You won’t meet presidents, chancellors and prime ministers on a regular plane, even in first class: for safety reasons, top officials of states fly on private flights. In each country, special administrative aircraft are allocated for the head – sometimes this is a whole fleet of ships. Airplanes of this class differ from ordinary ones: they are much more comfortable, often contain several rooms and you can work in them during the flight.
We decided to find out what planes the heads of major states fly on.
Russia, Il-96-300PU
Vladimir Putin has aircraft from the aviation fleet of the special flight detachment “Russia” at his disposal. Today, the special flight squad “Russia” includes four Il-96-300 of various modifications. Flagship – Il-96-300PU(M),
which is equipped much more comfortably and richly than conventional passenger versions of the same aircraft. The letters “PU” in the ship’s name mean “control point”.
The plane first took off in 2003. This is a real “flying Kremlin”: on board there is the president’s office, several meeting rooms, a conference room and a luxury lounge for guests and accompanying persons. The plane has a special communications channel through which you can broadcast encrypted messages from any altitude to anywhere in the world. In addition, on board there is a mini-gym, a dining room, a bar, showers and even a medical unit for resuscitation and emergency medical care.
Putin’s plane was specially built in Voronezh, and it is said that more than $50 million was spent on its equipment and finishing. It is worth noting that the point is not in golden toilets and some frills – they are not there – but in high requirements for communication and security. The aircraft is equipped with four modernized PS-90A engines. The layout of the premises and technical arrangement were carried out by specialists from Diamond Aircraft Industries. The interior is made in light colors, the colors of the Russian tricolor are used in the design. For decoration – engravings on historical themes, embroidered by masters of the Pavlovo Posad Silk Factory.
Il-96-300 is a large aircraft: its wingspan is 60.1 meters, length is 55.35 meters. The passenger modification of the aircraft is designed for 300 people.
USA, Boeing VC-25
The President of the United States flies on the so-called “Air Force One” – this is the call sign for any aircraft on board which is the first person of the state. Unofficially, Air Force One is called the Boeing VC-25 – these are the aircraft that form the basis of the presidential fleet. This is a special military version of the passenger Boeing 747.
VC-25s often operate in conjunction with Marine One, the helicopter that transports the President of the United States to airports in circumstances where ground transportation is unsuitable. When the First Lady or Vice President of the United States is on the plane instead of the President, the code designation changes to “Air Force One Foxtrot”.
There is a long corridor along the left side of the aircraft, and the rooms are located on the starboard side. The front of the plane is called the “White House” because it is where the official quarters are located. Behind the White House there is a hall where guests are accommodated. The private part of the plane features a presidential suite with two sofas that convert into beds, a bathroom with shower and a private office—the “Oval Office on Air Force One.” If necessary, the president can go live directly from his office: this feature was added after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when George W. Bush’s plane had to be urgently landed so that the president could address the population.
In addition, there is a medical room on board with an operating table, and each flight is accompanied by a doctor and a nurse. Food is prepared directly on board, in a special kitchen: lunches for 100 people can be prepared there.
The VC-25 is a very large aircraft. It has a two-deck layout. The wingspan is 60 meters, length – 68 meters. The passenger version of the aircraft can accommodate up to 490 passengers, but Air Force One carries a maximum of 76 people.
If the destination airport cannot accommodate a ship of this size, it is replaced with a Boeing C-32.
Note that the VC-25 aircraft have been planned to be replaced for a long time: firstly, they have been in operation since 1990, and secondly, they are very uneconomical. In January 2015, the US Air Force announced that the next presidential aircraft would be a Boeing 747-8. Current President Donald Trump still flies the VC-25, but it is likely that a new aircraft will be added to the fleet in the coming years.
Great Britain, Airbus A330 Voyager
The 32nd Squadron of the Royal Air Force is responsible for transporting members of the British government and the royal family. In 2016, a new Airbus Voyager (number ZZ336) entered service with it,
which today is used for transporting top officials.
