P4-HBJ
{{Short description|Boeing 747-8 business jet}}
{{Infobox aircraft
| name = P4-HBJ
| image = File:A7-HBJ 03122015LHR (23226682739).jpg
| caption = A7-HBJ in 2015
| other_names =
| type = Boeing 747-8KB{{refn|group=note|name=first|The 8 in the suffix denotes that it is a -8 series variant of the 747; KB is the Boeing customer code for the Qatar Amiri Flight.{{Cite web |title=Aviation Codes Central - Boeing Customer Codes |url=https://www.avcodes.co.uk/boeing.asp |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.avcodes.co.uk}}}}
| manufacturer = Boeing
| construction_number =
| construction_date =
| civil_registration = {{Ubl|A7-HJA|A7-HBJ|P4-HBJ}}
| military_serial =
| first_flight =
| owners = {{Ubl|Qatar Amiri Flight|Global Jet Isle of Man}}
| in_service = 2012–present
| flights =
| total_hours =
| total_distance =
}}
P4-HBJ, previously A7-HJA and A7-HBJ, is a Boeing 747-8KB manufactured by Boeing in its Business Jet series. It is a large, long-range wide-body airliner.
P4-HBJ was delivered to Qatar Amiri Flight in April 2012 and used by the House of Thani. In June 2023, it was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man. The U.S. federal government entered negotiations to acquire the plane in 2025 for use as Air Force One, serving as an interim before the Boeing VC-25B is ready.
History
=Qatar Amiri Flight (2012–2023)=
In April 2012, Boeing delivered Qatar Amiri Flight a 747-8I from Everett, Washington.{{Sfn|Müller|2012}} The plane was used by the House of Thani for flights to the United States and Europe{{Sfn|Taghvaee|2024}} and is owned by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani,{{cite web |last=Grady |first=Mary |title=Trump Reportedly Shopping for ‘Air Force One’ |url=https://www.flyingmag.com/trump-shopping-air-force-one/ |website=Flying |publisher=Flying Media Group |date=May 13, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2025}}{{cite web |title=Trump wants ex-Qatari B747 turned into Air Force One |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/153339-trump-wants-ex-qatari-b747-turned-into-air-force-one |website=ch-aviation |date=May 13, 2024 |access-date=May 14, 2025}}the former prime minister of Qatar.{{Sfn|Mello|2025}}
=Global Jet Isle of Man (2023–2025)=
In June 2023, A7-HBJ was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man.{{Sfn|"Boeing 747 - MSN 37075". Airfleets}} The owner of the plane was undisclosed; The New York Times reported in 2025 that P4-HBJ was privately owned and not used for charters.{{Sfn|Lipton|Swan|Haberman|Schmitt|2025}}
=United States Air Force (2025–present)=
After U.S. president Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2025, he moved to direct Elon Musk to force Boeing to quickly manufacture replacements for the aging VC-25 series. In February, he toured the 747-8KB at Palm Beach International Airport; the plane returned to Doha, Qatar. According to The New York Times, converting the 747-8KB to operate as Air Force One could take several years.{{Sfn|Lipton|Swan|Haberman|Schmitt|2025}} In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. federal government had commissioned L3Harris{{Sfn|Tangel|Dawsey|Terlep|2025}} to modify the 747-8KB at San Antonio International Airport,{{Sfn|Allison|Nakashima|Lamothe|Hawkins|2025}} though the Air Force had not acquired the plane by that time.{{Sfn|Haberman|2025}} That month, ABC News reported that Trump was set to announce the plane during his state visit to Qatar. Attorney general Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington stated that it would be "legally permissible" for the House of Thani to gift the plane on the condition that it will be transferred to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library before 2029.{{Sfn|Karl|Faulders|2025}} According to CNN, the plane will be gifted from Qatar's Ministry of Defence to the United States Department of Defense.{{Sfn|Collins|2025}}
P4-HBJ is believed to be one of the largest donations by a foreign government, according to the Times, and may be used for post-presidency travel.{{Sfn|Haberman|2025}}{{Sfn|Hulse|2025}} Concerns have been raised whether the acquisition of the plane may violate the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution.https://news.northeastern.edu/2025/05/13/trump-qatar-jet-gift/ The transfer elicited rare bipartisan criticism, with even some of Trump's supporters deriding it as a "bribe", "grift" and "corruption".{{Cite news |last=Wendling |first=Mike |date=May 14, 2025 |title=Trump's critics and supporters unite against Qatar plane deal |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4zk22n9wo |access-date=May 18, 2025 }} The Guardian criticized it as an example of a quid pro quo.{{Cite news |last=Pilkington |first=Ed |date=May 13, 2025 |title=Trump 2.0 takes quid pro quo fears to new heights with $400m flying grift |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/13/trump-quid-pro-quo-qatar-plane |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 18, 2025}} The Boston Globe described the deal as an example of an increasingly transactional presidency, describing it as more direct than during his first term and showing that he was "willing to bend for anyone who gives him what he craves: praise, prestige, and a cut of the profits".{{Cite news |last=Pindell |first=James |date=May 13, 2025 |title=Trump is trying to find and exploit the leverage points for everyone — except those giving him gifts |work=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/13/nation/trump-gifts-qatar-presidency-sec/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 18, 2025 }}
