alert5 Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/busi...igboeing05.html Boeing sold two VIP passenger versions of the new 747-8 recently and rumours are that it could be the new Air Force One. Link to post Share on other sites
svaz Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 "The first VC-25A -- tail number 28000 -- flew as "Air Force One" on Sept. 6, 1990,", Factsheets, US Airforce. 16 years is too young to retire a 747, and 35 is too young to have high blood pressure ... :blink: Link to post Share on other sites
Vesper Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Well, he DID say "rumors"... ya know how that can be Ves :( Link to post Share on other sites
alert5 Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 When the first 747-8 passenger version rolls out in 2010, the VC-25s would have been 20 years old. Boeing's line will switch to the dash 8 version sometime in 2008. Its a matter of time the Air Force One switch to the dash 8. Unless the USAF decides to go European like the Marine One. Link to post Share on other sites
svaz Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Unless the USAF decides to go European like the Marine One. An A380 AF-1 is cool to whif, no doubt ... Link to post Share on other sites
Wild Bill Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Steve Bamford bought them. Their shared, official name will be Air Source One. Steve will use them to fly around the world curing AMS and dealing Tenax based glue under the table... WB Link to post Share on other sites
SimFixer Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 When the first 747-8 passenger version rolls out in 2010, the VC-25s would have been 20 years old. Boeing's line will switch to the dash 8 version sometime in 2008. Its a matter of time the Air Force One switch to the dash 8. Unless the USAF decides to go European like the Marine One. True....but the VC-137s (707-320B) that the VC-25s replaced served as VIP transports for dang near 30 years before being replaced. SAM 26000 alone served from 1962 to 1990 (Presidents Kennedy to Bush 41). From a cycle time point of view alone, the two VC-25's in use today are fairly "low-time" jets with lotsa life left in 'em. When built, upgradeability was designed into 'em so any contingency can be addressed accordingly. And even if the line switches to only -8's, Boeing still has a good supply chain to support the civilian and military 747 fleets, with "special considerations" for the VC-25s. Link to post Share on other sites
majortomski Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Guys, if the USAF were out to buy a new Presidential fleet, it definitly will not be a rumor, Boeing will be bragging all day long. And it absolutly positivly will not ever be an airbus built airplane. I was on the team that bought the VC-25s and it just has tooooo many political hands in that pot to be a rumor. T Link to post Share on other sites
ThudDriver Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Guys, if the USAF were out to buy a new Presidential fleet, it definitly will not be a rumor, Boeing will be bragging all day long. And it absolutly positivly will not ever be an airbus built airplane. I was on the team that bought the VC-25s and it just has tooooo many political hands in that pot to be a rumor. T +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ majortomski I've learned over they years to "NEVER say never ! I also never thought that the prez would be whirling around in a European "Marine One" either... Sikorsky/Bell/ Boeing should've gotten that contract as well. "Never say never".. ThudDriver Link to post Share on other sites
Vesper Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 I'll contest that, at the time that the VHXX competition the Merlin had already been flying for sometime, seen combat deployment and was bigger interior wise than the S-91, which only got FAA cert. recently IIRC, at the time in question. While being european isnt much, at least it's Brit instead of french :lol: Ves :D Link to post Share on other sites
Just call me Ray Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 When the first 747-8 passenger version rolls out in 2010, the VC-25s would have been 20 years old. Boeing's line will switch to the dash 8 version sometime in 2008. Its a matter of time the Air Force One switch to the dash 8. Unless the USAF decides to go European like the Marine One. True, but to add to what SlimFixer said, technically the VC-25s used for AF1 are built to 747-200 specs (although they have a lot of -400 systems in them, so technically they could be thought of as 747-300s or some sort of hybrid). In fact they are the last 742s ever built. Link to post Share on other sites
Spongebob Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 And the -8 does offer a huge jump in unrefueled range over the 200. However, it would be way to big a deal to be kept on the down-low. My bet is they're for the UAE, who's gov't would really use that kind of range, and it shows Airbus their displeasure with the A-380 fiasco. Or China...... Link to post Share on other sites
Just call me Ray Posted October 10, 2006 Share Posted October 10, 2006 And the -8 does offer a huge jump in unrefueled range over the 200. Keep in mind that the VC-25 has a huge range already, even without considering its (never used) refuelling capability. Really, it already has all the unrefuelled range ever needed. Link to post Share on other sites
SimFixer Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 (edited) Unclassified unrefueled range = 6800nm (from www.af.mil). Which, if you check out this map from Great Circle Mapper using Andrews AFB as the start point, covers just about everyone except extreme southeast Africa, up thru northern Thailand and down into the Aussie area. Hit a tanker en route and they can pretty much go anywhere. The -8 has a posted range of 8000nm. So change the map a little and you get this. Keep in mind, Boeing's range numbers are for 450 people and crew plus bags and cargo. Revamp the -8 for VIP missions and you can expect at least 9000nm plus! YIKES!!!! Edited October 11, 2006 by SimFixer Link to post Share on other sites
svaz Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I believe the IFR was just in case there was nowhere left to land after WWIII. Sure, she'd have to come down eventually ... Link to post Share on other sites
Just call me Ray Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 I believe the IFR was just in case there was nowhere left to land after WWIII. Sure, she'd have to come down eventually ... The IFR really was installed so that McDD's AF1 entry (the DC-10) could meet the range requirements, and Boeing felt compelled to install it as well. IFR never was a part of the original requirement, and AF1's IFR ability has never been used. Ever. (except in movies of course ) As the above map shows, AF1 can reach anywhere in the world except SE Asia and Austrailia. Throw in a pit stop in Hawaii or Guam (less troublesome than IFR, BTW) and that becomes a moot issue. Link to post Share on other sites
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