Team soon leaves for the US over Museveni jet

A GOVERNMENT team will soon leave for the United States to inspect the new presidential jet now in its final stage of being assembled, reports Yunusu Abbey. "The team will inspect the jet before it is flown here next month. Its arrival will stop the current expenditure on charters," said a source. He said Brig. Ali Kiiza, the presidential chief pilot and a Civil Aviation Authority official, are among those expected to inspect the ultra-modern and fast-cruising jet in Savannah, Georgia, US. "Both Kiiza and the co-pilot, Capt. Patrick Bogere, had already trained on the new Gulf Stream 4 Special Performance (G.4-SP) jet," said the source. American Gulf Stream AeroSpace Corporation is assembling the plane expected to cost US$31.5m. Since last year when the old presidential jet was grounded, State House has been chartering private planes for President Yoweri Museveni's official trips. Sometimes he travels in scheduled commercial flights. On December 14, 1999, the G.3 was flown to Georgia for overhaul and has now been sold to the manufacturers at US$6m. Under the deal co-financed by Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Group (HSBC Equator Bank), the new jet is to be delivered before December 31. "Unless otherwise, the aircraft will be here before Christmas. It successfully underwent a flying test in the United States. All that had remained was the interior fitting and configuration among others," said a source. The American manufacturers say G.4-SP is the world's best-selling executive jet. The jet will be a 16-seater and a long-range aircraft with two engines. It will have the capacity to fly at an altitude of 45,000ft. The aircraft's body and engine have a 15-year and five-year guarantee. Ends.