U.S. President Joe Biden has chosen the livery for the new presidential plane and rejected the design approved by the previous president, Donald Trump.
The formal reason for rejecting Trump’s blue, red, and white option was the need for additional certification of the aircraft.
According to the US Air Force, which provides transportation for the head of state, the blue color heats up more. Its use would have led to additional certification checks of the airliner’s components.
U.S. President Donald Trump shows an ABC News reporter a new color scheme for Air Force One
The chosen color scheme for the presidential plane is a slightly modified livery, which was developed for the presidential fleet by designer Raymond Lowy in the 1960s with the participation of the Kennedy family.
The updated version of the Kennedy era will change the shade of the basic blue color to become slightly darker. Also, the nose of the fuselage will not have a polished metal section. This is due to the fact that the skin materials of modern airplanes do not allow this.
The new livery of the US President’s VC-25B Air Force One aircraft, approved by Joe Biden. Photo: US Air Force
A modification of the Boeing 747, the Boeing VC-25, used to transport the US president. Photo: U.S. Air Force
The new airplane of the US president
VC-25A Air Force One. Photo: The White House
At its core, the VC-25A is a flying White House and command post. When the first person of the state is on board, the aircraft will receive the call sign Air Force One or Air Force One. From anywhere in the world, the US president can control the state and the army thanks to the special equipment on board.
The planes can be refueled in the air and are protected against electromagnetic pulse, meaning they can continue flying even in the event of a nuclear explosion.
The need for the upgrade arose due to the venerable age of the VC-25A. As a result, there are problems with spare parts and increased maintenance costs, the US Air Force said. In addition, the planes have old equipment that does not provide the capabilities that modern technology is capable of.
The updated aircraft of the US President is called the VC-25B and is based on the modern version of the Boeing 747-8 passenger aircraft.
The new livery of the US President’s VC-25B Air Force One aircraft, approved by Joe Biden. Photo: US Air Force
To save costs, the updated Flight 1 is being created on the basis of two Boeing 747-8s that Boeing built for the Russian airline Transaero. Due to the airline’s bankruptcy back in 2015, these aircraft were never transferred for passenger transportation and were parked under a fence.
So, civilian Boeing 747-8s will be transformed into the VC-25B presidential aircraft through a deep transformation. Special communication equipment, a powerful electrical system, a medical room, a special interior, and a self-defense system will be installed on board.
Also, unlike its civilian counterpart, the VC-25B will be able to provide airport services using its own equipment. For example, there will be ladders in the fuselage that will allow the president and his entourage to exit the aircraft.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the first updated Air Force One will be delivered to transport the president in 2027, and the second in 2028. Until then, the head of state will fly on VC-25A aircraft. By then, they will be 38 years old.
