Turkey spent more than $120 million and completed an eight-month reconstruction of a military airport ahead of the NATO summit to accommodate the Boeing 747-8 that Qatar donated to the United States for use as the presidential aircraft, according to a report by Luxurylaunches.
The aircraft, valued at around $400 million, is the largest passenger jet ever built by Boeing. Measuring more than 76 meters in length and weighing up to 442 tonnes at maximum takeoff, it required major upgrades to Ankara’s former military Etimesgut Airport, which was reopened as a diplomatic hub before the summit.
The airport’s runway was extended from 2,450 meters to 3,000 meters and widened from 42 meters to 60 meters, allowing it to meet ICAO Category F standards—the highest classification for commercial aircraft and one required for the Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380.
According to the report, the aircraft’s enormous size and weight made the upgrades necessary, particularly given Ankara’s high elevation and summer temperatures, which reduce aircraft performance during takeoff.
The reconstruction also included new taxiways, upgraded navigation and lighting systems, expanded protocol facilities, and a 160,000-square-meter apron capable of accommodating 44 aircraft.
The Boeing 747-8, previously used by the Emir of Qatar as his personal aircraft, was donated to the United States and is expected to be converted into the next Air Force One, replacing the aging VC-25A presidential aircraft.
The report said the aircraft was the largest visiting plane at the NATO summit and the only ICAO Category F aircraft among visiting government delegations, drawing widespread attention from aviation observers.
