End of an Era: Presidential Aircraft SAM 29000 Completes Final Mission After 35 Years of Service
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Photographer: Jack McAlpine - AirTeamImages.com
VC-25A serial number 92-9000, better known as SAM 29000, has completed its final regular presidential mission, bringing the President of the United States back to Joint Base Andrews (ADW) from France following the G7 Summit.
The aircraft is one of two heavily modified Boeing 747-200Bs that have formed the backbone of the U.S. presidential airlift fleet since 1990. Over the past 35 years, SAM 29000 has transported presidents, senior government officials, military personnel, and members of the White House press corps around the world.
Entering service during the administration of President George H. W. Bush, the aircraft has supported every U.S. administration since, becoming one of the most recognizable aircraft in aviation history.
A Farewell to a Presidential Icon
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung marked the aircraft’s final return with a tribute on X, writing, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” followed by the words “The Last Ride.” Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley, who was aboard the flight, also thanked SAM 29000 for its decades of service to the nation.
For aviation enthusiasts and presidential historians alike, the aircraft’s retirement represents the end of a remarkable chapter in American aviation.
SAM 28000 Remains in Service
The retirement of SAM 29000 does not signal the end of the VC-25A era just yet.
Its sister aircraft, VC-25A serial number 82-8000, known as SAM 28000, remains in active service and will continue supporting presidential transport operations. The aircraft can operate under the famous “Air Force One” callsign whenever the President is aboard.
It is worth noting that Air Force One is not the name of a specific aircraft. Rather, it is the callsign assigned to any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States.
Bridging the Gap to the Future
The departure of SAM 29000 comes as the U.S. Air Force prepares to introduce an interim Boeing 747-8i known as the VC-25B Bridge aircraft.
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Photographer: Steven Marquez - AirTeamImages.com
The former Qatari government aircraft has undergone extensive modifications by L3Harris Technologies and has recently completed flight testing. Featuring a new red, white, dark blue, and gold livery, the aircraft is expected to join the Presidential Airlift Group later this summer.
Rather than replacing the remaining VC-25A immediately, the bridge aircraft will operate alongside SAM 28000, helping reduce operational demands while Boeing completes work on the two next-generation VC-25B aircraft.
Those purpose-built Boeing 747-8 presidential transports remain delayed and are currently expected to enter service in 2028.
More Than Just Transportation
For more than three decades, SAM 29000 served as far more than a means of transportation. The aircraft functioned as a flying White House, equipped with advanced communications systems, secure command-and-control capabilities, medical facilities, and the ability to support the President anywhere in the world.
Its distinctive blue-and-white Boeing 747 profile became a symbol of American leadership and presidential travel, recognized at airports across the globe.
As the aircraft departs regular presidential service, it leaves behind a legacy spanning generations of American history. SAM 28000 now stands as the final active VC-25A, carrying the Boeing 747-200B presidential legacy into a new era that will eventually be defined by the Boeing 747-8-based VC-25B fleet.
SAM 29000 is expected to be preserved for future generations, ensuring that one of the most iconic aircraft ever to serve the United States will continue telling its story long after its final presidential flight.
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