I’ve been looking at Donald Trump’s 727, VP-BDJ, and I was wondering why it always seems to go no higher than FL270, even when flying across the country. You would think Trump would want to fly higher, if for anything than to save money. It can’t help the old bird’s fuel mileage going that low.
Passenger comfort with a lower cabin altitude?
I doubt he cares much what the fuel bill is. 
Most likely he didn’t have his jet certified for RVSM, here is an artcile about it.
Basically it allows the vertical separation to be reduced to 1000’ rather then 2000’.
Oh, good call, I didn’t even think about RVSM.
Its an old trashy 727-100 that probably cannot get any higher!
It files /I, which is “LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with transponder (Mode C)” so supposedly it has no FMS or GPS and isn’t RVSM compliant either. Doesn’t sounds too great and the lack of an N-number speak volumes.
Especially with his hair on board! Imagine the amount of power it takes to lift that thing 30,000+ feet of the ground!
I would think it far harder to lift his ego!
Regards,
James
Its an old trashy 727-100
You will go to your room without supper tonight and for the rest of your life until you apologize! The 727-100 and -200 are best looking jet aircraft around.
The reason that Trump’s nearly 40 year old 727-23 doesn’t fly higher is to avoid the excess fatigue caused by the increase in cabin pressure differential at higher altitudes.
My guess is that this aircraft has already had an altitude restriction imposed upon it by the FAA, either through a directive based on projected service life or as a result of damage or fatigue found during an inspection.
Once this aircrafts airframe is no longer airworthy due to the effects of fatigue it will be economically unfeasible to carry out the required repairs and the airframe will be scrapped.
Personally I’m stunned that someone who has billions and billions of dollars doesn’t have a newer and nicer set of wings. Maybe his aircraft is analogous to the rest of his “empire”; everything looks good on the surface but below the surface things are a mess.
The 727 is a great aircraft. With his money, he can afford to operate it. It’s like having an old Roll-Royce and a newer and more efficient BMW.
There is, and has been, much debate about how much money he actually has. Forbes claims $2.8 billion with the caveat that its very difficult to ascertain exactly how much or how little he has. Trump claims the Forbes number is rediculously low while a recently published book that interviewed numerous insiders claims his net worth is really in the couple hundred million range. Its interesting to note that most of his projects (the one on the upper west side of Manhatten for example) he doesn’t own but is merely paid a fee for putting his name on them and managing the development.
I personally think that Donald Trump is one of the most over-rated people on the planet.
With that said; I admire his choice of aircraft (Travoltas too).
I wonder what color is Trump’s parachute?
On NBC’s hit series The Apprentice starring Donald Trump… he once explained that people will pay $20mil used and $40mil new for a G-IV while there is a desert full of 727’s flyable for a few million. I think he then proceeded to refer to the Gulfstream crowd as loosers who don’t value a dollar.
His 727 seems to show up at all the major events (AT&T Pebble Beach, Super Bowl etc…) and you have to admit, it’s got ramp!
Plus a few more for the interior. But I like the logic.
I would be very interested in a cost comparison; acquisition and renovation costs plus cost of ownership (fuel, maintanance, insurance, pilot/crew, etc.) for Trump’s 727 and a slightly used GIV. Can anyone shed some light on this?
VREF is probably the best source for those numbers. aso.com shows listings of most private aircraft on the market, some show prices. A highly used GIV is $16-20mil and about $2.5k per hour operating cost. A new G450 is in the $40mil range. G550 is ~$50mil as is a completed BBJ. Operating cost on a 727? http://www.boeing-727.com/Data/engine/LRC-15%20Chart.PDF according to this site fuel flow is around 7,500pph or ~$4,300 per hour.
It looks like VPBDJ flew about 30 hours last month. That’s not a lot of time for a 727 or Gulfstream. Most comparisons are based on 500 hours per year but most individuals only hit 200-300 hours. You would have to fly a lot of hours to pencil out the savings. Also, the extra dollars would have to be donated to the IRS if they were not burned up in those P&W’s (unless it has the Rolls Royce conversion).
The 727 would be much more comfortable with a very wide true stand up cabin. I am 6’2" (without the 'do) and barely touch my head in a narrow Gulfstream cabin.
He has a hush kit and blended winglets but not sure about the engine conversion, it doesnt look like it. One of the Aprentice shows featured a trip in the 727 and showed alot of the interior. I think it had a state room in the rear and he appears to use the DB Cooper door for boarding “watch your head sir”.
Where do you get tail numbers for high profile persons’ planes?