USAF Starts Public Search for Air Force One Replacement

[Matt Molnar]

Even though it has less MTOW, I think the 110K lbf of thrust will get you up in the sky faster than Fat Albert. :borat:

Since there are very minor cost and fuel consumption constraints compared to those required by an airline, I wouldn't be surprised if the engines on AF1 were souped up to some much higher thrust rating than conventional CF-6s.

[moose135]

It won't be an A380

EADS waves off bid for Air Force One replacement
By Stephen Trimble
DATE:28/01/09
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com

EADS North America (NA) will abstain from an opportunity to usurp Boeing as the next supplier for the US presidential aircraft fleet.

The US-based subsidiary of the European conglomerate, which includes Airbus, confirmed the company will not respond to a US Air Force request for information. The RFI is the first step in the process to acquire a replacement after 2017 for the Boeing 747-200-based VC-25 fleet, also known as Air Force One (AF-1).

Although the selection of, for instance, the Airbus A380 might have been politically explosive, EADS insists only business interests guided its decision.

The USAF plans to buy only three aircraft. That order is too small for EADS NA to justify the investment of shifting final assembly and engineering work from Europe to the USA – two key tenets of its North American growth strategy.

[Jetinder]

Looks like it will be the 747-8 or the 777, Obama could get a 787 as he is meant to be all for greener eco things, the 787 is meant to be the greenest plane in the sky.

[PhilDernerJr]

I doubt they'd go with 2-engine aircraft.

[mmedford]

It will be a 748i and won't be delivered until 10 years from now...

highly doubt Obama would even see it as President...