Comments on: Would Obama like an A380 for Air Force One?

By: mike

mike — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:05:05 +0000

I doubt that any American government would buy an Airbus as an represenational aircraft. A380 would be a bad pick, as it does require special airport setup – period. Other Airbus planes would probably fit the profile, and the top-secret-military-thingies could be sorted out (perhaps through an American-based subcontractor/customizer), but that changes nothing: an Airbus pick would be simply a sign that the USA no longer has the lead, and no American president would like to make such a statement. It would be like the German chancelor driving in a Cadilac or the French president flying in a Boeing – it just won’t happen.

By: Paddy-O

Paddy-O — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 11:42:00 +0000

# 47 Mark T. said, “For the record, the presidential 747’s started out life as standard Boeing commercial airframes. All the secret stuff was added after the fact.”

For the record, Boeing, as the manufacturer & military contractor did much of the “secret stuff”… Stuff that Airbus couldn’t do, and thus there will not be an Air Force one that is an Airbus.

I’ll start taking bets now. 2 to 1 odds.

By: Dajestar

Dajestar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 09:20:28 +0000

We should use the best plane available for an eventual future upgrade. If that plane is European, who cares? The fact that Airbus is subsidized doesn’t really fly anymore since the big three have been asking for a bailout….

By: Rick Cain

Rick Cain — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 06:56:08 +0000

Why the hostility?

Europe is not Iran ya know, they’re our allies. If we buy a few jets from them whats the big deal.

By: Cap'nKangaroo

Cap'nKangaroo — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:17:48 +0000

Obama calls Chicago home. Boeing’s headquarters is in Chicago. The Air Force may have final say but no general would slap the president in the face by buying something other than Boeing.

By: Mark T.

Mark T. — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:53:12 +0000

For the record, the presidential 747′s started out life as standard Boeing commercial airframes. All the secret stuff was added after the fact. The same is happening on the new VH-71 presidential helicopters. All of that work is done in the USA under STRICT confidentiality rules.

But the base EH-101 helicopters that are purchased from AgustaWestland are off-the-line factory stock aircraft aside from some equipment deletions and a rear entry ladder (opposed to a loading ramp). All other presidential modifications are being handled in the States by Bell Helicopter and Lockheed-Martin as well as other American equipment vendors/suppliers.

By: Mr. Fusion

Mr. Fusion — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:25:03 +0000

The two 747s the Air Force uses for the President and V-P are both in top notch condition. They have the world’s best maintenance crew as well as they were built tough from day 1. Because of the trim, it can also land at more air strips that a regular 747. Even though it uses less fuel, it does cost more to operate due to the fewer miles and passengers.

It is also my understanding that all press passengers do have to pay to ride along on AF-1. Only the Prez, his family, staff, Cabinet and Agency heads, and guests ride for free. Even Senators, Congressmen, pay out of their own budget to ride along unless they are a guest of the Prez.

I doubt the Prez has much o say about the plane though. That is all Air Force decision.

By: Mr. Fusion

Mr. Fusion — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:15:24 +0000

#41, jimbo,

Last time I checked, you weren’t the leading voice on anything in the world

I am so very sorry to disagree. Cow-Paddy is the world’s leading authority on the US Constitution, objects on Congresswoman McKinnon’s desk, Secretary of State’s Rice Office, the back room ins and outs in the Senate, Rent-A-Cop problems, criminal justice statistics, and Tampax Super Maxies as hemorrhoid relief. There are other areas of his expertise but we aren’t smart enough to recognize them.

He also knows a lot about Radio Shack’s inventory system and would like to work for Apple some day. He is a pretty smart guy! A genius in his own estimation and mirror.

By: asenna

asenna — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:54:53 +0000

Go Boeing buy American!! Plus in a plane like that made in Europe who knows what they can implant in the thousands of miles of cable and ect. they could rig that jet with all types of monitoring equipment or even remote self destruct mechinisims that would crash the plane. Its like the gifts we used to give the Russians and the Cubans here is something really nice but in reality its a trojan horse. We should support American business it would be like getting a Mercedes limo.

By: amodedoma

amodedoma — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:31:19 +0000

#42

One clarification, airbus has recieved significant european subsidies… $15 Billion in launch aid and lot’s of infra structure and transportation aid since then. Why not? Still sounds better than using tax money to save failing private enterprise. Or is it the same thing? Guess time will tell.

By: joaoPT

joaoPT — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:52:22 +0000

@36 dewoll…
Just to clarify one big misconception you Americans have:

EU is a community of INDEPENDENT states.
EU does not have A government. At least, not yet. There’s the EU commission and the EU parliament (there’s actually two parliaments…) and they create laws and vote on regulations to be trickled down into the member’s States Governments.
Of course, the commission’s role is to “construct” and unify Europe. Maybe the ultimate goal will be that Europe will become One Nation. But that’s IMHO is at least 100 to 150 years away.

So, Airbus IS NOT an EU government company.

By: jimbo

jimbo — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:17:16 +0000

Paddy-o

Is there any posts in which you don’t pounce on someone for what they say?

How about you post something original instead of using Wikipedia to try and discredit someone…..

Last time I checked, you weren’t the leading voice on anything in the world

By: amodedoma

amodedoma — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:47:44 +0000

Oh and the A380 isn’t selling like they were hoping, and with the crisis the whole project could fail hurting Airbus. In the unlikely event this should prosper it could save Airbus’s ass.

By: Buzz

Buzz — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:41:39 +0000

What he NEEDS is a supersonic plane with room for no more than 50 passengers. Get things done fast.

Tighten that press corps down to the minimum, and send the rest by commercial jet paid for by their keepers.

By: amodedoma

amodedoma — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:36:30 +0000

It’s a question of national security. The airbus 380 is a fine passenger aircraft, but it’s not very robust. The size and weight paramaters pushed them into structural sacrifices and experimental materiales. Apart from that, needs to be done in US because of top secret technologies to be incorporated. The more I think about this the more it sounds like an unsubstantiated rumour. In other words – BULLSHIT!