re: Ralph Abraham releases first TV ad for Louisiana Governor's Race

Let me start by saying the below questions are not "gotchas" or trying to argue anything one way or the other. I'm just clarifying and asking questions...

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He answered that question at one of the fundraisers that I went to

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I believe the question is not his ability or method of travel. I believe the question was why is he not traveling to attend and vote like he is being paid to do.

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Ralph Abraham doesn't like the uncertainty and inconvenience of commercial air travel. So Abraham, R-Alto, occasionally commutes to his Washington, D.C., job on his own plane

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two parter:

1) I would like to know what "occasionally" means. Is this 10%, 50%, he has done it once... However, poor wording when talking about not going to DC to do his current elected duties.

2) I would really like to know who is paying for this flight? There is no way he is eating the travel costs. This is an allowance / reimbursable expense. I'm not super familiar with that make and model of plane, but I can assure you that a commercial ticket is almost always cheaper than private flights and that is when the private plane is loaded, not when there is only one person.

Side note for those that might know: I'm aware that there are instances where by law you need two pilots. Is this one of them for a flight from Louisiana to DC?

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then get on his own plane and fly himself back to La in about 5 hours.
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a sleek red and white Cirrus SR 20 that can zip through the sky about 165 miles per hour.

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Again, I'm not super well versed on airplanes. Commercial flight from Monroe to DC is just over 2 hours. Based on internet calculators the flight from MLU to DCA would be over 6 hours at 165mph (or 143kts). That doesn't count for any stops and I don't know enough about that plane to say if it would have to refuel for that trip.

After a little more research, the plane has a range of 627 nautical miles, or a 4 hour flight with 45 minute reserve per some plane website. The DC flight is >900 miles so he would have to stop and refuel. I'm not trying to debunk any of this or attack anything. I'm just curious on how a 7+ hour more expensive private flight is better for his constituents than the cheaper 2 hour commercial flight.

We aren't talking about a high profile celebrity or government official (president, speaker of the house, majority / minority congressional leaders), that there would be a security benefit. Hell the governor travels with troopers, so there would be some benefit logistically and security wise for private flights. I just don't see the benefit of him flying his own plane, unless of course he is eating the cost all himself or only being reimbursed for the typical going rate of a commercial ticket. (It is more likely - not saying the case - but more likely he is getting fully reimbursed and logging flight hours to keep certifications, all while "flying to work" in DC)

I'm also a little curious on how any of this above and what your response was, answer the OP questions about him not voting in DC as of late.