It will never serve as AF1. They’ll spend the rest of Trump’s term coming up with specifications for necessary upgrades and haggling with Boeing over price and schedule. All the time the Air Force will be maintaining the plane as is. At the end of Trump’s term nothing will have been changed on the plane, the new AF1s will be ready, so Trump will get the “flying palace” version of the plane. The US will pay millions for maintenance and get nothing.
I wonder how long it would take them to upgrade anti-missile capability without doing anything on communications security. If only a month or two, Trump could do that as an own-the-libs move.
If Trump does what you predict, I think it will be an early indication that he is serious about a third term.
P.S. Where does the money come from to fix up the 747? Is doing it a violation of the Antideficiency Act (spending unappropriated funds)?
Possibly.
But I suspect that Xi, for one, will move heaven and earth—damn the expense!—to make sure that Donald stays healthy and firmly ensconced in the US Presidency.
I wonder if this might have any relevance (just asking wink: ):
Putin supposedly has a collection of 58 aircraft and helicopters including a $716 million dollar plane called “The Flying Kremlin” that has a toilet made of gold.
I’d say there’s little doubt that it’s relevant. Trump has spoken of the humiliation he feels at summits when the aircraft flown by other world leaders is bigger than his own. (He’s had size problems his entire life, of course.)
He’d LOVE to be able to one-up Vlad this way.
Air Force One is a permanent dedicated aircraft. Many world leaders don’t even have that, relying instead on chartered commercial aircraft. Plus Air Force One comes with other aircraft, a helicopter and that limo. I don’t see how it’s something embarrassing. If anything, the excess is what’s embarrassing.
Also, It’s a 747, one of the largest aircraft. What else could other leaders possibly use that would be larger? An A380, maybe?
I believe that the gifted 747 is a 747-8; the current Air Force Ones (VC-25As) are modified 747-200Bs. A size comparison:
- Length: 747-200B is 231 feet, 10 inches; 747-8 is 250 feet, 2 inches
- Wingspan: 747-200B is 195 feet, 8 inches; 747-8 is 224 feet, 7 inches
So, yes, the new plane is actually a bit bigger than the current AF1s, despite them both being 747s. (FWIW, the pair of VC-25B which Boeing has been working on, for several years, to replace the current VC-25A, are refit 747-8Is, so would have the same dimensions as the Qatari jet.)
Both have similar lengths, but narrower wingspans, to an Airbus A380 (239 feet in length, 261 foot wingspan), and of course, the A380 has a larger overall fuselage, being two decks throughout its length.
But the A380 just looks fat. Who wants that?
The president’s doctor assures us that it’s not fat, that, in fact, it’s in the best shape of any plane ever. 
But it’s [whisper] Yurpeen.
When I was an NHS manager, I was audited by a team from HMRC (the UK equivalent of the IRS).
They spent a couple of days in my office going through the paper records. When I was making tea for myself and two members of staff, I offered them one. They refused on the grounds that they were not allowed to accept gifts of any kind.
It was slightly embarrassing for me, since I was being taken out to lunch by a supplier - oops.
If he wants big, there’s always this. Perfect.
Hey! At least buy domestic!
I hope he has to pay gift tax somewhere along the way. I doubt the AF pays gift taxes, but he should have to shell out if the plane is given to the trump “library”.
Given that in the United States, the recipient of a gift never owes gift tax, it seems unlikely that he will need to pay it.
Trump will never own the plane. It’s being given to the federal government, and the plan is for it to be part of Trump’s presidential library once his term is up. At that point, he will probably continue to use it as his personal plane. It’s better for him than being given the plane directly. He’ll have the benefits of ownership and little of the cost.
Of course. I wanted to make clear that ricipients don’t pay gift tax