Curiosity got the better of us and we have delved behind the scenes into the controversial offer of a luxuriously appointed Qatari royal family offering a Boeing 747-8 private jet to US President Donal Trump. Here is what we found.
The gift was prompted by delays in supplying a new Air Force One, considered the most complicated aircraft on the planet. Boeing is behind schedule on the delivery of a new Air Force One and will not be available until 2027 or 2028, the year Trump’s second term ends. Then again, the move could be another Trump tactic to prompt a faster turnaround by Boeing.
Two modified Boeing 747 planes serve as Air Force One. Both are about 35 years old and have been flying since President George H.W. Bush was in office. The US Air Force awarded a fixed-price contract to Boeing for two new Air Force One planes in July 2018 at a total cost of $3.9 billion, with a completion date of 2024.
Air Force One is meant to serve as a secure communication centre in the sky — including command and control of nuclear weapons — and allow the president to issue orders to military and government agencies in the event of war or other emergency.
Experts says Converting a Qatari-owned 747 jet into a new Air Force One would involve installing multiple top-secret systems, would cost more than $1 billion and take years to complete, aviation experts told NBC News. It was previously used by a division of Qatar Airways that serves the nation’s royal families and other government officials.
They said that accepting the 13-year-old jet would likely cost US taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over time, noting that refurbishing the commercial plane would exceed its current value of $400 million. The project might also not be completed by the end of Trump’s term in 2028.
Trum is yet to confirm he is accepting the “gift” from Qatar’s royal family which have denied it is a gift, describing instead as a “temporary transfer.” After President Trump’s term, it would be donated to his presidential library.
Under the US Constitution, Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8: ” No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
President Trump was in the Middle East last week on his first foreign visit, including a stop in Qatar. He is yet to confirm acceptance of the offer.
Features of the Qatari jet
- Oversized couches and recliners, in five different lounges throughout the aircraft’s two main decks, wood paneling, and more than 40 televisions, including 10 big-screen TVs.
- The plane can hold approximately 90 passengers, offers five rows of standard business class seating and is staffed by 14 crew. Commercial 747s hold more than 460 people.
- It comes with a master bedroom, a guest bedroom, two full bathrooms, nine lavatories, five small kitchens, and a private office.
