Key differences between current Air Force One and $400M Boeing 747 gifted to US by Qatari royal family

Air Force One has been the subject of a lot of news in the past few weeks.

Qatar recently announced that it would be gifting a $400 million Boeing 747 to the United States.

The aim of this gift is to replace the current, existing Air Force One.

So, what are the key differences between the current and the proposed Air Force One?

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Last week, the Emirate state of Qatar made international headlines.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, made for particular news.

He recently hosted the current President of the United States, Donald Trump.

During their meeting, the Emir announced the gifting of something truly unique.

It wasn’t a nice pen or even a ceremonial sword to mark the occasion – it was much more than that.

Instead, the Emir announced the gifting of a Boeing 747 jet – worth $400 million.

Of course, this has made headlines, round-the-clock news all over the world.

What is equally interesting, however, is the potential upgrades and differences in the aircraft.

Air Force One was actually first introduced to fly President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s.

At the moment, the President of the United States (POTUS) currently flies two Air Force One planes.

These planes are military versions of the Boeing 747-200B, known as the VC-25A.

It is important to note that the current Air Force One entered service in 1990.

Having been in service for 35 years, it has had several upgrades, but is due to be replaced.

The current Air Force One was due to be replaced by the newest version of the VC-25B.

Qatar’s gifted Boeing 747 was built in 2012, and it uses modern engines and fuel-efficiency features.

In terms of cost and size, the current Air Force One fleet have a capacity of around 70 people.

They both also have a travel range of 7,800 miles on a full tank of jet fuel.

Each of the current Air Force One fleet cost $325 million and have received billions of dollars in upgrades.

By contrast, Qatar’s gifted 747-8i has a full travel range of around 8,000 miles.

Its estimated value of $400 million is likely boosted due to the lavish interior upgrades.

As is probably known by now, Air Force One is not a standard, luxurious airliner.

It essentially serves as a command center in the clouds, capable of in-flight refuelling and military-level communication.

The current Air Force One also includes a medical suite, secure conference rooms, and staff areas.

Unlike Air Force One, the Qatar-gifted 747-8i is more akin to a flying hotel.

As opposed to military functions, this 747 comes with more social settings, such as lounges and dining settings.

Interestingly, Qatar’s gift was originally ordered as a gift for the Jordanian Royal Family.

Specifically, it was gifted for King Abdullah II of Jordan, and it is not subject to military or state command operations.

It will be interesting to see how this saga of the Boeing 747 will unfold.

Will this big old jet airliner be the one to carry the President far away? Only time will tell.The post Key differences between current Air Force One and $400M Boeing 747 gifted to US by Qatari royal family appeared first on Supercar Blondie.