Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Air Force One

In a twist few aviation watchers saw coming, Qatar’s gifted Boeing 747-8 was converted into a temporary presidential aircraft while America waits for Boeing’s delayed next-generation Air Force One jets. Instead of arriving as a brand-new U.S.-built plane, this interim aircraft came with an unusually international backstory.

The plane, known as the VC-25B Bridge aircraft, was designed to help cover the gap left by the aging current fleet. Its arrival also sparked debate over cost, security, and the optics of accepting such a lavish aircraft from a foreign government.