BBJ

A guy I played football with in college sent me this...I think he works for a limo service or something in Houston, and they got called out to the FBO to meet this big boy. He said there were also a couple of SUV loads of "secret service" looking dudes waiting on the plane. Just wondering if anyone knew the aircraft...it's sure a beauty!

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That's not a BBJ.

It is a 767, I believe owned by Roman Abramovich.

 

Pretty sure that's Roman Abramovich's 767-300

For those who don't follow Chelsea football / soccer, here's his bio:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Abramovich

 

Very interesting. Amazing the amount of knowledge here in AvChat section. Doesn't Boeing make a BBJ version of several of their models? IIRC the first BBJ was based on a 737, but I'm pretty sure they have made a 767 variant as well.

Or are y'all saying this is a standard 767 converted to private use vs. one built as a BBJ from the factory? How do you tell the difference?

 

I'm not sure, I was under the impression that all BBJs were 737-xxx. I could be wrong.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, I'm not sure either...that's what I have you guys for! Either way, damn nice plane. I wonder if it has the official Austin Powers Rotating Bed package?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

He's a little weird, but his team's current coach - Mourinho - is the man. I'm a huge fan of his (Mou, not Abramovich).

 

Missile detection system? So you will know you are getting ready to be blown from the sky?

 

The BBJs are 737 derived, the others are VIP configurations. Current catalog is 777 VIP, 748 VIP or 787 VIP. Not many of the VIP group go to private individuals or corporations, mostly to heads of state, rulers, etc.

 

I don't know if they are making new ones, but there are a number of private 757/767s in service. At least some of those were ordered new.

 

There are some "off the shelf" missile detection and countermeasure systems out there. In a nutshell the detectors tell you a missile has been fired and then a laser jams the infrared seeker on the missile. I'm pretty sure I remember reading that some of the cargo haulers going in and out of Baghdad use them and maybe the Israelis as well on their airliners.

If you wanna do some research google for "commercial laircm"

 

Ok, now I got it. I knew there was some sort of private/custom order program for the big models. I plan on picking one up if I can ever get that promotion at work to the "Exalted Ruler" position.

 

I see a 767 VIP like that occasionally in LAX. I believe it's a different plane, but it has that same front window "mask" look.

 

I guess this A340 is his also. The last A340-300 to be assembled.

I wonder if the same crew operates both of them?

According to articles, the 767 was originally ordered by Hawaiian Airlines, but cancelled - and he bought it from Boeing.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I had the privilege of touring a bbj owned by a Chinese billionaire and a a319 owned by the royal family of the UAE. The interiors in the planes were exquisite.

 

nope - you're seeing the same plane. He's been in LA quite a bit, parked off Sepulveda and Imperial with all the other private aircraft.

 

Man, I bet all the rappers hate that. Makes their G-V look like a 172.

 

Wonder what a 747-8 VIP interior looks like...better make the cargo hold modified to be a garage to take cars with them at the price of that bird.

 

Yeah, that's where I see it. We park pretty close to it. It's kind of a strange paint job around the cockpit. Never noticed the rest of the paint job at night.

There's also a purple/white 767 parked there occasionally.

 

I believe you decide on how it looks. I did some work at a place in Dallas that did interiors for Boeing BBJs and VIP planes. They were actually in the process of finding hangar space to start working on a 747-8 interior.

 

You worked at Associated Air Center then.

The original BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) was a special version of the 737-700. Type certificate is 737-700IGW. This is a -700 with the -800 wing, landing gear and other changes to increase the maximum weight capability so it can have all the auxiliary fuel tanks. This was then followed by the addition of a BBJ2 offering which is a 737-800.A -800 without any interior and a high specification with all the airliner options. Then along came the BBJ3 offering which is a 737-900ER without an interior and high airline specification. Al versions have a long range auxiliary fuel system in the cargo hold with owner selectable quantity of tanks.

Assorted airliners for VIP conversion were sold by Boeing but not through the BBJ organization. This continued even after the BBJ group was in operation. Somewhere in the mid 2000s the BBJ group started to handle the sales for these new airliners to VIP buyers. For the 787 and 747-8 this has worked since the orders were placed before there were aircraft in the market. For the other models it is usually easier to acquire directly from an airline or lease company to avoid the wait or buy used.

Someone raised the question on the owners of BBJs. A good quantity are and have been with US owners. For a period GE had two. In So. Cal. they can be found at Van Nuys, Burbank and LAX.

There are VIP 747s in private use in the US. Most, but not all, of the others are government owned.


The 767 in the photo appears to be a -200 since there is not a passenger entry door just forward of the wing. Don't know which one this is but there is a decent quantity of -200s in VIP operation.

Jeff

 

The photo is 767-300 P4-MES and is Roman Abromovich. They did not do the exit markings for the L2 entry door.

 

Isn't there at least one private 747SP in California? That always seemed like the way to go to me.

 

Yes. San Jose area and another one in Las Vegas, also an SP. Vegas one also has 767-300, BBJ1, L1011-500 and is said to have bought an A340-500 for conversion to VIP.

Jeff

 

Yes, the Frys 747SP does visit KSJC once in awhile. Pics from web search below:
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login