From the steps taken to secure each flight to the incredible, high-tech features aboard
each deck, today we take a look at some AMAZING Things About Air Force One.
Number 10.
Presidential Symbol Iconically recognizable by its distinct shades
of blue and the presidential seal emblazoned on its side, Air Force One is one of the major
symbols of the United States presidency.
At the size of a six story building, the jumbo jet stands tall and proud to U.S. allies while
maintaining an intimidating presence to would-be enemies.
The brilliant blue across the top and more delicate shade of baby blue lining the underbelly
of the plane come from a design inspired by first lady Jackie Kennedy as the latter color
was a favorite of her husband, former president John F. Kennedy.
This traditional color scheme has persisted into the modern age, but current president
Donald Trump has stated that, with a new set of Air Force One jets in the works, he believes
this should be changed to red, white, and blue and intends to do so.
Number 9.
Overdue Upgrade For over half a century, the aircraft corporation
Boeing has been the sole provider for all of the head of state's air transportation
needs.
Originally initiated with the first overseas presidential flight taken by Franklin Roosevelt
in 1943 to Casablanca, the Boeing B-314 "Dixie Clipper" is considered to be history's introduction
to Air Force One.
In the late 1950s, the company built the first plane dedicated to serving the commander-in-chief
with the development of the Boeing VC-137A.
It debuted under the term of Dwight Eisenhower with a 19-day maiden voyage across 11 nations.
Currently, the pair of jets serving as Air Force One are extremely customized Boeing
747-200B models and were purchased under the Reagan administration.
With production of the plane long since ended, the need for new presidential planes has only
gotten more serious with each new presidency.
And so, under the Obama administration, two Boeing 747-8 models were commissioned to be
converted to airbound presidential command centers.
Since taking office, though, President Trump has made numerous modifications to this order,
claiming to try to lower costs, and the total price and completion date have yet to be seen.
Number 8.
Military Op Getting around can be a hassle for most people
in congested cities, but the President of the United States takes it to another level.
Upon leaving the White House, a helicopter will transport the head of state about 13
miles away to Andrews Air Force Base.
Once aboard Air Force One, the plane is equipped with anti-missile flares and hidden electronic
jammers for added defenses.
The heavily shielded paneling of the jet, along with hundreds of miles of wiring, also
protect Air Force One from an electromagnetic pulse, the common result of a nuclear explosion.
Everything that occurs aboard the plane is considered confidential information as an
extra measure in guarding the secrets of the flying safehouse.
Steps are even taken to send the presidential motorcade ahead of Air Force One in a cargo
plane so that the head of state isn't left without protected ground transportation once
arriving to their destination.
Number 7.
Mobile Command Center While typically built as modified versions
of pre-existing jumbo jets, Air Force One is essentially a three-story, flying Oval
Office.
Composed of more than 4,000 square feet of floor space, the interior of the aircraft
has numerous rooms to fully accommodate the needs of the president and his administration.
This includes offices, a conference room, living quarters, gym, two galleys for food
preparation, a doctor's office staffed by medical personnel, and a kitchen that can
feed up to 100 people! Luckily it rarely houses that many people as the plane usually carries
about 70 passengers comfortably along with 26 members of the flight crew.
Electronic capabilities aboard the flight are also of the highest caliber with 85 onboard
telephones, 19 televisions, and numerous two-way radios, computers and fax machines.
This way the president and his staff are always aware of new developments on the ground level,
as well as able to keep up with the workload typical of a nation's leader.
Number 6.
Massive Cost Creating a presidential headquarters capable
of touring the world by air and still maintaining the day-to-day work schedule the commander-in-chief
requires may be a cool feat, but it certainly isn't cheap.
During the Obama administration the cost per hour of flight was calculated to be more than
two hundred thousand dollars!
Now looking to replace the current crop of jets that are nearly two decades old, estimates
for the new Boeing 747-8 planes range from 3.9 to 5.3 billion dollars.
Attempts by the current administration to cut costs have brought recent calculations
closer to the 3.9 billion dollar mark, but at the end of the day, the cost for the Air
Force One program is still only a drop in the bucket for the massive 8.1 trillion dollar
defense budget of the United States.
Number 5.
Fully Staffed In addition to its electronic, military, and
operational preparedness, Air Force One is also fully loaded with an excellent staff.
Members of the Air Force One staff must first pass intense scrutiny and a rigorous screening
process before being hired on to serve the president and his guest passengers.
Hired staff are pretty much exclusively composed of applicants with exceptional records of
military service.
Even more heavily screened, though, is the food purchased for Air Force One.
