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Aviation Circle 🚨 NEW: The next chapter for Air Force One has begun. The US Air Force announced that its new VC-25B "Bridge" aircraft has arrived at Joint Base Andrews, home of the Presidential Airlift Group, and started its commissioning flights, the final step before it can carry the President.Freshly painted in a red, white, and blue livery, the modified Boeing 747-8 will serve as an interim presidential aircraft. Its job is to ease the pressure on the two aging VC-25As, which have flown as Air Force One since 1990, as their heavy maintenance cycles grow longer. It will bridge the gap until Boeing's purpose-built VC-25Bs arrive later this decade.The Air Force calls commissioning flights the aircraft's "final exam." They allow the White House team to confirm the jet is fully mission-capable and to lock in the protocols needed to safely transport the President. Once complete, the aircraft is officially commissioned into the executive airlift fleet, joining the existing VC-25As and the smaller C-32."The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority," said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach added, "Many thought it could not be done, but the United States Air Force was able to execute and provide a secure, reliable airborne command post on an accelerated timeline."With its arrival at Andrews, the Bridge aircraft is now one step from joining the fleet.