It’s expected to lead a flyover of Washington D.C. on July 4th, marking America’s 250th birthday. Some cool numbers behind the jet: an estimated $177,843 per flight hour operating cost, and a fuel capacity of 53,611 gallons enabling a 7,800 mile unrefueled range. It will serve as an interim presidential aircraft while Boeing continues work on two permanent VC-25B replacements, now delayed to 2028.
In the wake of extensive delays and budget overruns for the building of two new ‘Air Force One’ 747-8s, the US Department of Defense is preparing to take delivery of a lavishly appointed Boeing 747-8 private jet as a stopgap. The Boeing 747-8KB was delivered to Qatar Amiri Flight in April 2012 with registration A7-HJA. It was subsequently used by the House of Thani with registration A7-HBJ, a nod to the initials of Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, former Qatari Prime Minister and the primary user of the jet.
