College purchases former Air Force One jet
Students will train to be aircraft mechanics on a Gulfstream G-3 that carried President George H.W. Bush.
WAPPINGER, N.Y. >> A Gulfstream G-3 jet that served as one of the Air Force One aircraft for President George H.W. Bush has been acquired by Dutchess Community College and will make its home at the Hudson Valley Regional Airport
It’s the fourth plane to be acquired by DCC for less than $1,300 through the government’s General Services Administration surplus program. All four aircraft, including two Cessnas and a Beechcraft, will be used on the ground as part of the college’s Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance certification program to be offered at the Wappinger airport in 2020.
The 12-month FAA-approved program will prepare students to be certified as aircraft mechanics.
“The hands-on experience that Dutchess Community College students in the aviation maintenance technician program will receive on this aircraft will prepare them for high-paying jobs in the aviation field,” said County Executive Marc Molinaro.
The students’ learning experiences will be enhanced by a state-of-theart laboratory and classroom facilities housed in a yet-to-be-constructed hangar at the airport, according to the college.
The G-3 purchased by DCC was delivered to the Air Force in 1983. In 2004, after transporting top government officials, it was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers. It has been based in the U.S., Germany and the Middle East.
Air Force One historically refers to whatever plane the president is aboard at a specific time, though the term commonly is associated with the Boeing VC-25 (a modified 747) used by the commander-in-chief.
The Gulfstream G-3 is generally thought of as a business executive’s jet. It can hold only about 20 passengers, and its range without refueling is just 4,200 miles. An unmodified 747 can hold more than 400 people and has range of about 8,350 miles.