BookingAir

WASHINGTON, (AFP) – US President Barack Obama will keep flying American, after Boeing emerged as the sole contender to refit the Air Force One fleet when European aircraft maker Airbus and its parent company EADS withdrew from consideration.

The US Air Force is looking to upgrade the aging fleet to a next generation of three presidential jumbo jets, to be delivered beginning 2017, in an overhaul that will replace the current two Boeing 747s that were delivered in 1990.

But because 747s "have been retired from airline service, parts and maintenance are becoming increasingly expensive," said the Air Force.

Despite the high symbolism of transporting the US president, the competition had been open for EADS to enter the race.

In 2007 the EADS North American branch submitted to the US Air Force technical information and answered questions regarding Airbus commercial aircraft.

But Wednesday EADS said it aimed to invest in the United States and create aerospace, and "determined that participation in the AF-1 program will not help us meet these business objectives," according to EADS North America spokesman Tim Paynter.

For some observers the development was not a surprise.

"The American president would only travel in an American plane, for a question of image. (The EADS bid) was lost in advance," said a European source close to the industry.

The EADS withdrawal came hours before the US Air Force's deadline to submitting bidding information, leaving only Boeing in the running.

"We do plan on responding to the government's request for information," said Boeing spokesman Jarrod Bartlett.

Boeing have a long history of flying US presidents in highly customized crafts. A Boeing 707 was introduced as the Air Force One aircraft in the 1960s and used by president John Kennedy and his successors; it remained in service until 1998.

In withdrawing from consideration EADS likely escape a political firestorm similar to the one last year when US lawmakers criticized the Pentagon for handing over a massive 35-billion-dollar tanker contract to a Northrop Grumman/EADS team over Boeing, which had been considered a shoo-in for the deal.

The Pentagon later reopened the contract, acknowledging flaws in the US Air Force's initial decision.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday he hoped to relaunch the competition in the next few months, with the aim of awarding a contract by early 2010.

"We won once and we will win again," said EADS North America in response to Gates' announcement.