Max Q wrote:

The G650 and other bizjets of its size have impressive performance but they’re still pretty small inside, especially on a 15+ hour flight


If money was no object I’d have a 787-8, great range, high cruise speed, loads of space and not so big that operation is limited to large- ish airports


Plus you get airliner reliability, support and best of all the ability to recruit well trained airline pilots

Your not likely going to be able to recruit airline pilots from the majors anyway, because it would mean resigning a seniority list which does a lot of damage to one's career so you would still have the same set of ex regional/acmi guys who fly large private jets not that their is anything wrong with them as pilots

Bricktop wrote:

N47 wrote:

Didnt they gift one of their 748 to turkey. So all together they had 4 at one time.

I think it was Morocco.

Edit: That was the Emiratis that gave it to Morocco.

The Emiratis gave a used VIP 744 to Morocco.

I will happily do an even trade with my Toyota Corolla. Qatari, think about it...

Just out of curiosity, why did it make so many visits to LA?

jeffrey0032j wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

N47 wrote:

Didnt they gift one of their 748 to turkey. So all together they had 4 at one time.

I think it was Morocco.

Edit: That was the Emiratis that gave it to Morocco.

The Emiratis gave a used VIP 744 to Morocco.

They have done both. The UAE gave Morocco a used VIP 744 several years ago, which Morocco registered as CN-MBH. A few years later UAE once again gave Morocco a plane, this time a 748, to replace the 744. The 748 took over the CN-MBH registration and the old 744 was given to Dubai (briefly re-registered as CN-TSD before given away).

I’m not sure if the 747-8 was actually ever used by UAE before gifted to Morocco, unlike the 744.

Slash787 wrote:

Just out of curiosity, why did it make so many visits to LA?

The owner closed the Maybourne Hotel (Montage Beverly Hills) deal, he added the hotel to his luxury hotels portfolio.

748 "gifted" to Turkey https://youtu.be/iS6-FD7EesY

Max Q wrote:

If money was no object I’d have a 787-8, great range, high cruise speed, loads of space and not so big that operation is limited to large- ish airports

Quick...you may still have a shot at this if you submit a better offer in time.....

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexi ... SKCN24E1ZE

Polot wrote:

jeffrey0032j wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

I think it was Morocco.

Edit: That was the Emiratis that gave it to Morocco.

The Emiratis gave a used VIP 744 to Morocco.

They have done both. The UAE gave Morocco a used VIP 744 several years ago, which Morocco registered as CN-MBH. A few years later UAE once again gave Morocco a plane, this time a 748, to replace the 744. The 748 took over the CN-MBH registration and the old 744 was given to Dubai (briefly re-registered as CN-TSD before given away).

I’m not sure if the 747-8 was actually ever used by UAE before gifted to Morocco, unlike the 744.

The one I saw at CDG was a B748 for sure.

UAEflyer wrote:

Slash787 wrote:

Just out of curiosity, why did it make so many visits to LA?

The owner closed the Maybourne Hotel (Montage Beverly Hills) deal, he added the hotel to his luxury hotels portfolio.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... hills-deal

As HBJ, the former PM for the previous Emir was the main user of the jet would he be in running to take it on with full ownership or is the operating cost too prohibitive even with his substantially deep pockets?

dstblj52 wrote:

Max Q wrote:

The G650 and other bizjets of its size have impressive performance but they’re still pretty small inside, especially on a 15+ hour flight


If money was no object I’d have a 787-8, great range, high cruise speed, loads of space and not so big that operation is limited to large- ish airports


Plus you get airliner reliability, support and best of all the ability to recruit well trained airline pilots

Your not likely going to be able to recruit airline pilots from the majors anyway, because it would mean resigning a seniority list which does a lot of damage to one's career so you would still have the same set of ex regional/acmi guys who fly large private jets not that their is anything wrong with them as pilots

A seniority list? Do you not realize there is an entire industry outside of America? Many pilots choose these jobs to avoid bidding and the politics of large airlines and get nice layovers and less hours to finish their careers.

Utah744 wrote:

How much would it cost to bring it up to Air Force 1 specs?

More then a bare bones example as this has all the additions of a bizjet to strip out.

IIRC this is the one owned by the late Amir, who was deposed by his son. He bought the farm so obviously no longer needs it.

I am almost certain that the Emir, who I have always held in the upmost regard, no longer bears the wealth to gift this aircraft to me and cover its costs in their entirety over the next two decades.

[quote
IIRC this is the one owned by the late Emir, who was deposed by his son. He bought the farm so obviously no longer needs it.[/quote]

The late Emir, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, flew another 747-8 VIP (BQ-VSK) from 2012 until the late Emir's passing in 2016. That plane.was gifted to Turkey in 2018 from the current Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani who was the late Emir's grandson. The late Emir also flew a VIP 747SP (VP-BAT) from 1995 until his 2016 death. That 747SP was also sold in 2016. Both BQ-VSK and VP-BAT were registered to Worldwide Aircraft Holding in Bermuda rather than Qatar Amiri Flight.

The 747-8 BBJ (A7-HBJ) currently for sale by Qatar may have been ordered by the late Emir's son, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani who was Emir from 1995 until 2013. He is alive and well and called His Highness the Father Emir. I thought his Prime Minister and foreign minister. Hamad bin Jassim was the busiest user of the jet for sale thus the HBJ in the registration. Maybe just a coincidence..

dstblj52 wrote:

Max Q wrote:

The G650 and other bizjets of its size have impressive performance but they’re still pretty small inside, especially on a 15+ hour flight


If money was no object I’d have a 787-8, great range, high cruise speed, loads of space and not so big that operation is limited to large- ish airports


Plus you get airliner reliability, support and best of all the ability to recruit well trained airline pilots

Your not likely going to be able to recruit airline pilots from the majors anyway, because it would mean resigning a seniority list which does a lot of damage to one's career so you would still have the same set of ex regional/acmi guys who fly large private jets not that their is anything wrong with them as pilots

Not really true, no age limit on private jets so in normal times there’s a decent supply of retired airline pilots with 747 experienced available who’ve historically filled these positions and of course now there’s an oversupply



Airline / Military training and experience is better and preferred, especially in VLA operation

Utah744 wrote:

How much would it cost to bring it up to Air Force 1 specs?

Security-wise, billions ... interior furnishings-wise, probably more like "bring it down to AF1 specs"