When the modified Boeing 747 VC-25A touched down in Newquay last night, it was the first time it had landed in Cornwall. British press are now reporting that the airport had to spend almost £8 million upgrading the facilities to accommodate the large aircraft, but is that the whole story? Simple Flying takes a look.
Air Force One is back in the UK
The arrival of the US President has caused much excitement in the UK this week. While some will be eagerly anticipating the political potential for outcomes from his visit, those who spend time on this site will be more exhilarated by the prospect of catching a glimpse of Air Force One.
The VC-25A highly modified Boeing 747 last visited the UK in June 2019, as President Trump arrived for a state visit. That time, the giant VIP jet landed at London Stansted, an airport conveniently close to London but quieter than Heathrow, with enough space to securely transfer the President.
This week, however, President Biden was not heading for the capital of the UK. Rather, his final destination was the far southwest of the UK, in the county of Cornwall, where the world leaders are meeting this weekend for the G7 Summit.
Having visited RAF Mildenhall to greet the US Troops stationed at the Air Force base, Biden departed at around 21:00, bound for the Westcountry. Air Force One touched down at Cornwall’s main airport – Newquay (NQY) – at just after 23:30.
Today, UK media outlets are reporting that improvements were needed to the runway to accommodate the VIP 747. Modifications that apparently cost the UK taxpayer £7.8 million.
Runway extension?
According to the Times, the sum of ‘at least’ £7.8 million (around $11 million) out of a ring-fenced budget of £13 million was spent revamping the runway. The money, it’s claimed, was spent extending the runway. But is that the whole story?
Newquay is no stranger to 747s, having received a British Airways Queen of the Skies from Cardiff in October last year.
While Newquay is not a major airport by anyone’s standards, it has a sizeable runway. Although most frequently landed on by Embraers and other small regional jets, its length of 8,986 feet is plenty to accommodate a 747, both for landing and taking off. So why was the upgrade needed?
Back in March, Cornwall Council confirmed that it had received funding to upgrade elements of the airport. It was said that, in its present state, it could not ‘accommodate the needs of the aircraft types that would be arriving’. In a statement, the Council said,
“The council has very recently received notification from the Government’s Cabinet Office that it would be providing grant funding of £7.853m to support required upgrade works at the airport in readiness for the G7 summit.”
However, this is unlikely to involve extending the runway by any major degree, or to be directly related to Air Force One’s arrival. Also accompanying the President was a large US military plane, carrying several Osprey aircraft. It’s more likely that any runway lengthening or strengthening was related to this arrival more than the 747.
Some of the cash was also likely spent on upgrading terminal facilities, and ensuring security at the airport was up to the standard required for the world’s most important people. Simple Flying reached out to Newquay Airport to clarify exactly what the cash was used for, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Did you see AF1 in the UK this week? Are you hopeful for positive outcomes from the G7 Summit? Let us know in the comments.
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