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- The Trump administration plans to receive a gifted Boeing 747-8 from Qatar.
- The jumbo jet previously served as a luxurious private business jet.
- The plane currently sports multiple bedrooms, a salon, a private living room, and a kids’ playroom.
A luxurious jumbo jet that the Department of Defense said it had accepted as a gift from Qatar is chock-full of the glitz and grandeur President Donald Trump has shown a penchant for over the years.
First delivered to the Gulf state in 2012, the Boeing 747-8 that could soon serve as Air Force One is one of the most opulent private jets in the world and is much newer than the current fleet of jets that carry the President and other White House staff. Flight records show the plane flew to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club in Florida, in February.
The exact cost of the jumbo jet isn’t clear, but a new 747-8 can fetch a cool $400 million.
Trump has said he would be “stupid” to turn down the gifted Boeing 747, especially as he has been vocal about his disappointment in the delays for a replacement that Boeing might not be able to deliver until 2028.
Its cockpit may look like any 747, but behind it is where the opulence is revealed.
The gift has raised ethical concerns among both Democrats and Republicans, which the White House has dismissed. A Pentagon spokesperson said the gift is being accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”
An iteration of the luxurious aircraft — designed by French interior design firm Cabinet Alberto Pinto for its previous life serving a Middle Eastern businessman — gives us a peek inside the opulent plane as it may look upon delivery to the Department of Defense as the potential future Air Force One.
“The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States,” a Pentagon spokesperson said, adding no details on expected cost or when it may enter service.
The interior is sectioned into several rooms, akin to a traditional home.
Think a foyer, couches, touchscreen light switches, and bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms.
The primary bedroom takes the most advantageous and private location.
The spacious bedroom is perched in the nose of the aircraft, under the cockpit. It’s a relatively quiet space, located furthers from the engine. And in lieu of two first-class seats, as the nose is often reserved for, the bedroom has a cozy loveseat.
The bedroom operates like that of a conventional residence.
Bedside tables and reading lights flank the mattress, perched across from the TV and loveseats. However, the walled cupholders still remind you that you’re in an aircraft.
Otherwise, the en-suite bathroom looks quite orthodox, finished with a walk-in shower and a bright vanity.
Showers, which aren’t a staple fixture in commercial aircrafts, are a key selling point for Boeing and Airbus’ private jets.
Guest bedrooms accommodate additional guests.
Don’t worry, they get their own bathrooms, too.
No need to stay tied down to a small passenger seat.
The aircraft has private offices and dining areas. Or, use the salon as both.
Its couches are great for lounging, while the circular table can be used for work, dinners, or a round of poker.
It’s an aircraft — of course, the plush leather seats can recline via switches in the armrest.
Additional passengers and crew can be seated in a separate, smaller section with tables and in-flight entertainment systems.
The crew also has their own quarters, located up the foyer’s staircase.
If the salon is the Oval Office, the upper deck is the executive residence.
In addition to the crew quarters, the second floor has a living room and a separate children’s play area.
Yves Pickardt, the designer of this particular 747-8i and all of its homey amenities, previously told Altitudes Magazine that the aircraft took four years to design and complete — an indication of what the Secret Service may in for when it sets out to upgrade security, communications, and other systems if the President it to use the plane while in office.
An earlier version of this story was written by Taylor Rains and Tom Pallini.
Read the full article here
