Presidential aircraft: your leaders’ planes : Most heads of state use airplanes to travel. This means of transportation is undoubtedly the most efficient. As they need a very important time flexibility, air travel can be a solution. Also, airplanes can be arranged in such a way that customers feel at home in these airplane cabins. Meeting rooms, bedrooms, offices or even relaxation areas can be set up to meet the needs of the executives. They can therefore continue to practice their professions in the middle of the clouds.
The French presidential plane 2022
Emmanuel Macron uses an Airbus A330 to travel. It is since 2009, under Nicolas Sarkozy that this plane became the plane of the head of state. From an external point of view, this plane looks exactly like an Airbus A330 of the classic airlines. In reality, inside, there are almost no similarities. In the cabin of the presidential plane, there is a room with a bathroom, an office that allows the president to get in touch with anyone, a meeting room that can accommodate 12 people, a medical area with a small operating room, a business area to accommodate companions and finally an economic area for the security service and the staff on board.
The Head of State chooses the people who accompany him on each trip, which was not the case for his predecessors.
Finally, it is estimated that the cost of using this carrier is about 21,000 per flight hour and its purchase price is 230,000,000 €.
On the other hand, Emmanuel Macron also travels on a private jet of a more reasonable size. It is a Falcon 7x of the French manufacturer Dassault (competitor of Bombardier). This jet is used for trips of a shorter distance, generally for travel within the country.
The American Boeing Air Force One
The American presidential plane was created on a military aircraft basis. It is a Boeing 747-200B, a pillar of the aviation industry. It made its first flight in 1969. Modifications had to be made in order to allow the plane to be more fuel efficient and to have a longer range. The President of the United States has in his plane a space of 370 square meters with: bedroom, bathroom, gym and offices. In total, the President’s plane can comfortably accommodate about 100 passengers.
In fact, this plane was made in duplicate if there was a problem with one of them.
As a result, the American presidential fleet is estimated to be worth 1 billion dollars. It is easily recognizable with the U.S. flag that is drawn on the tail of the plane.
The Ilyushin Il-96-30
The Ilyushin Il-96-30 is the name of the Russian presidential plane. Indeed, Vladimir Putin, travels with this plane, the presidential fleet has two. The interior of this carrier is described as being out of the ordinary. There are gold finishes, marble and tapestries on the wall. Putin does not have an excess number of aircraft, so he also has in his squadron several helicopters that allow him to move quickly in case of emergencies or internal flights (helicopter can also be intended for weaponry).
Xi-Jinping and his commercial plane
The representative of the People’s Republic of China does not have his own private jet. Indeed, following an order to the company Delta to acquire a Boeing for its leader, China realized at the delivery of more or less normal defects. The Chinese accuse an attempt of espionage of the Americans. As a result, Xi-Jinping, when he travels, uses an airliner belonging to Air China. The aircraft, which floats in the air, is examined several weeks before the trip to ensure that the trip goes smoothly. Then the interior of the plane is modified to accommodate a bedroom, meeting room and office. After the trip is completed, the aircraft is returned to its original condition to be returned to Air China for the resumption of commercial flights. This aircraft is also used in civil aircraft today.
The Japanese Presidential Aircraft
Japan has maintained two Boeing 747-400 aircraft operated by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force for 27 years, primarily for the Prime Minister, Emperor, Empress and other members of the Imperial Family.
The two aircraft designated as Japanese Air Force One and Japanese Air Force One still fly together on government missions, one serving as the primary means of transportation and the other as a backup for in-flight maintenance personnel.
Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta’s Boeing 737
It is surely the presidential plane that has made the most talk. Indeed, the Malian president’s plane has seen the birth of a scandal concerning it. Mali, being one of the poorest countries in the world, was under IMF supervision with a loan of 46 million dollars over several years. Despite the complicated situation, IBK still decided to buy a private plane for $30 million. The IMF then withdrew its aid to the country. The Boeing 737 has a state-of-the-art interior with luxurious finishes in the lounge, office, bedroom and bathroom.
Tamim Al Thani’s gift to Erdogan
This aircraft, designed for commercial flights of a conventional airline, was derived as a presidential aircraft. In order for it to be put into service, it had to make a test flight that met the most complex aeronautical standards including take-off and landing. It is an aircraft of the range of planes: wide-body of the program of planes Boeing (manufacturer of the plane). It can carry out medium-haul as well as long-haul flights.
The Emir of Qatar has offered to his Turkish friend and comrade, an ultra-luxurious Boeing 737. Indeed this gift of more than 400 million dollars to strengthen even more the Turkish-Qatari relations. This plane was offered after the announcement of a strategy to push for savings. Thus, this act appears to be somewhat contradictory. Turkey’s fleet of presidential aircraft already included three helicopters and eleven planes such as the Airbus A340 VIP of former Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
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