President Donald Trump's return from a visit to France aboard Air Force One marked the final journey of the Boeing 747-200B, an aircraft that has transported US presidents for the past 35 years.
Final Flight for SAM 2900
Senior White House officials posted photographs of the aircraft on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, announcing the 'last ride' of the highly secure plane that has served presidents since George H.W. Bush. Monica Crowley, the US Chief of Protocol, expressed her honor in being aboard the final flight. 'For nearly 40 years, it carried every President since George HW Bush. It wasn't the most modern plane, but it was cosy. And every flight with President Trump was incredibly special. Farewell and thank you, SAM 2900. You served all of us well,' she said on X.
Trump returned from the visit to France in the small hours of Thursday. 'Well done, good and faithful servant. 'The Last Ride',' Trump's communications director Steven Cheung said in a post on X, accompanied by a picture of the iconic white and blue jet on the tarmac.
Transition to New Aircraft
The White House has not commented on the transition, but the US Air Force announced last month that the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar to Trump had completed modification and flight testing. NBC News reported that Trump was considering taking the inaugural flight of the Qatari jet when he travels to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota next month as part of celebrations for America's 250th anniversary.
The Qatari Boeing 747 has been painted with a new colour scheme, sporting a red, white and blue design, departing from the current 'Jackie Kennedy' design featuring robin's egg blue and white. In May, Pentagon officials told lawmakers that the total cost to overhaul the Qatari plane had not exceeded USD 400 million. The Qatari jet will serve as a bridge aircraft until the two other 747s ordered by the US Air Force at a cost of USD 5.6 billion are inducted into service.
Air Force One is the designation given to any plane carrying the president, so several aircraft can become available to do so, according to a US official. The Air Force will refer to the Qatari plane as VC-25B.
