Officials at Columbus AFB, Miss., last week hosted a senior delegation of Saudi military officials who came to the US to gain a better understanding of how the Air Force trains its pilots. Maj. Gen. Al-Sedais, commandant of Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Air Academy, visited Columbus Dec. 2, along with five members of his senior staff, on the first stop of their tour. The Royal Saudi Air Force has begun sending some of its student pilots to the US for training as a means of expanding their understanding of American culture and working with an international partner. The Saudi students receive six months of intensive English language instruction at Lackland AFB, Tex., and then move on to Columbus for specialized undergraduate pilot training. (Columbus report by Capt. Marc Miedziak)
Work Has Begun to Adapt Qatari 747 to Fly as Air Force One
Sept. 15, 2025
The Air Force has started modifying a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar for "executive airlift," a spokesperson said Sept. 15. President Donald Trump has said he wants to fly the jet as “Air Force One” since new presidential transports, held up by delays, won't be ready until after his term…
