old Air Force One retirement
Definition
The institutional process of decommissioning and repurposing the aging Boeing VC-25A aircraft that previously served as the United States presidential transport.
A colloquial reference to the bureaucratic end-of-life cycle for high-profile government assets, often involving complex logistics, security scrubbings, and occasional controversies regarding maintenance, upgrade costs, or procurement scandals.
Examples
The old Air Force One headed toward retirement with as much grace as a Boeing contract negotiation handled by Darleen Druyun.
Sending a plane to retirement is a noble gesture, though one wonders if it will be treated with more integrity than the 2009 photo op that briefly terrorized New York City skies.
Just like a seasoned politician, the old Air Force One waits for its retirement, hoping its maintenance logs aren't as scrutinized as its predecessor's acquisition history.
Public servants and Boeing execs surely have a soft spot for the old Air Force One retirement, as it provides a perfect distraction from the latest procurement fiscal black holes.