Donated 747 Could Serve as Temporary Air Force One by This Summer

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The Qatar-donated jumbo jet could serve as a “stop-gap” aircraft for the White House until Boeing’s two VC-25B planes are delivered in 2028.

The Boeing-made 747-8i that was “donated” by the government of Qatar to the United States to serve as the official presidential aircraft has been undergoing test flights in Texas and Oklahoma—paving the way for its entering “temporary” service as the presidential aircraft as early as this summer.

Plane spotters tracked the aircraft, which flew under the ominous “VADER01” call sign.

In the near future, this could mean that when President Donald Trump, who is used to the finer things in life, travels from the White House to Florida each weekend to make his tee time on the golf course, he’ll be doing so in the style to which he’s grown accustomed.

As previously reported, upgrades on the “unconditional gift” aircraft, valued at $400 million, began last summer. The White House has put a positive spin on accepting the aircraft from the Middle Eastern nation, arguing that the two aging Boeing 747s that now serve as “Air Force One”—the official designation for any aircraft that carries the POTUS—are difficult to maintain, and their eventual replacements are running late.

Air Force officials have described the donated Qatari aircraft as a “VC-25B Bridge Aircraft,” meant to serve as a stopgap until the two Boeing VC-25Bs purchased during Trump’s first term are finally operational. That may not be until the middle of 2028, near the end of Trump’s term. Though this will be a........

© The National Interest