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AnthonyC12 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-23 21:33:48 +0000 UTC]

I knew it was coming in from Los Angeles ahead of time and I also caught Obama's departure to Palm Springs the next morning in less than favorable conditions (was sunny with a mix of haze and fog). This is the second time I've gotten her in the past year. 

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AnthonyC12 In reply to eightyjet [2015-06-23 20:54:25 +0000 UTC]

Yes I sure did!! They should be entering service in about five years or so, as these beauties are nearing the end of their 30 year service life. 

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shooter2170 In reply to AnthonyC12 [2015-06-24 21:52:57 +0000 UTC]

Modifications for the new VC-25's should start in 3 years time, if it goes on schedule.

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GamedracoArt In reply to AnthonyC12 [2015-06-23 21:21:09 +0000 UTC]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Air Force One was the last 747 ever built. They just got a life-support order for 20 more 747-8Fs at the Paris Airshow which would give them more then an extra year of production at current rates here: boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php…

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shooter2170 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-24 21:49:53 +0000 UTC]

Now all we have to do is hope the 747-8i gets the same dose of life support...

Lufthansa have finally said 'Auf Wiederhesen' to the 747-400 after deliveries of their 747-8i's have been completed, including D-ABYT which is painted in their 1960's livery.

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GamedracoArt In reply to shooter2170 [2015-06-24 22:04:09 +0000 UTC]

I hope so too, but it doesn't look likely when you have the competition of the A330, A350 and A380 from Airbus and Boeing's own 777 and 787. The 777 especially has cannibalized the 747 and the launch announcement of the 777X effectively killed the 747-8I. Furthermore, Lufthansa effectively said "Auf Wiederhesen" to the 747 when they confirmed a 777-9X order prior to an official launch of the aircraft.

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shooter2170 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-25 00:35:31 +0000 UTC]

JAL was forced to bid 'sayonara' to their 747-400s during their bankruptcy reorganisation which saw them replaced with 777-300ER's, while Air France is also bidding 'adieu' to this icon in favour of the A380 and 777-300ER (as well for the latter...).

British Airways' order for A380s and 787s is quite substantial, but it'll be hard for them before they say cheerio to their 747s. They have 53 of those Jumbos to replace...

In my country we already said 'selamat tinggal' to the 747-400 years ago. Now I'm waiting to see what plane MAS will pick to replace the 777-200ER...

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GamedracoArt In reply to shooter2170 [2015-06-25 00:51:49 +0000 UTC]

I don't know when I have heard of MAS jettisoning long haul routes that the 777-200ERs fly currently. They have already looking for buyers for the 777-200ERs as well as for the A380s. I don't see replacing them as much as discharging them.

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shooter2170 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-25 02:07:18 +0000 UTC]

And bseides, the airline is already waiting for government approval to look for a replacement aircraft to replace the 777s which are now at average 14 years old...

First MAS 777: 9M-MRA, delivered 1997

Last MAS 777: 9M-MRO, delivered 2001, disappeared March 2014 (MH370, there is still no idea where the heck the plane is now...)

4th MAS 777: 9M-MRD, delivery date not sure, painted in dazzling blue Heliconia livery from 2005 to 2007, sadly lost as MH17 over Ukraine...

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shooter2170 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-25 02:00:36 +0000 UTC]

The 777-200ERs are so far, the only aircraft in the MAS fleet that have had no replacement available so far...

For my country's airline fleet renewal, the 747s went out for A380s, while newer A330s replaced the older ones and the 737-800 replafing th -400 series ones. The only aircraft that haven't been replaced due to lack of funding are the 777s.

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GamedracoArt In reply to shooter2170 [2015-06-25 03:01:53 +0000 UTC]

It will be interesting to see when the first 777s reach the chopping block what aircraft airlines will buy to replace them. Currently the oldest 777s are 20 years old so they are pretty close to the chopping block.

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shooter2170 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-26 13:33:07 +0000 UTC]

Well, Singapore Airlines' low-cost arm Scoot is retiring the 777-200s they have had in exchange for 787-9s and 787-8s this summer. Scoot took delivery of their first 787-9 in April this year.

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eightyjet In reply to thefightingfalcon08 [2015-06-23 18:21:50 +0000 UTC]

I'd like to think one of them will go to the Udvar Hazey center (the annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum) They have numerous amazing jets there already: the Dash 80 (707 prototype) a Concorde, the Space Shuttle Discovery, and a fighter from just about every post-aviation war (everything from WWI era biplanes, to Corsairs- to Phantoms- to f-14s) It's one of the greatest aviation museums in the world, it's just outside Washington DC, and its equipped to land a 747 (via a taxiway to Washington-Dulles International Airport)

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AnthonyC12 In reply to eightyjet [2015-06-23 20:58:47 +0000 UTC]

Dulles is more than capable of handling the 747 as I believe Speedbird/British Airways sends a daily A380 there, so that is no problem. Apparently, the museum wants to have 200 aircraft on display in the near future, but I wonder if one of the Air Force One's will go here.

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eightyjet In reply to AnthonyC12 [2015-09-07 03:56:23 +0000 UTC]

I've seen the 380 on approach to Dulles I'd love to see a 747 on display at the Smithsonian- she deserves it!

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GamedracoArt In reply to AnthonyC12 [2015-06-23 21:23:05 +0000 UTC]

I would be perfect for the Udvar Hazey center. Right near the capital where it is headquartered.

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AnthonyC12 In reply to GamedracoArt [2015-06-23 21:35:17 +0000 UTC]

The Udvar-Hazy center is actually the one at Dulles, while the main part of the NASM is by the Capital. Thing is that while I would love to see it there, that part of the museum doesn't have any room to expand, which is why they started sending aircraft over to the annex by Dulles. 

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AnthonyC12 In reply to thefightingfalcon08 [2015-06-23 04:26:49 +0000 UTC]

I would think the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, as they got like nine presidential aircraft on display. Maybe somewhere else, who knows. 

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