A Boeing 757 privately-owned by Donald Trump has reportedly started flying again after a three-year hiatus. The former President’s 31-year-old jet was spotted at Palm Beach International Airport in South Florida after a short flight from Louisiana last Wednesday.The plane was grounded and stored at Stewart International Airport in mid-2019. During its break from flying, the aircraft had one engine removed and became overdue for maintenance. Trump said on his website last year that the plane would be updated and refurbished.
Not finished flying yet
Due to the plane’s age and location where it was stored, some aviation experts had previously questioned the aircraft’s airworthiness. Rumors about Trump grounding the plane for good in order to purchase a brand-new jet circulated as well. Those such rumors did not appear to be true as the three-decade-old plane is back in action.
The private Boeing 757 received a new paint job from Landlocked Aviation, an aircraft maintenance company in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Local news reported the paint job took nearly a month to complete, with 40 people involved. Trump indicated on social media that the plane would be ready to fly this fall. A video posted to YouTube shows the full repainting process,
In recent days, the plane has been going through a series of test flights around Louisiana. According to data from ADS-B Exchange, these are as follows,
- October 18th - Local flight in the Lake Charles area
- October 19th - Lake Charles area to Palm Beach International Airport
- October 22nd - Palm Beach to Corpus Christi International Airport
- October 23rd - Corpus Christi to Palm Beach
Possible return to the political scene
The arrival of Trump’s jet in West Palm Beach comes on the heels of the 2022 midterm elections and ahead of a possible announcement of a 2024 presidential run. The 45th President continues to tease a possible campaign – despite multiple open litigations and investigations against him – and the return of his private jet is sure to grab the attention of his fans.
According to a tweet from a former White House staffer, the private 757 in its shiny new paint appeared to have flown from South Florida to Texas for a Trump rally.
Quickly becoming an icon at his 2016 presidential rallies, the former president used his private jet frequently until he took office in 2017 and started using Air Force One. The Boeing 757 appears likely to be used again if Trump decides to run for another term in the White House, though such a bid has yet to be confirmed.
A high-priced prized possession
According to CNN, Trump bought his private aircraft for a price tag of $100 million from Microsoft billionaire Paul Allen in 2010. Trump partnered with International Jet Interiors, a private aircraft interior refurbishment company, to retrofit his 757 into a custom interior that features a VIP area, custom galley, a bedroom, dining room, guest suite, and 43 seats, taking 6 months to complete. A standard 757-200 series can seat up to 228 passengers.
Spending thousands of dollars in renovations, the private jet is reportedly one of Trump's prized possessions. It even has a 24-karat gold plate on some metal surfaces of the interior that cost around $250,000 alone. The seat headrests feature the Trump family crest embroidered with fabric imported from Paris. The interior of Trump's fancy jet was inspired by his former jet, a 41-year-old Boeing 727 that he sold in 2009 to purchase the 757.
Sources: CNN, CNN, Business Insider, ADS-B Exchange