Qatari 747-8i as temporary VC-25B replacement

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I'd say they should kill it and start with a 777-9 but Boeing being Boeing. . .
 
Let's see in regards to Boeing and their problem child programs: KC-46, VC-25B (the original two 747-8 aircraft), possibly now B-52J, T-7 (might be back on track?), F-15EX (seems good), MQ-25 (seems good), F-47 (wait and see). The USG/USAF should be beating up Boeing regarding the VC-25B but to take a new 747-8 from a previous owner then upgrade (bad idea) and if my math is right, now we will potentially have 3 VC-25Bs (some day) or the USAF has introduced a lot of scope creep regarding the two original VC-25Bs?
 
I feel that ultimately this airframe might end up being used as a source of spares for the existing fleet or end up as an addition to the new E-4 fleet which would be a much better use. No way would the USAF and Secret Service allow this jet to be used for presidential missions with minimal upgrades.
 
alberchico said:
I feel that ultimately this airframe might end up being used as a source of spares for the existing fleet or end up as an addition to the new E-4 fleet which would be a much better use. No way would the USAF and Secret Service allow this jet to be used for presidential missions with minimal upgrades.
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No, it will be used as AF1 because the POTUS wants the luxury. And he can simply order the DoD to make it so, even if it takes his full term to complete.
 
alberchico said:
I feel that ultimately this airframe might end up being used as a source of spares for the existing fleet or end up as an addition to the new E-4 fleet which would be a much better use. No way would the USAF and Secret Service allow this jet to be used for presidential missions with minimal upgrades.
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Have they solved the impasse yet that Qatar wanted it back at the end of his presidency and only considered it a loan, while he considered it a gift that would go to his presidential library and then he would still be able to use it for personal flights after leaving office?
 
WatcherZero said:
Have they solved the impasse yet that Qatar wanted it back at the end of his presidency and only considered it a loan, while he considered it a gift that would go to his presidential library and then he would still be able to use it for personal flights after leaving office?
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There is no impasse; Trump wants it and Congress will not stop him.
 
NMaude said:
Apparently the Qatari 747-8I is not new at 13 years old and also that they had been trying to sell it for the last five years, the question is how much air-mileage does it have and when it has been stored as it in a climate-controlled hanger with regular inspections and preventative maintenance.
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Can't find the post on the first page that had the sales data, but it was a single digit thousand hours which is very low for a jet of that age. All of the required checks were done up until 2020, after none of the rest were done, but the only flights at that point were to keep the bare minimum of flights to keep it airworthy. As others have said, the jet will get stripped down to bare metal and get a very thorough check for the mod.
 
Sferrin said:
I'd say they should kill it and start with a 777-9 but Boeing being Boeing. . .
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Yeah, Boeing being Boeing the -9 is still not certified... GE owns that as well with their engine problems, but the bulk of getting to TIA is that the FAA no longer trusts Boeing, so yeah, Boeing being Boeing.
 
Scott Kenny said:
As far as I know, the USAF has not added anything to the original -Bs in terms of equipment since the contract was signed.

It's just that freaking huge a job.
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It's the under the radar stuff. Case in point, the PIM who sat next to me still did a lot of VC-25B work. He spent several weeks working with the interior team to design an ADA compliant lav in the A/C. Then there's the training piece, but I digress...
 
Josh_TN said:
No, it will be used as AF1 because the POTUS wants the luxury. And he can simply order the DoD to make it so, even if it takes his full term to complete.
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The Qatari interior will be long gone. It will be standard US Presidential. Since I've been on the current A/C let me explain. Real wood, not exotic, but durable hardwood. Nice leather, durable, not exotic. Nice carpet, durable, not opulent. The only decoration that will be all over the A/C is the presidential seal. No gold plating, unless it's necessary for the EMP protection.
 
Can the President or the SecDef provide an order that these checks and changes won't happen? In a theoretical sense even if that wouldn't happen in actuality.
 
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