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#122326 by iforres1
13 Jun 2006, 14:10
Nope, just because of politics. I'm sure they will pick Boeing;)

Iain
#122340 by Scrooge
13 Jun 2006, 14:37
UUUmmm..nope,never,won't happen.

Also the two current 742's that serve as air force one have a lot of life lieft in them.
#122357 by Nottingham Nick
13 Jun 2006, 16:25
If they didn't buy Boeing, whichever party that made the choice would never get another elected representative from the State of Washington (or several others) again.

Nick
#122359 by virgin crazy
13 Jun 2006, 16:27
ok thanks. what plane do you think they will get when the 747s are too old. maybe the new 747-8?
#122362 by Scrooge
13 Jun 2006, 16:38
Which ever is the largest Boeing being produced at the time,but don't hold your breath.

The VC-25's are the best kept aircraft in the world so they should be around for a longtime to come,the old 707's were with us for 28 years,the current ones only are 16 years old.
#122390 by slinky09
13 Jun 2006, 19:35
Read something recently that said the US Air Force tanker fleet averages 46 years old [:0] so well maintained aircraft can stay around for a long time. Of course, the Air Forces of the world are not under the same commercial pressures as airlines so renewal may not be so much of an issue. The same report did not exclude buying Airbus for the replacement fleet, in fact it suggested there was no reason to consider a mix of Boeing and Airbus ... so it might be feasible however politically unlikely.

Take a look at this article too.
#122393 by mcmbenjamin
13 Jun 2006, 19:39
747-800 is too big. The 742 'broke' the capital runway in Australia so I assume the 748 would limit the aircraft's operations. The 742 are here for a while. I do see the 757 fleet getting replaced with 787s or 739s.
#122397 by JAT74L
13 Jun 2006, 19:44
Why choose an ugly big lump to replace a graceful and purposeful 747?

I take it the OP was meant as a bit of a joke??

Regards

John
#122418 by Bazz
13 Jun 2006, 21:07
Agree with John, the original question was posed "tongue-in-cheek" wasn't it Nick?

There is no way on God's earth the American Administration would buy a European jet to replace a domestic to fulfil this role!
#122471 by ChuckC
14 Jun 2006, 03:40
As has been pointed out by Jetwet1, the two birds currently in service have only been around a relatively short while -- in aircraft years.

For a bit more history on the story, it had been hoped that the aircraft would be completed in 1988 so that President Reagan, a well known aviation buff and lover of presidential protocol, could experience the new "Flying White House" while he was still in office. It was not to be, however, and so the first sitting president to fly the VC25 was the first President Bush, in 1989.

When President Reagan died in California the current President Bush dispatched one of the VC25's to carry the former president's body to Washington, and to fly it home to California for Reagan's memorial service at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA.

Reagan was, in fact, such a lover of Air Force One that "his" aircraft, a converted Boeing 707, is now on permanent display at the Reagan Library. Politics aside it makes for a nifty side trip for anyone visiting the Los Angeles area.

Chuck-
#122487 by FamilyMan
14 Jun 2006, 09:31
I think the real question should be whether or not the A380 could become a kind of Europe One for overseas visits of European Presidents and heads of states to use. Possibly it would rotate in sync with the rotating presidency so that 'everyone has a go!'

Just a thought.

Phil
#122495 by jerseyboy
14 Jun 2006, 10:15
Originally posted by jerseyboy
Hey guys THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT BUY AIRFORCE 1 BOTH 747'S WERE GIFTED BY BOEING TO THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. and i am sure that the same will happen again when they eventually replace these aircraft.

cheers wayne:D
#122575 by G-VFAB
14 Jun 2006, 14:36
It must cost so much to keep airforce one flying.

The TV programme Commander in Chief uses Airforce one quite alot.
#122599 by jaguarpig
14 Jun 2006, 15:16
It must cost so much to keep airforce one flying.



Don't think cost is much of an issue to Uncle Sam.

The TV programme Commander in Chief uses Airforce one quite alot


Not familiar with this programme,but I did read somewhere that the sets from the film Airforce one had been used to make a tv series.The film sets were supposed to be quite accurate.
#122605 by Scrooge
14 Jun 2006, 15:48
Actually they were not gift's if the old grey matter is working right today.

From memory Boeing quoted a price for the aircraft then ended up having to take a large hit due to cost over runs.

Just as a note,take a closer look at the aircraft and you will see that while it is a 742 frame,the engines and avionics are from the 744,well they would be used in the 744 when it came out,throw into that mix all the special electronic's that were added in the hump and again from memory Boeing had a hard time getting the wiring hardened enough to with stand an EMP.
#122626 by slinky09
14 Jun 2006, 17:28
Originally posted by FamilyMan
I think the real question should be whether or not the A380 could become a kind of Europe One for overseas visits of European Presidents and heads of states to use. Possibly it would rotate in sync with the rotating presidency so that 'everyone has a go!'

Just a thought.

Phil


Wow there's a horribly wasteful thought!
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