The two Boeing 747s currently used to carry the President of the United States are set to be replaced within the next few years. The present planes are heavily modified Boeing 747-200 aircraft designated VC-25A. The type is the latest to be nominated for Presidential usage after winning a competition against McDonnell Douglas with its DC-10 for the role.
They were delivered during the administration of President George H. W. Bush in 1990 and have been flown by all five subsequent US Presidents.
Citing "capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence," the US Air Force ordered two of the newest Queen of the Skies models, the Boeing 747-8i (intercontinental) jumbo jets, to replace the final two Boeing 747-200s to roll off the assembly line in Everett, Washington. A complete overhaul The two airframes selected for the program have never flown for a commercial airline. They were initially built for Transaero, a Russian airline, which filed for bankruptcy before the aircraft could be delivered, leading to the jumbo jets being stored in California.
As the latest models with no significant service history, they became the ideal proposal when the US Air Force came looking for a replacement for its aging 747-200s. The Queen of the Skies has served the US Head of State well over the decades. The planes are being modified for the new role at a Boeing facility in Texas.
Due to national security reasons, details of the overhaul are being kept secret. However, based on pu.