Air Force One Isn’t the Only 747 With a President Onboard

Sorry, Obama: Here are some other nations whose heads of state also command the iconic jet.

1477603267_air-force-one — Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

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By Justin Bachman and Sam Hall

October 28, 2016 at 8:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Boeing Co. received a lifeline for its sales-challenged 747 jumbo jet when United Parcel Service Inc. agreed to buy at least 14 freighter versions. The company has warned that the program could be at risk and halved production this year, to six annually.

One bright spot for the 747-8, the newest and largest version, is the U.S. Air Force, which chose it to transport America’s commander-in-chief. The president currently travels aboard two heavily modified Boeing 747-200 aircraft, which are military jets with the designation VC-25. However, when the president steps aboard, the call sign changes to Air Force One.

While the Pentagon plans to replace those planes with two of the newer version in 2024, what many may not know is that the U.S. is hardly the only country to make the famous plane the transport of choice for its head of state.