Biden devoted to Air Drive One paint job

By Mike Stone and David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration will modify, however proceed with, an Air Drive One paint scheme that intently resembles the present white with two shades of blue, which dates again to President John F. Kennedy’s administration, the Air Drive mentioned on Friday.

A pink, white and blue paint scheme for the presidential plane, often called Air Drive One when the president is on board, was proposed by Donald Trump when he was president, however was scuttled after a research confirmed it will create an excessive amount of warmth.

The present “robin’s egg” blue might be barely “deeper”, the engines might be a darker blue and the stomach is not going to be polished steel as a result of the jet’s alloy doesn’t enable that, the Air Drive mentioned.

The contractual determination for a Air Drive One paint job “was not required till this yr,” the Air Drive mentioned.

The Boeing Co 747-8s are designed to be an airborne White Home in a position to fly in worst-case safety situations, resembling nuclear struggle, and are modified with army avionics, superior communications and a self-defense system.

Final summer time, the Air Drive mentioned Boeing was set to ship the next-generation Air Drive One 747s in 2026 and 2027, the newest delay. The Air Drive mentioned Friday they’re now projected to be delivered in 2027 and 2028.

Boeing has racked up $1.9 billion in losses on the $4.3 billion program that’s now no less than three years not on time.

Again in 2018, Boeing obtained a $3.9 billion contract to construct two 747-8 plane to be used as Air Drive One, to be delivered by December 2024. Boeing is closely modifying a pair of 747s for the venture.

(Reporting by Mike Stone and David Shepardson in Washington; Further reporting by Valerie Insinna; Modifying by William Mallard)