Markets are chosen at random and often located a good distance from the plane, and personnel
charged with securing the supplies must operate undercover.
This ensures each meal aboard the plane is free of foreign contaminants.
This service staff belongs to an organization known as the Presidential Airlift Group and
they operate as part of the White House Military Office.
Though they always maintain a sense of professionalism, ties between the president, the secretaries
and members of his administration that travel with him, and the Air Force One service staff
typically strengthen throughout the presidency.
Trust and fondness have a history of blossoming in this scenario due to the 24-hour first
class service they provide, especially in such a sensitive environment.
As such, the final flight of the head of state's term in office rides a bit more like an emotional
rollercoaster than one of the safest, most advanced aircrafts known to man.
Number 4.
Flight Features Often considered an airborne White House of
sorts, Air Force One is capable of playing that role for days, weeks, and possibly longer
thanks to some of its excellent required features.
Theoretically possessing an unlimited range of flight, the presidential aircraft is equipped
with mid-flight refueling technology, allowing Air Force One to gas up without ever having
to touch ground!
A special fuel cap on the nose of the plane allows the fuel jet to fly ahead of the plane
and pump the gas while thousands of feet in the air.
This function was featured heavily in the 1997 film named after the subject of this
video starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman, giving audiences an in-depth reenactment of
the process.
In a controversial decision, though, President Trump has removed this emergency feature to
cut costs for the upcoming 707-8 amid some protests from Congress.
In total, Air Force One can carry over 200 thousand litres of fuel which can propel the
jet up to a top speed of about 630 miles per hour.
So while it is prepared for long, enduring tours, Air Force One is also adept at completing
much speedier trips.
Capable of cruising at 45,000 feet, or more than 8 miles above ground, these Boeing planes
soar over normal commercial flights which typically only fly at about two-thirds of
that height.
This makes it even easier to avoid any potential interference when combined with its radar-repelling
technology.
Thus, not only can Air Force One make both long tours and quick journeys, but it can
do so in secrecy as well!
Number 3.
Call Sign While the fully kitted pair of Boeing 747-200
series jets used today are certainly deserving of the Air Force One moniker, technically
speaking, they're not the only planes that can act as such.
In fact, any U.S. Air Force aircraft in which the president is a passenger becomes Air Force
One as far as the military is concerned.
Similarly, any Navy, Army, or Marine aircraft carrying the president are respectively known
as Navy One, Army One, and Marine One.
There has only ever been one Navy One recorded in history, as former president George W.
Bush rode in a Lockheed S-3 Viking fighter jet to board the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft
carrier, in 2003.
Arising as a solution to a problem first encountered with Dwight Eisenhower in 1953, this rule
was established after an incident in which the similarly named flights of Air Force 8610
and Eastern Air Lines Flight 8610 confused ground support and military officials.
Henceforth, Air Force One was adopted, applied, and continues to be recognized nationwide
as the presidential plane in the U.S. today...well, that and a type of cool Nike sneakers.
Number 2.
The Other Presidential Plane As many may assume from the business mogul's
reputation, sitting president Trump had his own plane before entering the White House.
In a 2015 interview, Trump bragged to Rolling Stone magazine that his private plane, a Boeing
757-200 coated in gold and Trump brand logos, was "bigger than Air Force One, which is a
step down from [his plane] in every way."
In fact, though, Air Force One is the larger of the two by a wide margin.
With its four engines compared to the private Trump jet's two, the presidential plane is
also faster and capable of flying further.
About the only area in which Trump's private aircraft surpasses Air Force One is in sheer
extravagance.
Hosting features such as a movie theater, Rolls Royce branded engines, and 24 karat
gold-plated seatbelts, the president's personal plane isn't exactly focused on utilitarian
functionality and high-grade security, making Air Force One the superior vehicle for protecting
the head of state.
Number 1.
Ready to Launch Following up on the prerogative to remain
as independently functional as possible, Air Force One never docks to a loading bay once
it touches down at an airport.
It doesn't even require the typical ground support equipment of normal planes as the
jet has a built-in staircase that projects and retracts from the lower deck doors.
This can be employed when not wanting to risk the use of any potentially sabotaged staircases.
Once it arrives, Air Force One doesn't move from its landing spot as it remains ready
to take off at a moment's notice.
In the interim, all access to the plane is heavily monitored and nearly everyone aside
from the flight crew are denied the chance to even enter the proximity of the jet.
Surprisingly most high-ranking politicians are excluded from even visiting the plane
without invitation from the head of state.
And so, Air Force One stays ever vigilant and secure, prepared for any precarious scenario
in which a president might find themselves.