The Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8 aka the VC-25B (25-3300) as VADER01 landing at KGVT after a test flight.
Posted by TT-33-operator_@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 113 comments
Texas_Kimchi@reddit
Hopefully the next administration does the right thing and gives it back.
christopher_mtrl@reddit
Nope. The plane is slated to be transferred to Trump library (AKA, himself) once his term ends.
Source
s_ox@reddit
That can't possibly be legal - one can't just give something to the government and then dictate where it goes to after a certain time... If you have transferred ownership, it belongs to the government. And the government needs to decide what happens to it...
GGCRX@reddit
Of course it's not legal, but that only matters if there's someone willing to enforce the law.
This is why SCOTUS saying the president gets absolute immunity forever was such a big deal.
s_ox@reddit
Someone needs to sue to stop that from happening. Or to pull it back even if it happens, it would be better if at that time actually because he will no longer be in power.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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84Cressida@reddit
Why? Even if you disagree with how they gave it to us, the AF Will put it to use. They wanted 3 AF1s anyway.
Kanyiko@reddit
Small reminder that this one was 'personally gifted' and is intended to be transferred into 'private ownership of 47' once 48 assumes power.
LivermoreP1@reddit
Can we be real? There’s no way he lives long enough to ever use this thing….
gusterfell@reddit
Which is probably just as well, because we don't want the wiretaps that are guaranteed to be all over this thing listening in on the next president.
Ramrod489@reddit
Eh, I don’t have a problem with it as long as the DoD keeps it. I have huge problems with it going to the Trump library, which is the current plan.
Pherllerp@reddit
It’s called Vader?!
quiet_locomotion@reddit
They sometimes use the call sign "ORDER66" on the 'doomsday' planes lol
S1lentLucidity@reddit
Order 67 was far better https://www.reddit.com/r/me_irl/s/G4jxy5yCTI
reddituserperson1122@reddit
That’s hilarious
TigerIll6480@reddit
Jezus.
SpitefulSeagull@reddit
The tech bros called their evil spying company "palantir" so what's new
Asystole@reddit
evergreen
Longjumping_College@reddit
That's my only question
Are we really going there?
JANN_IIS@reddit
VADER is a common callsign seen on aircraft that are under test at this facility.
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
Every time I post a plane with the VADER callsign I see people in the comments freaking out about it lol.
boeingman737@reddit
It means Daddy in German
Sivalon@reddit
This flight at least.
U2ElectricBoogaloo@reddit
Who chooses the call sign?
Aidan196@reddit
It's usually assigned by the unit based on location and purpose of the flight
badbatch@reddit
I wish someone would gift me a 747-8. :(
Bythion@reddit
Unless it comes with free fuel and maintenance team I don't know how much I'd want it.
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
I’d make it my house🤣
badbatch@reddit
True. I would still appreciate it.
TheTenaciousOnes@reddit
Gift from Qatar... Why do we need someone to give us a free jet for the president, whens he's asking for 2 trillion for defense?? Seems he could literally build 1000s of them... And if im not mistaken, the 747 has been taken out of production.. Seems like an A.C.M.E. Jet provided by or more importantly for, Wiley Coyote...
onethousandmonkey@reddit
Vader, seriously?
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/s/RSMy0gzOQv
Cardinal-guy-2023@reddit
The Queen is so much more elegant and regal than the stubby looking A380, IMO.
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
100%, but I’ll take a a380 when I can get one.
Feelin_Dead@reddit
Spare Force One. Not -25B
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
It’s official designation is VC-25Bridge
michael_1215@reddit
A white 747-8 landed at Andrews a few weeks ago. Would this have been it, or the two ex-Russian ones that they're converting?
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
Probably the ex Lufthansa bird, It’s all white as well. This is from the first test flight, so it’s not this one.
Ramrod489@reddit
I read that as “KVGT”, my home field, and was very confused and concerned for a few seconds
FrankReynoldsCPA@reddit
Haha same. I'm under the departure path for 25.
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
🤣
223-Remington@reddit
Sick, I'm glad it'll still be a 747 flying POTUS around, iconic :)
SMTecanina@reddit
it's going into the presidential library
223-Remington@reddit
It's not becoming AF1? I was under the impression that was gonna happen lol
Also why all the downvotes?
SMTecanina@reddit
It's going to be used as AF1 and then go to his presidential library after his term ends, it's supposed to be ready this year but we'll see. So maybe 2 years of service?
One of his kids posted a rendering of it inside the library
Immediate_Matter9139@reddit
Sorry from a foreigner but what does "his presidential library" mean?
SMTecanina@reddit
They're basically museums and archives dedicated to presidents lives and time in office. There's more to it than that though.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_library_system
Immediate_Matter9139@reddit
An archive he can use?
ProbablyNotYourSon@reddit
He doesn’t do anything for anyone else
Substantial_Point_57@reddit
Not this specific Qatari gifted tin can.
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
Everything is so political on this app. When I posted the newly painted c-32a I got downvoted in the comments because I said something like “I hate to see the old one go, but I kinda like the new one”.
223-Remington@reddit
It's why I've taken to the phrase "politisperging" lol
I enjoy this subreddit because political BS is banned... For the most part...
