“THE DONALD” DOESN’T WANT A DREAMLINER

So what do you talk about when you find yourself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a billionaire aboard his $100 million private jet?

If you’re our founding editor, you ask him why he hasn’t upgraded.

“When are you gonna buy a Dreamliner?” our very own Will Folks asked real estate mogul and reality television star Donald Trump during a visit aboard “Trump Force One,” the latter’s custom Boeing 757.

Folks’ question referred, of course, to the Boeing 787 – the much-maligned next generation passenger plane produced by the Chicago-based aerospace giant.

“You know they make them down in Charleston,” Folks said.

“That’s right,” Trump responded. “I guess I do need an upgrade – although you know that might be a downgrade.”

Wow … clearly “The Donald” knows all about this plane’s troubled history …

“In fact that would actually be a step down,” Trump continued. “I don’t like those batteries. And for what? To save forty pounds?”

We checked the math and wouldn’t you know it … “The Donald” was absolutely correct about the 787’s controversial lithium ion batteries, which have led to several safety issues (including a 2013 global grounding of the entire Dreamliner fleet).

Had the company opted for a safer battery for the 787, it would have added an estimated forty pounds to the plane’s 502,500 pound maximum takeoff weight.

Color us impressed …

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