WASHINGTON, June 19 (DC Times Online) — President Donald Trump unveiled a refurbished Boeing 747-8i at Joint Base Andrews in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, putting the aircraft one step closer to use as an interim Air Force One while Boeing continues work on two replacement presidential jets.
The U.S. Air Force said the plane has completed modifications and flight testing and is now entering commissioning flights, the last testing phase before it can move into operational service. Trump described the aircraft as a “flying White House.”
The jet was donated by the government of Qatar and modified for presidential use. It is intended to serve as a bridge aircraft until Boeing finishes the VC-25B program, the pair of new presidential aircraft that will eventually replace the current fleet.
The unveiling underscored a transition in one of the federal government’s most visible transportation assets: the aircraft used to move the president on domestic and international trips. The interim jet is designed to keep that service functioning while the larger replacement program remains unfinished.
The Air Force said commissioning flights are the final phase of testing before the aircraft enters service. Those flights are intended to verify that the work done on the aircraft meets operational requirements before the plane is handed over for presidential use.
The aircraft’s move toward service follows an earlier update from the Air Force in May, when the service said the former Qatari Boeing 747-8 had completed modification and flight testing and was being painted in a red, white and blue livery. The Air Force said at the time that the aircraft would be ready for the Presidential Airlift Group in the summer.
The new exterior marks a break from the traditional light blue-and-white presidential paint scheme associated with the Kennedy era. The Air Force said the updated design would become the standard across the presidential and executive airlift fleet, including the VC-25B aircraft still under development.
That change gives the aircraft a new visual identity even before it enters operational service. It also signals that the interim jet is being treated not as a one-off replacement, but as part of a broader fleet update that will carry over to the next generation of presidential aircraft.
Trump’s remarks focused on the aircraft’s appearance and role as a temporary replacement while Boeing finishes the new planes. CNBC reported that the White House expects the jet to serve as a bridge until Boeing delivers the VC-25B aircraft, which are expected in 2028.
The timing matters because the aircraft is moving through a structured federal aviation process rather than going directly from unveiling to service. Modification, flight testing, commissioning flights and operational handoff are separate steps, and the Air Force said the jet is now in the stage before active use.
That distinction is important for a fleet that supports the president, senior officials and other executive travel. The aircraft must be ready not only to fly, but to meet the communications, security and mission requirements that come with presidential transport.
Trump said the plane would be used for future high-profile events as well. Fox News and CNBC reported that he said it could take part in an America 250 flyover in Washington next year featuring fighter jets and other military aircraft.
The Air Force’s update comes as Boeing continues work on the VC-25B replacement program, the long-delayed project that is supposed to provide the next permanent Air Force One aircraft. Until those jets are delivered, the refurbished 747-8i is meant to fill the gap.
The aircraft’s arrival in the presidential fleet also highlights how federal aviation programs can move through long transition periods. In this case, the government is relying on an already-built widebody jet, modified for presidential use, to maintain service while a separate development program remains in progress.
The plane’s completion and testing status make it more than a display piece, but it is not yet operational. The Air Force said commissioning flights will come first, and only after that phase is finished will the jet be placed into service.
At Joint Base Andrews, the unveiling placed the aircraft in public view before that final handoff. The sequence — donation, modification, flight testing, commissioning flights and eventual service — shows the gap between a project announcement and an aircraft actually entering the presidential transport rotation.
For now, the refurbished Boeing 747-8i stands as a temporary solution for a federal transportation system still waiting on its permanent replacement. The Air Force said the aircraft is prepared to move into the final testing stage before it can begin operational service.
