WASHINGTON – Drivers have no doubt seen the warning signs in Virginia: Speed limits are being enforced by aircraft.

But most of the time, that’s simply not the case.

The Washington Examiner reports Virginia State Police have only used the aircraft five times since 2008, and only once last year.

Aerial Speed Enforcement operations last four to six hours and cost $150 an hour, plus overtime costs for extra troopers — an expensive operation in a struggling economy.

“Because of the economy we’ve had to make cuts,” state police spokesperson Corinne Geller tells the Examiner. “It’s just another tool in our toolbox.”

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