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Planes built for Russian airline may be next U.S. Air Force One

 

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for travel to Beaver, West Virginia from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., July 24, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facing pressure from President Donald Trump to cut the cost of new Air Force One aircraft, the U.S. Air Force is negotiating with Boeing to purchase two 747-8 jetliners that were built for a Russian airline that went bankrupt before they were delivered.

 

"We're working through the final stages of coordination to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft and expect to award a contract soon," said Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek, who declined to elaborate on the details.

 

National security publication Defense One, which first reported the negotiations, said the Air Force was believed to be getting a good deal on the aircraft, which sell for about $386 million on average.

 

The two aircraft were initially ordered four years ago by Transaero, a Russian airline that went bankrupt in 2015, a person familiar with the talks told Reuters.

 

Boeing built two 747-8s out of an order of four. But the airline never took ownership of them, and the planes have been stored in the Mojave Desert, where the dry, hot climate slows corrosion, Defense One said.

 

Trump rattled Boeing in December before taking office by saying in a Twitter message: "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion (3 billion pounds). Cancel order!"

 

Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg called Trump and told him the cost could be reduced if the Air Force changed its requirements, sources familiar with the conversation said at the time.

 

White House officials in December were unclear where Trump obtained the $4 billion figure. The Air Force has estimated it would spend $2.87 billion through 2021 for development of a new presidential aircraft.

 

The cost of refitting the commercial 747-8s with the enhanced electronics and security systems required for Air Force One were unclear.

 

Boeing had said it expected to add the Air Force One jets to its backlog, which currently numbers 20 planes - five passenger models and 15 freighters.

 

The redeployment to the Air Force of jets already built for another customer would effectively reduce Boeing's future 747 production plans by two aircraft. But it would provide a home for two airframes that have been built but remain unsold.

 

The Air Force operates two military versions of the Boeing 747-200B aircraft that serve as Air Force One when the president is aboard. Both are nearing the end of their planned 30-year life.

 

(Reporting by Mike Stone, Idrees Ali, Alwyn Scott and Tim Hepher; Writing by David Alexander; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-02

[NCC1701A]

i wear a black stealth helmet on my Honda Click.

 

can I play too?

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

747 are mainly used as cargo planes now. They are a bit outdated now with the mighty A380 in the sky.

[bdenner]

OK IMHO - So, the old airframes are going past their "use by dates" but their innards including engines would have to be close to current "state of the art". = Easy buy the new (well near new) B748's cheaply and do a gut and transfer of hardware to them and presto. Donald has new planes at a fraction of the cost and as technology evolves it gets placed into the newer versions, as is the current position. Come 2021 the problem has been long solved and Donald goes into his 2nd term (Heaven forbid) with a truck load of "Browney points"

[farcanell]

Redirecting savings into Medicare. ????

[The Deerhunter]

11 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

i wear a black stealth helmet on my Honda Click.

 

can I play too?

 

 

I hope you have a tinfoil liner to it.

[bendejo]

Yet another story involving both DT and Russia.  Funny how that happens so frequently...

 

 

[Stargeezr]

I may be a great idea to use these nearly new B747s, they are built and barely flown any hours and would be a big improvement over the old jets that Trump is using. Just do the modifications required and get them painted Gold. Trumps favorite color.

Geezer

[Credo]

I am sure it already had the bugs requested by the Russians placed in the right places.   

[craigt3365]

22 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

747 are mainly used as cargo planes now. They are a bit outdated now with the mighty A380 in the sky.

The future of the A380 isn't 100% clear.  Orders are way down.

 

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/airbus-problems-with-a380-superjumbo-orders-worsen/news-story/8d1fa3eb5d5088e4bbf275f5166e7cf6

Quote

Airbus problems with A380 superjumbo orders worsen

 

Airbus said in July it would slash production of the A380 to 12 planes a year in 2018, from 27 last year. The backlog of A380s to be delivered has eroded during years of no or few orders.

 

Congrats to Trump for trying to save some money.

[Rancid]

Isn't the 747 a tried and long proven aircraft, would seem to be a good idea.

[mrwebb8825]

4 hours ago, Rancid said:

Isn't the 747 a tried and long proven aircraft, would seem to be a good idea.

Now now now, you know it can't be a good idea on here if it's Trump's idea. Now, if it had been Clinton's idea there would be pages of comments claiming it proves she should have won. 

[ExpatOilWorker]

5 hours ago, Rancid said:

Isn't the 747 a tried and long proven aircraft, would seem to be a good idea.

Well.....

 

"As of January 2017, a total of 61 Boeing 747 aircraft, or just under 4% of the total number of 747s built, first flown commercially in 1970, have been involved in accidents and incidents resulting in a hull loss, meaning that the aircraft has either been destroyed or has been damaged beyond economical repair."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747_hull_losses