US aircraft in city with backup gadgets for Trump

Jaipur: A US Air Force Globemaster landed here on Saturday with ground-handling equipment needed for the safe landing of US President Donald Trump in case Air Force One fails to land in Delhi because of weather issues on Monday.
Jaipur airport authorities including the Air Traffic Controller were on high alert when the US Air Force C-17 aircraft arrived at 9.30 am on Saturday. “It landed at our airport with ground-handling and other equipment required for landing of Trump’s aircraft,” said a senior officer of the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Jaipur.
According to airport sources, equipment required for the landing of Air force One, a customised Boeing 747, was not available at the Jaipur airport. “As a precautionary and standby measure, the US authorities brought the C-17 aircraft to Jaipur with the necessary equipment for the safe landing of the US president,” an officer added.
After leaving the equipment, the aircraft took off at 10.30 am. “We were not informed if the aircraft had gone to Ahmedabad or to Delhi due to security reasons,” the officer added.
Sources added that an aircraft of the US Air Force is likely to land here at 1pm on Sunday which will ferry security personnel and other staff that would be on standby mode if Trump lands in Jaipur. “Our airport has been kept as an alternative airport in case the weather in Delhi plays truant at the time when the US president’s aircraft is scheduled to land. We can’t share the finer details due to security reasons,” said Jaideep Singh Balhara, director, Jaipur airport.