Donald Trump is known for his larger-than-life personality, a trait visible from his fleet of aircraft: A large commercial sized plane, a corporate jet and two helicopters.
The largest is a Boeing 757-200 and emblazoned with “Trump” in golden letters and a huge red “T” on the four story tall tail.
In a commercial configuration it could carry as many as 228 passengers if it were filled with economy seats, but there’s nothing “economy” about this plane.
Trump’s 757 is designed to carry 43 passengers secured with 24 caret gold plated seat belts, according to a video tour of the aircraft his company posted in 2011. It features a dining room, big screen TVs, a master and a guest bedroom and even a shower.
“Everything that they did on it is very very spectacular.” John Dunkin, Trump’s pilot told the Smithsonian Channel’s Mighty Planes. “It’s very fast airplane for a large airplane. It’s extremely comfortable. It takes turbulence very well. It’s kind of like the Ferrari in the airline category airplane.”
757s have a top speed of 609 miles an hour can fly up to 4,400 miles without stopping, according to Boeing. It is nearly 125 feet wide and more than 155 feet long and weighs in at 255,000 pounds.
The aircraft have been a recent choice of many presidential candidates including Barack Obama in 2008 and John Kerry in 2004. A military version of the 757, called a C-32, is also used to transport secretaries of state, the first lady, and sometimes even fills in as Air Force One.
Trump’s plane was built in 1991 and one of his companies took ownership in 2010, according to FAA records.
The 757 replaced Trump’s older and more costly to fly 727 built in 1968 and originally flown by American Airlines.
That plane, which was configured with seating for 24 and one bedroom, was registered in Bermuda.
It was sold to a charter company which now flies it in Asia.
Trump also owns a Cessna Citation X corporate jet designed to seat 12.
Painted white the plane features the Trump family crest in gold near the passenger door, but unlike his larger plane does not prominently display Trump’s name.
The plane’s FAA registration number, N725DT, does include his initials and the address of New York’s Trump Tower (725 5th Ave).
Trump also owns two Sikorsky S-76B helicopters built in 1989 and 1992.
Four aircraft is actually a major downsize for Trump who once owned an airline with a fleet of 17 planes.
The billionaire bought Eastern Airline’s shuttle service for $380 million dollars in 1989 and offered frequent flights between cities in the northeast, but soon faced financial difficulty.
“An economic recession that caused big corporations to cut back on air travel and Middle East tension as Iraq invaded Kuwait (causing jet fuel to double), placed enormous pressure on the Trump Shuttle,” a history published by current owner US Airways reads.
In 1992 Trump’s airline defaulted and was taken over by the banks which sold it to US Air.
The flights are now operated by US Airways, a subsidiary of American Airlines.
