this the plane that Rachel reported on a few nights back?
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 09:21 PM
Mar 2017

They had shots of the plane at several Trump campaign rallies in one day and again in Fla the day the Japanese visit. I thought they identified the owner in the report as well , a known Russian billionaire.

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
23. Yes! I first "found" Louise via a Malcolm Nance tweet a month ago? And I posted this the night
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 10:27 PM
Mar 2017

Rachel did her MKATE show (whenever the Sam Hill that was!!) (sorry, too old to rewite this all again!) - yes, I'm quoting myself here (?!):

"I first found her 3 (?) weeks ago via a Malcolm Nance tweet, and omg omg - this wild woman's going on and on and ON about this "MKATE" and the Ryboloyev (SP!) guy, and others were tweeting that the press corps was holed up in a blacked-out room in the mansion, clueless that DFT and Flynn and Rybolobelv (SP!) and Abe were out there golfing and - well, I've never been quite the same after that night!

She was getting tweeted tonight about Rachel's MKATE, which she was recording for later, and she tweeted the following...so, whoever "AceInCharlotte" is, Louise would like HER to get props for her work on MKATE!:

Louise Mensch
@LouiseMensch

that's not fair, @Maddow - @AceInCharlotte should be on your show. If it's MKATE she and she alone found it
twitter.com/Inspired_Grace…
6:56 PM - 3 Mar 2017"

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,757 posts)
26. M-KATE is the airplane's registration code.
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 10:38 PM
Mar 2017

Every country has a registration code. In the US, all registration numbers start with N. M is apparently the ID for the Isle of Man, where this aircraft is registered. The rest of the code identifies a particular aircraft. That's what M-KATE means.

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
27. Thank you, Ocelot - after her tweets about that FL weekend, she proceeded to investigate all
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 11:12 PM
Mar 2017

the numbers on the tailgate and was looking for pilots and other pros amd checking flight data to find info - my eyes crossed trying understand any of it!! - and I still don't! But her search was dogged and far-reaching...her ability to focus and pursue her "targets" is spectacular -

Don't know if you'd be interested, but here's a google link to her one million M-KATE mentions...

louise mensch twitter mkate

on edit: Nevermind! Obviously I have not produced a real link, but when I googled the aforementioned 4 key words, tons of her M-KATE tweets appeared. ,


mahatmakanejeeves

(57,516 posts)
38. Off topic: how does the Isle of Man get its own registration codes?
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 12:35 PM
Mar 2017

{Yes, I know I can look this up.} Is the Isle of Man part of the UK or GB, or whatever that is supposed to be called? Don't British registrations start with "G"?

Enquiring minds.

Full disclosure: I used to be a plane spotter, but I gave up when jets came in.

Botany

(70,524 posts)
28. The Fertilizer King? Who bought a Trump house that cost $40 million for $100 million.
Tue Mar 7, 2017, 11:26 PM
Mar 2017

Nothing to see here move along nothing to see here.

wordpix

(18,652 posts)
33. "I want you to know, Donald...
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 12:50 AM
Mar 2017

you WILL win the WH with our help. Now what we need you to do is .... Donald, there will never be such a president as you. You will be a modern czar."

 

March 4th

(80 posts)
36. So their jets met
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 03:45 AM
Mar 2017

Big deal. Any private jet owner will tell you the little bastards are always flying off to meet each other!

wildeyed

(11,243 posts)
37. And in Concord to boot.
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 12:27 PM
Mar 2017

Here are the 10 best things to do in Concord: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g49049-Activities-Concord_North_Carolina.html

There is no reasonable explanation for why a Russian oligarch would be there, ever, much less at the exact time Trump's plane was there for a campaign stop. They met later in Charlotte too, but that is a hub, so there could be some explanation there. But I doubt it.

wildeyed

(11,243 posts)
41. It should be interesting when it all finally comes out.
Wed Mar 8, 2017, 01:06 PM
Mar 2017

Too many coincidences, too many lies for there to not be a huge story.

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