Air Force One

Air Force One Information

Air Force One Information

Technically, Air Force One is the designation of any Air Force plane carrying the U.S. president. For the most part, however, Air Force One refers to a pair of customized Boeing 747s that are used to carry the president, staff members and guests on official government business. The recognizable blue and white aircraft that sports the presidential seal boasts numerous amenities and highly advanced security features, and has sometimes been referred to as a flying White House.

1. Features

   • Air Force One has 4,000 square feet of space, spread over three separate levels. This area includes a suite for the president that includes an office, bathroom and conference area. The jet also has a medical room in which a physician is always on board. Air Force One also has areas for presidential advisers, the Secret Service detail and members of the press who travel with the president. The plane also has two galleys for preparing meals. The galleys can feed up to 100 people.

   Benefits

   • Air Force One features an array of advanced communications and security equipment, enabling the plane to function as a flying command center during times of national emergency. The electronics system on board is designed to guard against electromagnetic pulses. The communications system includes both secure and non-secure lines. The plane also can refuel in midair, has unlimited range and can carry the president to any location.

   Maintenance

   • The Presidential Airlift Group, which is a part of the White House's military office, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Air Force One.

   History

   • Franklin Roosevelt was the first president to travel by air while in office. He did so in 1943 to attend the Casablanca Conference with leaders of other allied nations. The threat of German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean made air travel a safer mode of transportation. John F. Kennedy was the first president to have his own presidential plane, which at the time was a Boeing 707. The president began to use a 747 during the administration of George H.W. Bush.

   Misconceptions

   • When a new president is inaugurated, the outgoing president flies home on one of the Boeing 747s in the presidential fleet. In this instance, however, the plane is not known as Air Force One because it is not carrying the current president. After the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2009, the blue and white 747 that carried George W. Bush home to Texas was designated "Special Air Mission 28000," a reference to the aircraft's tail code.