WASHINGTON, June 19 (DC Times Online) — President Donald Trump unveiled a refurbished Boeing 747-8i at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, putting the aircraft on a path to become an interim Air Force One while Boeing continues work on the next generation of presidential planes.
The U.S. Air Force said the former Qatar-donated jet has completed modification and flight testing and is now moving into commissioning flights, the last testing phase before it can enter operational service. The aircraft is meant to bridge the gap until Boeing finishes two VC-25B replacement aircraft for the presidential fleet.
Trump described the aircraft as a “flying White House” as he showed it off at the military base in Washington, D.C. The plane was presented in a red, white and blue livery that replaces the traditional light blue-and-white presidential paint scheme associated with the Kennedy era.
The Air Force said the updated exterior will become the standard across the presidential and executive airlift fleet, including the VC-25B aircraft still under development. That means the new look is not limited to one aircraft but is intended to carry across the broader fleet that moves the president and other senior officials.
The unveiling comes after months of work on the converted 747-8i. In May, the Air Force said the aircraft had finished modifications and flight testing and was being painted in the new scheme.
Air Force officials have framed the aircraft as a temporary solution rather than a replacement for the long-delayed Boeing program. CNBC and NPR reported that the White House expects the jet to serve as a bridge until Boeing delivers the new aircraft, with completion now expected in 2028.
That timing matters for the presidential airlift because the current Air Force One fleet is aging and the replacement program has already faced significant delay. The new 747-8i is intended to keep the service running while the planned Boeing aircraft move toward delivery.
The aircraft itself is a former Qatari Boeing 747-8i. The government of Qatar donated it, and the U.S. military modified it for presidential use.
BBC reported an estimated value of about $400 million for the aircraft, citing the modifications made by the U.S. military. The supplied reporting did not include an independent valuation document, so that figure remains an estimate.
The Air Force said commissioning flights will be the final check before the plane enters operational use. Those flights are designed to confirm the aircraft’s systems and presidential airlift capabilities before it is handed over for regular service.
Trump also said the aircraft could take part in a future flyover tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, including a planned July 4 display next year, according to Fox News and CNBC. That would make the aircraft part of a larger ceremonial aviation role, in addition to its transportation function.
For now, the project remains in transition. The plane has completed its modification and testing work, but it is still not fully operational, and the Air Force says commissioning flights must come before the aircraft can be placed into service as the interim presidential transport until Boeing’s VC-25B replacements are ready.
