So why does CEO Daniel Warmenhoven have a new jet? According to FAA records, Warmenhoven registered a on January 28th. The plane, built by Brazilian company Embraer, seats four to six adults and typically sells for around $3 million.

"The jet is privately owned and is not a NetApp corporate expense," said NetApp's director of corporate PR, Jodi Baumann. "Dan Warmenhoven purchased the jet 2 years ago as a personal expense. It was recently delivered to him due to a long wait list."

Warmenhoven makes an easy target in a downturn: His compensation last year was just shy of $6 million, according to , including nearly a million in salary.

Yet NetApp's chief isn't the only employee doing well. The company topped the latest list of Fortune's to work for. "The benefits are tops," Fortune's editors wrote. "The company has gained market share during the slump, hasn't had layoffs, and has more than $2 billion in cash on hand to help it ride out the global financial crisis."

In that light, a jet doesn't seem like such a splurge.