This is how long the $400M Boeing 747 gifted to the US by Qatar is set to be grounded for after less than three months of service
Published on Oct 12, 2026 at 10:07 AM (UTC-4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Oct 12, 2026 at 10:08 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
The new Air Force One that was donated to the US by Qatar has already been grounded.
Launched in July 2026, the ‘new’ Boeing 747 was grounded last week.
It requires some upgrades and we’re sure the US Air Force will be eager to get POTUS back on the new plane as soon as possible.
The good news is they won’t have to wait long.
The Air Force One program is becoming a little problematic
The US Air Force One feels like a reality show with constant updates and cliffhangers.
It all started when the US Air Force realized the Air Force One replacement program would take much longer (and more money) than expected.
Time was running out as the old Boeing 747 definitely needed replacing, so the Qatari-gifted one was a godsend.
However, to speed up deployment, the Air Force did everything they needed and nothing they didn’t, which means the security updates were installed, as was the new livery, but the interior was largely unchanged.
This brings us to the reason why the plane is already grounded.
Related
The ‘new’ Boeing should be ready in no time
Less than three months after entering official service on July 1, 2026, the $400 million Boeing 747-8 has already been grounded.
A source told ABC News that the aircraft is undergoing further cosmetic upgrades along with a couple of technical and security-related modernizations.
Interestingly, the White House had not initially disclosed a specific completion date.
Well, now we may know a bit more about it.
Last month, President Trump told ABC News the plane would be sent away for around 60 days to be ‘maxed out’.
He told the broadcaster: “It has a lot of stuff, but to max it out, meaning you can go into any territory, it’ll take about 60 days. And it’s being sent in October to be maxed out.”
The old Air Force One is back in service
Technically, Air Force One is the callsign, not the name of the plane.
But obviously POTUS can only fly on select, hyper-secure planes, which means that, for the next 60 days or so, the US government will have to redeploy the old Boeing 747.
While the older VC-25A was slated for retirement due to high maintenance costs, it remains fully secure and airworthy.
The irony is that the old Boeing 747 will act as a ‘bridge’ Air Force One for the real Bridge Air Force One.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
