Trump says he's considering buying used planes to serve as Air Force One amid Boeing delays

[Wicked Blue]

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is considering buying used Boeing aircraft — perhaps from an overseas seller — to use as Air Force One when he’s aboard, as he fumes over the U.S. plane-maker’s delays in producing two specially modified ones for presidential use.

Speaking to reporters aboard one of the two nearly 35-year-old Boeing 747-200 aircraft in current use, Trump said, “We’re looking at alternatives, because it’s taking Boeing too long.”

“We may go and buy a plane,” Trump said, adding that he could then “convert it.” He later clarified that he was ruling out purchasing aircraft of Airbus, the European company that is the only other global supplier on large wide-body aircraft, but would consider a second-hand Boeing plane. “I would not consider Airbus. I could buy one from another country perhaps or get one from another country.”

Boeing has the contract to produce updated versions, based on the more modern Boeing 747-8, but delivery has been delayed while the aircraft maker has lost billions of dollars on the deal, which was negotiated by Trump during his first term in office.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-air-force-one-boeing-plane-355ed87b00d7d82a061297f68c4ed89b

[Emile]

1. Give the SOB a one engine Cessna.

[Ocelot II]

9. The weight restrictions on a C-172 would be a problem.

But I'd love to watch him try to drag his fat ass into one.

[rubbersole]

22. If gasoline is 6lbs a gallon...

...you could only allow enough to taxi to the port-a-potty and back to the hangar. Don't figure in his cabinet. They're all lightweights.

[Henry203]

2. Buy a used valujet jet

we hope you end up in a swamp.

[Aviation Pro]

3. How about a slightly distressed AN-225, Not President Motherfucker?

Folks in the industry will get the joke.

[Ocelot II]

5. It's really, really yuge. He'd love that.

Parts fall off now and then, but size matters to guys who don't have much of it.

[rubbersole]

8. Funny!

(I had to look it up)

[Hugin]

18. "Loaded Diaper One...

You’re cleared for landing on runways 22, 35, 2, 84, 7, and sections of 18.”

[Celerity]

23. ...

[Hugin]

24. Eureka! Throw on some tacky gold leaf, a couple of cardboard wings, and blorange shag rug!

Fit for a KING!

[rubbersole]

4. There's a fix-r-upper in Toronto you'd look good in...

[Hugin]

7. It's just laying there on the tarmac.

I bet they’d give him a hell of a deal.

[Hugin]

6. This one statement encompasses every aspect of why...

Trump is completely ill suited to be POTUS.

Primarily, because he only cares about the veneer. No deeper understanding of anything.

Bookmarking.

[Wicked Blue]

12. This reminds me, when Nixon ran for president, there was an anti-Nixon campaign ad

I'm sure somebody can come up with a meme about Trump and used planes.

[Hugin]

14. The Potemkin President....

Everything last thing about him is fake and fraud.

[Norrrm]

10. He would sell his own plane to the gov't, at a great markup, of course.

[Wicked Blue]

17. I suspect President Musk will call dibs on it

[Walleye]

11. I want to hear the Republicans explain to me how Congress controls the "purse strings"

[Prairie Gates]

13. LOL

[Raven123]

15. Translation: Trump will sell his plane to the government

At 5x its value

[jls4561]

21. And then refurbish it at great cost.

[sarisataka]

16. Is there an old 737 Max available

Boeing might have a few in the back of the lot

[HAB911]

19. Give him one with not electronic protections

that's the ticket

[birdographer]

20. Well, I love it

I smiled inside when I saw that headline. Oh yes, please buy a used plane. One that has problems that have never been revealed. That pesky problem when the landing gear won’t come down unless you jiggle the switch just right. Or one in which the engine has a tendency to cut out at 20k feet and it’s hard to restart it. Please buy a used plane and use it a lot.

[Rob H.]

25. Too bad we can't use a trebuchet to just fling him in the general direction he wants to go

I've heard that deceleration trauma once a person arrives at their destination can be significant, though.