Mike DeWine's helicopter shuttles between Cleveland airports the week he calls for death penalty abolition

On June 24, 2026, the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Airbus H125, registered N71HP, was tracked making a brief five-minute flight from Burke Lakefront Airport (KBKL) to Cuyahoga County Airport (KCGF). The aircraft had earlier that day traveled from the Columbus area to the Cleveland region.

If Mike DeWine was aboard, the timing would place the governor in northeast Ohio the same week he publicly called on lawmakers to abolish the death penalty, per an AP News report published June 24. The short repositioning between two Cleveland-area airports may suggest a tight schedule of back-to-back engagements — from a downtown appearance to an east-side meeting or event.

The helicopter is part of a fleet used for tactical and short-range executive transport. This intra-Cleveland flight follows a pattern of frequent shuttles between Columbus and northern Ohio destinations, consistent with the governor’s regular travel for public appearances and legislative business, including recent deliberation over a controversial drone bill awaiting his signature, as covered by the Statehouse News Bureau.