Free Flight, Free Speech

Well, for over 4 billions? Boeing has to be a little realistic there, it is ban expansion on stuff they have already developed.

The Donald is conflating this a bit, he knows he won't benefit from flying in this plane as it won't be ready for 8 years anyways so if he cannot have it, no-one can, he's the epitome of a spoiled rich kid.

Why does he concern himself, he has a gold plated 757?

He really needs his twitter abruptly curtailed.

I am not impressed.

As soon as I can access the latest information from Aviation Week and Space Technology, the premier source for accurate information on aviation development programs for aircraft such the Boeing 747-800 to be used for the new Air Force One, I will be posting that information.

AFAIK the plane should function as nerve center of the command infrastructure (say as war room), and it is heavily defended. It is secret what electronics are involved, so we can not judge what it should cost. But let's look at it from another angle and do some beer mat math here.

AFAIK they operate 2 units, so one unit is 2 billion (if the 4 billion is correct). The bare plane plus luxury outfit is easily half a billion. Let's take another half a billion for custom made defenses. Then we are left with 1 billion for the war room.

Would you get a decent war room bunker for 1 billion? No idea. Ask yourself this question: Is 1 billion much for the nerve center of the command infrastructure, considering the total defense budget? In this perspective, it does not seem an unrealistic price to me.

Kind regards, Vincent

While waiting for an article by Aviation Week, here is an update from the Washington Post, which is a generally reliable source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/12/07/boeing-ceo-pledged-to-work-with-new-administration-after-trump-threatened-to-kill-air-force-one-deal/?utm_term=.4d9a1e58a854

I agree with Vincent here. 4Bn doesn't seem that much if we're talking two units that serve that purpose. Granted, I would much rather that the US spends it on other stuff, but all things considered and considering the longevity of these planes it doesn't seem like a big deal. Unless you're Trump, in which case it's A DISASTER!

If you've seen the documentary of the AFO, the plane already has some age-related problems (mostly leaks and things) and it only takes a bit of a discovered hydraulic leak or some mechanical problem and without a quick proper parts replacement in an airport when the plane happens to be in the middle of nowhere to pose a huge risk not to mention some inconvenience for the most powerful person on Earth.

This sounds like more politics than economics to me.