Follow the Money: The Corporate Jet Set

What you may not know: He wasn't alone.

Most Americans let a four-letter word escape their lips as they watched the horror of 9/11 unfold on TV.

In the case of top company executives, though, that word was: "Lear". And while everyone else was reeling, corporate honchos quietly seized upon the security panic to bring back their favorite toy: the executive jet.

At their shareholders' expense, of course.

When I was a management consultant back in the '90s, we practically needed the Jaws of Life to pry these flying boondoggles from executives' hot little hands. The battle was nearly won, too -- until 9/11.

CEOs saw their chance, jumped aboard and took off.

What's more: Unlike Mr Hastert, or Ms. Pelosi, most of them are not restricted to using the airplanes for official business.

CEOs are now able to use the planes for everything. Trips to Paris. Trips to the, um, Bahamas (with their spouses, naturally). Trips to Wimbledon.

And they don't have to pay a dime. You, the customer and shareholder, pick up the tab. "For security reasons," naturally.

Proxy season is just about to start. In the weeks to come, we'll find out a lot of things. Among them: Who is going to succeed General Electric's (GE Quote) Dennis Dammerman as the frequent flyer champion of executive aviation?