Heavy Business Jets
Boeing 777 VIP
ICAO: B77L
Overview
The VC-25A is the U.S. Air Force’s presidential transport, a pair of heavily modified Boeing 747-200Bs, tail numbers 28000 and 29000. When the president is aboard, the aircraft flies under the call sign Air Force One. It works as a flying office, hospital and command post, and it is now in the middle of a handover to a new generation of presidential 747s.
Live Fleet Activity (VC25)
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Specifications
Units
- Engine
- 4 × General Electric CF6-80C2B1
- Engine type
- Turbofan
- Thrust
- 4 × 56,700 lbf · 252 kN
- Avionics
- —
- Wing tips
- Raked wingtips
- Seats
- 102
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- 20 ft 1 in · 6.13 m
- Cabin height
- 8 ft 4 in · 2.54 m
- Cabin length
- 187 ft 0 in · 57.00 m
- Exterior length
- 231 ft 10 in · 70.66 m
- Tail height
- 63 ft 5 in · 19.33 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 21 ft 4 in · 6.49 m
- Wing span
- 195 ft 6 in · 59.60 m
- Baggage volume
- 999 ft³ · 28.3 m³
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 833,000 lb · 378,000 kg
- Max landing weight
- 630,000 lb · 286,000 kg
- Max payload
- 150,500 lb · 68,000 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 53,600 gal · 202,900 L · 162,400 kg (Jet A)
- Maximum speed
- 548 kt · 631 mph · 1,015 km/h
- Cruise speed
- 500 kt · 575 mph · 926 km/h
- Approach speed
- 150 kt · 173 mph · 278 km/h
- Range
- 6,850 nm · 7,880 mi · 12,690 km
- Fuel burn
- 0.13 nm/gal · 0.06 km/L
- Ceiling
- 45,100 ft · 13,700 m
- Rate of climb
- 1,500 ft/min · 8 m/s
- Takeoff distance
- 10,500 ft · 3,190 m
- Landing distance
- 8,000 ft · 2,440 m
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Operational Context
Table of Contents
What is the VC-25A?
The VC-25A is the military designation for the two Boeing 747-200B jets that carry the president of the United States. Their tail numbers are 28000 and 29000.
The aircraft is called Air Force One only when the president is aboard. Either jet can wear the call sign on a given trip.
Development and service history
The first VC-25A flew on 16 May 1987. Interior wiring problems delayed delivery, and the jet entered service on 23 August 1990.
Both 747s have flown presidents ever since, which means they have outlasted several administrations.
What is inside Air Force One
The aircraft has about 4,000 square feet (370 m²) of floor space across its decks. The passenger area is on the main deck, while the cockpit and communications center sit on the upper deck. The lower level is mostly cargo.
A medical annex has a fold-out operating table and a pharmacy. A doctor and a nurse staff every flight.
Two galleys can feed up to 100 people at a time. The aircraft carries all the food it needs.
Aerial refueling is listed among the aircraft’s operational modifications.
Explaining the numbers
The full specification table for the aircraft is on this page, beside the article.
The speed rows read oddly if you expect an airliner. The maximum speed is about Mach 0.92 at 35,000 feet, while normal cruise is nearer Mach 0.84.
The flight crew and support staff add up to 26 people. That count covers pilots, cabin crew, communications, maintenance and security.
The VC-25A in pictures
The VC-25B program and the Bridge aircraft
The Air Force chose the Boeing 747-8 as the next presidential aircraft on 28 January 2015. The 2018 contract, worth $3.9 billion, covers modifying two 747-8I jets that Russian airline Transaero ordered but never took.
Delivery was originally planned for 2024. By December 2025, Boeing was reported to expect delivery in 2028.
To cover the gap, the Air Force accepted a Qatari 747-8 donated to the United States. L3Harris modified it as the VC-25B Bridge aircraft, which arrived at Joint Base Andrews in June 2026 and flew as Air Force One for the first time on 1 July 2026.
The Bridge jet is a stopgap and is not one of the two VC-25Bs. The Air Force also bought two 747-8I jets from Lufthansa in December 2025, for about $400 million, for pilot training and spare parts.
Status as of October 2026: the VC-25As remain in service, the Bridge jet is flying, and the permanent VC-25Bs have not been delivered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the VC-25A and the VC-25B?
The VC-25A is the Boeing 747-200B pair in service since 1990. The VC-25B is the planned replacement, built from two 747-8I airframes.
How many Air Force One planes are there?
Two VC-25As, tail numbers 28000 and 29000, plus the interim VC-25B Bridge aircraft that joined in 2026.
When will the VC-25B be delivered?
The original date was 2024. Boeing was reported in December 2025 to expect delivery in 2028.
What is the VC-25B Bridge aircraft?
It is a former Qatari 747-8 donated to the United States and modified by L3Harris. It fills the gap until the permanent VC-25Bs arrive.
Is every presidential plane called Air Force One?
No. Air Force One is the call sign of any Air Force aircraft carrying the president, though it is most associated with the VC-25A.
How many people fly on Air Force One?
The crew totals 26. A doctor and a nurse are aboard on every flight.
Sources and references used for research and fact-checking.