The first flight on the Airbus A330 Voyager was made on July 8, 2016, on which ministers flew to the NATO conference in Warsaw. The refurbishment of the aircraft cost about 10 million pounds. Oddly enough, the introduction of this aircraft is a serious saving for the Royal Air Force: one flight on the Airbus costs about 2000 pounds sterling versus 6700 – about the same cost as chartering a charter vessel.
The new aircraft has 158 passenger seats, as well as the latest navigation systems. Note that the Airbus A330 Voyager was originally a refueling aircraft, and it retains this function.
The Queen of Great Britain has her own Sikorsky S-76 Spirit helicopter – it is on the balance of the Royal Household Office. Since 2009, the Queen has been using the S76C++ model for flights.
Germany, Airbus A340
German Chancellor Angela Merkel flies on an Airbus A340-313X VIP. The plane was handed over to the government in 2009 by Lufthansa; before that, it flew on the airline’s routes for ten years. It bears the name of the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Konrad Adenauer.
On board there is an apartment for the first person, which contains a bedroom, shower and office, as well as a conference room and a special room for confidential conversations with serious soundproofing.
Much attention is paid to safety: the board is equipped with a “friend or foe” system and missile defense. The plane also has additional fuel tanks, so it can fly more than 13.5 thousand kilometers without refueling, for example, from Berlin to Washington.
The wingspan of the Airbus A340 is 60 meters, the length of the aircraft is more than 75 meters. A regular Airbus can seat almost 300 passengers, but the government version can only seat 143 people.
On the government’s balance sheet there is another Airbus A340 “Theodor Heuss”, a complete twin of the “Konrad Adenauer”. Note that until 2009, the Chancellor and members of the government flew on two Airbus A310-304 VIP, which bore the same names.
France, Airbus A330-200
The French President has had an Airbus A330-200 at his disposal since 2011. Previously, there was an Airbus A319 in the presidential fleet, but according to rumors, Nicolas Sarkozy, who then held the number one position, complained about the cramped space and that the plane lacked status.
The re-equipment of the Airbus A330-200 for high needs cost the treasury approximately $240 million. For this money, a presidential suite with a shower, satellite communications and the Internet appeared on board, which are available at an altitude of up to 10,000 meters. But first of all, the president works on the plane, so there is an office and a conference room with 60 seats.
Airbus A330-200 is considered an economical and mobile type of aircraft. It is designed for both short and long flights, and can cover up to 12,000 kilometers without refueling.
The aircraft’s wingspan is 60 meters, length – 59 meters. The passenger version of the A330-200 can carry up to 400 people, with only economy class seats.
Italy, Airbus 340-500
The Italian Air Force is responsible for the flights of government officials, which operates three Airbus Corporate Jets, two small Dassault Falcon 50s, five Dassault Falcon 900s and two AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters – the helicopter is sometimes used by the Pope.
For long distances, the country’s president and prime minister fly on an Airbus A340-541, which the Air Force leases from Etihad Airways. This vessel does not have the traditional military markings MM (Matricola Militare),
Instead, “I-TALY” is written on the board. On board there is traditionally a presidential suite with a bathroom and a study.
Airbus A340-541 is a modification of the A340-500 aircraft, capable of covering 16,000 kilometers. The passenger version can accommodate up to 440 people (in economy class). The length of the aircraft is almost 68 meters, the wingspan is 63.5 meters.
Japan, Boeing 747-400
The Emperor and Prime Minister of Japan fly on a Boeing 747-400. The cost of the Japanese modification of the Boeing was more than $300 million. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force, which transports the emperor, has two such aircraft.
Boeing 747-400 was built at the Boeing plant at the same time as the US President’s Air Force One, but it is worth noting that the American aircraft was made in the previous body – 747-200. The planes are no longer new: both have been in operation since 1990. It is planned that in 2019 they will be replaced by the newest Boeing 777-300ER.
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