Turkey Renovates Military Airfield for Qatar-Donated Boeing 747-8 Ahead of NATO Summit
Reports indicate that Turkey has spent over $120 million and undertaken an eight-month project to renovate the ‘Etimesgut’ military airfield in Ankara to accommodate the Boeing 747-8 aircraft donated by Qatar to the United States ahead of the NATO summit. The plane, valued at approximately $400 million, is the largest passenger aircraft produced by Boeing. It measures over 76 meters in length and weighs 442 tons at takeoff, requiring a specially equipped runway and facilities. According to the report, the runway length at the airfield has been extended from 2,450 meters to 3,000 meters and widened from 42 meters to 60 meters. These changes were made to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) category F standards, which allow for the operation of very large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380. It was stated that the large size and heavy weight of the plane, combined with Ankara’s elevation above sea level and the heat, necessitated this project, as altitude and temperature can affect the performance of heavy aircraft during takeoff. The renovation extended beyond runway expansion, including the construction of new access roads, upgrades to navigation and lighting systems, enhancements to ceremonial facilities, and the creation of a 160,000-square-meter parking area capable of accommodating 44 aircraft. The Boeing 747-8, previously used as a private plane for the Emir of Qatar, was donated to the United States and is set to undergo technical modifications to become the new presidential aircraft, replacing the aging VC-25A.
