The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, made no secret of his dream of having his own presidential jet that will rival the likes of America’s Air Force One. The man can now celebrate as his dream is all set to come true. Mr. Sarkozy will now fly in his own aircraft dubbed the “Air Sarko One.” The government has reportedly spent £150 million ($236.7 million) on the jet’s purchase and refit from tourist airline Air Caraïbes. This October, the aircraft that is expected to be complete and ready for delivery will have a wingspan a good two feet longer than the US model. Made to cater to every need of the President, the aircraft comes complete with a bedroom, air filter system to smoke cigars, and a shower.
Besides these personal amenities for the President, the aircraft will also boast of a 12-man meeting room, 60 business class seats, top-grade encrypted communications systems, a reinforced fuselage, and a missile decoy system. A convoy of smaller jets can also replace the current Falcon 50 and 900 models at ministers’ disposal.
However, this recent purchase has not gone down well with Mr. Sarkozy’s critics, who have criticized him for ordering this aircraft merely weeks after ordering ministers to cut spending and following a string of embarrassing expenses scandals. However, Mr. Sarkozy’s government argued that the new presidential jet’s cost would be offset by the sale of two smaller A319s currently used.
The critics may be unhappy, but we are sure this new purchase has brought a smile on the president’s wife and arm candy, Carla Bruni.
[Telegraph]
