official, new AF 1 selected.
 

No great shock to anyone I imagine.

Pentagon picks new Air Force One plane - CNN.com

Move along, nothing to see here, I guess.

Wonder if Airbus would like to offer an A380 for a similar role in the EU.

""NEW"


ROFL...

A380 far too big for many airports. POTUS wouldn't be able to drop in for a campaigning visit [sorry, meaningful discussions] using one of them.

Carry on, Boeing ... you know it makes some sense. The fleet of other aircraft that have to accompany Barry are built by you as well, aren't they?

MPN, not POTUS but POTEU or UEDuP or some such. :)

Haha .. POTEU will deffo have an A360 for the combination of range and flexibility. And demand an upper deck for the comms crew :cool:

I wonder who flies TB around these days? Does he succumb to commercial, or has some oily oerson lent him a large private jet? Or does he just sit at home(s) and 'work' by Skype?

MPN, the latter.

He uses a Bombadier.

Former prime minister Tony gets a £30m Blair Force One - Telegraph

The advantage of using a little jet is privacy. He can say there is no capacity for journalists from the gutter press such the Times, Telegraph, Garudian etc.

http://theaviationist.com/2015/01/29...-picks-b747-8/

Artist's rendition of what it may look like. It's a big bastard...

They probably would if the EU became the "Leader of The Free World" :cool:

Airbus declined to bid becausea condition of the contract was the aircraft had to be built in the USA

Gladrag, what exactly is amusing about that?

Turbine D, aren't we?

We certainly didn't vote for your leader.

Define Free World?

"Gladrag, what exactly is amusing about that?"

well in 40 years it will probably be still in service and attracting as many plane spotters as politician spotters as you don't see many 85 year old designs still in front line use (excepting, as always, the DC-3)

Bit the same as if Mrs Merkel turned up in a Ju-52/3m.............

quaint but not exactly cutting edge image

Airbus would not have bid even if it wasn't required to be built in the US. Who remembers the VH-71 and the KC-45? I'm sure they do.

HMMMMM. The B-52 is very much still in "front line use" and it's first flight was way back in 1952 and was (loosely) based on a 1946 design. The NEWEST B-52 was built back in 1962. The BUFF will still be flying well into the middle of this century. It's already a third generation bomber (3rd generation in that 3 generations of pilots have flown the same tail number aircraft.) and will likely be a fifth or sixth generation bomber before it is finally retired.

As for the 747-8 not providing a "cutting edge image", name ANY airliner that would provide a more "cutting edge image".

787?

Flew in one, loved it.

1. Too small & not enough engines. USAF demands 4 engines.

2. 95%+ of people would not know the difference between a 787 and any other widebody twin-jet.

And separately, the 747-8 has new wings, engines, avionics, flight controls, and lots more. The only thing not new and "cutting edge" is the familiar (and arguably iconic) humped shape of the fuselage. While most airliners all look alike, the 747 is immediately recognizable (OK, the DC-10/MD-11's shape is also kind of unique and easy to recognize.)

KenV, you said (your bold):
PN said 787. I would have added A350 to that too.

S-D

Best of luck, then...point of entry is 4/5 years before HMX-1 fully equipped with the VH-92?

Here is an excellent documentary on AF1 by National Geographic, best part is Bush Jnr#s Thanksgiving secret mission into Baghdad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdqIvFOKyGY