Dear Congress, just buy the plane.

[French G.]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/03/29/military-planning-to-spend-billions-on-new-air-force-one/

New Air Force One fleet needed. Just buy it. If you think it sounds expensive please refer to the VH-71 program. You need new planes, it's going to be Boeing, bite the bullet. I was working on H-3s back in 2002 when the Agusta-Westland EH-101 spent some overnights at our hangar whilst it was being showed off to the Pentagon deep pockets set. 13 years later the president still rides in a very old fleet of VH-3Ds. I love my old helicopter and it's a good bird, but 60 years is plenty.

[Hawkmoon]

Our tax dollars at work: A team of 80 (soon to be 100) people to buy three (3) airplanes -- which will be as close to identical as possible.

Sheesh.

[Boomhauer]

Our tax dollars at work: A team of 80 (soon to be 100) people to buy three (3) airplanes -- which will be as close to identical as possible.

Sheesh.

That's how the government works. It's all about avoiding making the decision and passing the buck but wanting to be a part of it to claim victory when the project is finished. That's part of what I could not stand about working for the fed or state governments- there was no instanteous make a decision and run with it, it was dither forever in groupthink as long as possible.

The answer is as simple as buying three current model 747s, have them outfitted with the special features and interior of the current fleet, and put them into service. But that's too easy to just make happen, no we have to bureaucratize the process.

[Jamisjockey]

That's how the government works. It's all about avoiding making the decision and passing the buck but wanting to be a part of it to claim victory when the project is finished. That's part of what I could not stand about working for the fed or state governments- there was no instanteous make a decision and run with it, it was dither forever in groupthink as long as possible.

The answer is as simple as buying three current model 747s, have them outfitted with the special features and interior of the current fleet, and put them into service. But that's too easy to just make happen, no we have to bureaucratize the process.

Corporations are just as guilty of that style of decision making. 

[AJ Dual]

Sell the naming rights?

Pfizer Viagra-One?

[Firethorn]

I'm willing to bet that the airlines have almost as many people involved in purchasing their aircraft.  They have to examine the requirements, crunch the numbers, correct the bullshit the manufacturers are feeding them, crunch some more numbers, and make a decision.

Add in all the modifications necessary for AF1 such as the countermeasures, and the team only grows, despite fewer planes being involved.

[French G.]

I don't think the team is excessive. Excessive is the VH-71 program which spent 9 years and 14 billion dollars to not buy a helicopter. The lengths the country goes through to secure the president's transport boggles the mind. It's not like you are going to hand a bare 747 over to the operational squadron and some of the guys are going to get it ready to go. Heh, once I was on Quantico and thought I'd swing by HMX-1 because I was an old H-3 guy and it would be cool to see Marine One. Well... I didn't even slow down driving by. Something about the double fence with 4 man patrols in between them, and the signs basically stating that we will shoot you if you slow down kinda convinced me.

I did a recovery crew for and SH-3A we had converted to do executive transport(3- star and up). We had two VH-3As, old ones that had been purpose built as a green bird. To convert over this newer helo was two years at a civilian contractor. We recovered it, my crew was 12 maintainers and pilots near the end. It took us a month of per diem living at the Holiday Inn to get it airworthy. Nothing in the government comes cheap.

[mtnbkr]

Corporations are just as guilty of that style of decision making. 

Yup.

I don't think the team is excessive.
<snip>
The lengths the country goes through to secure the president's transport boggles the mind. It's not like you are going to hand a bare 747 over to the operational squadron and some of the guys are going to get it ready to go.

This too.  Honestly, I'm surprised it's as small as it is.  We're standing up a new project with a large electronics manufacturing concern (they do work for fruit-based companies) and I think we have 80+ people involved. 

Chris