Specification
The interior of P4-HBJ was designed by Cabinet Alberto Pinto, featuring rugs from Tai Ping Carpets, sycamore and wacapou fixtures, and artwork from Alexander Calder.{{Sfn|Johnsson|Al-Rashdan|2025}} The plane includes two bathrooms, nine lavatories, a main and guest bedroom, and several lounges.{{Sfn|Allison|Nakashima|Lamothe|Hawkins|2025}} It seats 89 people.{{Sfn|Johnsson|Al-Rashdan|2025}} ABC News estimated that P4-HBJ may cost {{USD|400}} million,{{Sfn|Karl|Faulders|2025}} though Bloomberg News gave a lessened estimate between {{USD|75}} to {{USD|100}} million.{{Sfn|Johnsson|Al-Rashdan|2025}} According to Politico, modifying the P4-HBJ for Air Force One would cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, including auditing the plane for foreign technology.{{Sfn|Gould|O'Brien|2025}}
See also
Notes
{{reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Works cited
=Articles=
{{Refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Allison |first1=Natalie |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |last3=Lamothe |first3=Dan |last4=Hawkins |first4=Derek |last5=Strobel |first5=Warren |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/05/12/trump-qatar-747-gift-security/ |title=Trump's gifted Qatari 747 would be a security problem, officials say |date=May 13, 2025 |author-link2=Ellen Nakashima |work=The Washington Post |access-date=May 13, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Kaitlan |url=https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-presidency-news-05-11-25#cmajuy1j300053b6m2e6jqkjq |title=Trump will accept luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One, sources say |date=May 11, 2025 |author-link=Kaitlan Collins |publisher=CNN |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Gould |first1=Joe |last2=O'Brien |first2=Connor |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/12/trump-qatar-air-force-one-taxpayer-costs-00342299 |title=Trump's free plane is not so free |date=May 12, 2025 |work=Politico |access-date=May 13, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/us/politics/trump-qatar-jet-gift-air-force-one.html |title=Trump Is to Accept a Luxury 747 From Qatar for Use as Air Force One |date=May 11, 2025 |author-link=Maggie Haberman |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Hulse |first=Carl |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/us/politics/schumer-trump-justice-department-qatar-plane.html |title=Schumer to Slow Trump Justice Dept. Nominees Over Qatari Jet |date=May 13, 2025 |author-link=Carl Hulse |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 13, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Johnsson |first=Julie |last2=Al-Rashdan |first2=Leen |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-03-26/boeing-s-air-force-one-delay-has-trump-looking-at-747-from-qatar |title=Air Force One Delay Sends Trump Plane Shopping |date=March 26, 2025 |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Karl |first1=Jonathan |last2=Faulders |first2=Katherine |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-poised-accept-palace-sky-gift-trump/story?id=121680511 |title=Trump administration poised to accept 'palace in the sky' as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources |date=May 11, 2025 |author-link1=Jonathan Karl |publisher=ABC News |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Lipton |first1=Eric |last2=Swan |first2=Jonathan |last3=Haberman |first3=Maggie |last4=Schmitt |first4=Eric |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/us/politics/trump-musk-air-force-one-boeing.html |title=A Frustrated Trump Wants His New Air Force One Planes Pronto |date=February 19, 2025 |author-link1=Eric Lipton |author-link2=Jonathan Swan |author-link3=Maggie Haberman |author-link4=Eric P. Schmitt |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Mello |first=Gabriela |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-11/trump-set-to-accept-luxury-jet-as-gift-from-qatar-abc-says |title=Trump Set to Accept Luxury Jet as Gift From Qatar, ABC Says |date=May 11, 2025 |publisher=Bloomberg News |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Müller |first=Manuel |url=https://www.aero.de/news-14959/Erste-Lufthansa-Boeing-747-8I-in-Frankfurt-gelandet.html |title=Erste Lufthansa Boeing 747-8I in Frankfurt gelandet |date=May 2, 2012 |work=Aero.de |lang=de |trans-title=First Lufthansa Boeing 747-8I landed in Frankfurt |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last=Taghvaee |first=Babak |url=https://www.key.aero/article/qatar-amiri-flight |title=The Qatari Amiri Flight |date=September 6, 2024 |work=Key Aero |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
- {{Cite web |last1=Tangel |first1=Andrew |last2=Dawsey |first2=Josh |last3=Terlep |first3=Sharon |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/air-force-one-trump-qatari-jet-l3harris-fc903838 |title=Trump Wants a New Air Force One So Badly He's Refurbishing a Qatari Plane |date=May 1, 2025 |author-link2=Josh Dawsey |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=May 11, 2025}}
{{Refend}}
=Documents=
{{Refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
- {{Cite web |title=Boeing 747 - MSN 37075 |url=https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-b747-37075.htm |publisher=Airfleets |ref={{Harvid|"Boeing 747 - MSN 37075". Airfleets}}}}
{{Refend}}
{{Boeing 747 family}}