Business Standard

You can own Air Force One for as little as USD 50k

Image

Press Trust of India Washington
A plane that flew every US president from Gerald Ford to George W Bush can be yours for as little as USD 50,000.

US government has decided to auction the DC 9-32 aircraft that has served as Air Force One - the name designated to an aircraft carrying the President of the country.

"It's not often we get to sell a piece of history like this, but GSA Auctions is selling this plane that flew Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush (as well as the Vice-President, First Lady, Cabinet secretaries, 4-star generals, admirals, foreign dignitaries and more)", wrote a General Services Administration official on the department's Facebook page.
 

The auction is set to begin on Wednesday, with the starting bid pegged at USD 50,000, according to the GSA's site. Other items to go under the hammer includes parts of retired US space-shuttle fleet.

The aircraft was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, makers of fearsome fighter jets like F-15 Strike Eagle and F-18 Super Hornet.

The plane is currently stowed at Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport in Mesa, Arizona, although GSA officials caution that inspections of the property are "by appointment only" and that the successful bidder better have a way of removing the plane from the site, the Fox News reported.

"Successful bidders are cautioned that they will be responsible for loading, packing and removal of any and all property awarded to them from the exact place where the property is located," reads the advertisement on the GSA website.

The GSA is a government agency, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal offices. It provides transportation and office space to government employees, and tackles other management tasks for the US government offices.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: May 13 2013 | 4:55 PM IST

Explore News