BungalowDweller@reddit
Don't know about the downvotes, but it'll be ready in time to fly him to either Mara Lago or jail in 2028.
PhantomSesay@reddit
Seems like it had the previous livery stripped.
Any idea if it will be painted into the current president’s design for the new air force one?
84Cressida@reddit
Yes, it along with the rest of the VIP Air Force fleet. SAM 28000 will be repainted too.
kostko@reddit
This is dangerously charming
pillojon106@reddit
Oh I thought the current VC25A fleet will retain the current livery? Has this changed recently?
84Cressida@reddit
That was the original plan but with the VC-25B delayed, 28000 has been getting upgraded at SKF for over a year and the Air Force wants the whole VIP fleet in the new livery. One C-32 has already been repainted and the rest will follow.
WY228@reddit
I wouldn’t say it’s the Air Force that wants it. It’s their boss’s decision.
ILikeFlyingMachines@reddit
So gold?
IdaDuck@reddit
Gold sure, but don’t forget the preteen girl staging area.
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Expensive-Ostrich139@reddit
Will you m0m still be bringing her kneepads?
badbatch@reddit
White with a bunch of those ugly gold accent things he put all over the white house.
fgruner818@reddit
It probably had everything stripped down to the airframe then rebuilt
ErythingIsFakeAndGay@reddit
I feel like this things gotta be secretly rigged
Taptrick@reddit
Secretly?
Allaplgy@reddit
Oh, it's all "rigged."
This is just rubbing it in our faces at this point.
SimDaddy14@reddit
Watched this things do a bunch of touch and gos at IAD from my office last week. It was sick.
lamboi133@reddit
im pretty sure that was an ex Lufthansa plane
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
When was it up that way?
SimDaddy14@reddit
I don’t remember the exact day but I want to say perhaps last Thursday or Friday? I’ll check the local planespotters page on FB - the usuals went wild with that one, as expected
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
Oh I bet. It’s so cool seeing these big planes up close
CinnRaisinPizzaBagel@reddit
Remember when we let Russian contractors work on construction of the Moscow embassy and the whole thing was bugged?
FeraldGord74@reddit
They better have stripped the thing all the way to nothing inside, lest it end up being a flying wiretap and/or Qatari drone.
radioref@reddit
No joke, they’ve been parking it on a temporary closed taxiway instead of on the L3harris ramp at GVT, because, in my theory is L3 Harris doesn’t want that thing near their secure facilities.
The_Ashamed_Boys@reddit
It's also huge (250'x250') so they might not have the room.
radioref@reddit
The VC-25 fleet is there often on the L3 Harris ramp for avionics retrofits
The_Ashamed_Boys@reddit
Ah. Looking at the ramp on Google maps, the entrance looks really tight. The -8 wingspan is significantly larger then the classic wingspan, which already looks tight IMO.
HNL2BOS@reddit
it would be practically impossible to go through that entire plane looking for a nefarious item especially since they've only had it for a little less than a year.
christopher_mtrl@reddit
You don't need to wiretap anything to get all the information you need from the guy you got to accept a 400 millions dollar bribe.
Carribean-Diver@reddit
Just like whatever winds up replacing the old east wing.
Kanyiko@reddit
The VC-25MB.
(Massive Bribe)
Mr06506@reddit
Air Bribe One
TigerIll6480@reddit
Bribe Force One
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Expensive-Ostrich139@reddit
That was offered to Senile Pedo Joe, but he wanted a train for international travel...
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timmeh-eh@reddit
Did the plan change? Originally the 2 VC-25Bs were newly built as airliners for transaero but they were never delivered. The ex Qatari one was going to: “the Trump library” ie. would remain Trump’s after he’s no longer president.
spreilly@reddit
I believe this is the interim solution while the Transaero -8’s are outfitted.
SparkyXI@reddit
And of course its callsign would be VADER01.
Kanyiko@reddit
He loves it when people call him 'Daddy'.
Key-Airport-3060@reddit
Dang
chenkie@reddit
Ugliest worst -8 in the sky
Substantial_Point_57@reddit
Oh the “free” plane
condor120@reddit
The only 747 made I think deserves to rust in the desert
Foggl3@reddit
I do miss working there, sometimes
IncredibleVelocity4@reddit
Can a future Congress enact a 200% annual tax on jets with serial number XXX?
b17ch35@reddit
Chevrons look so sick, especially on a 747
Form and function combined
MandalorianBeskar@reddit
TIL, the jagged saw tooth edges on the engine nacelles are called 'Chevrons' and their purpose is to reduce engine noise.
I thought these were there to increase the surface area and help keep engines cooler 🥴
FlyJunior172@reddit
And they do really well at reducing noise. The difference at the overwing on the 738 and 38M is huge (yes, I know that’s not all on the chevrons, but similar things like that scale).
WindParticular3691@reddit
They should park it then part it out.
Immediate_Matter9139@reddit
It'll be parked and mossy within a decade
Illustrious_Crab_664@reddit
Isn’t this one now registered as N7478D?
TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
Yes. Mistake on my end.
Exact-Dinner-5047@reddit
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TT-33-operator_@reddit (OP)
First time lol
imaguitarhero24@reddit
The system is strangely accusatory lol
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