New Delhi: There are planes, there are luxury planes and then there is the Air Force One. The US President’s strongest eagles: two highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft.
Air Force One is one of the most recognisable symbols of the presidency, spawning countless references not just in the US culture but across the world. Emblazoned with the words “United States of America,” the American flag, and the Seal of the President of the US, it is an undeniable presence wherever it flies.
The plane carries 53,611 gallons (about 203,000 litres) of fuel and weighs 833,000 pounds (about 377,000 kg) fully loaded for a long-range mission. Capable of refueling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel.
The onboard electronics are hardened to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, and is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, allowing the aircraft to function as a mobile command centre in the event of an attack on the US. Heavy shielding is tough enough to protect the wiring and crucial electronics from the electromagnetic pulse associated with a nuclear blast.
Air Force One is designed to withstand an air attack. Among other things, the plane is outfitted with electronic counter measures (ECM) to jam enemy radar. The plane can also eject flares to throw heat-seeking missiles. Some of the most interesting parts of the plane – its advanced avionics and defences – are classified
Costing £116,000 per hour to keep presidential privileges in the air, the plane’s interior resembles a luxury – if predominantly beige − hotel, boasting 87 phones, 19 TVs and a gym, among other facilities. The phone system is set up for normal air to ground connections and secure lines. The president and his staff can reach just about anybody in the world while cruising tens of thousands of feet in the air.
Inside, the President and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time.
The aircraft is also fitted with its own baggage-loader to avoid sharing any airport’s facilities. Secret service agents are also permitted to shoot on sight on board, remaining armed at all times.
Obama’s executive suite includes a lounge with two sofas, a workout room, toilet, shower, vanity unit and double sinks. A taste of comfort is also found with the unique souvenir presidential M&Ms, with each box bearing the Presidential Seal and embossed with the autograph of the current president.
The conference room, which also doubles as a dining room, comes with a 50 inch plasma screen which can be used for teleconferencing, and possibly the most impressive looking in-flight entertainment at 35,000 feet.
In 1962, President John F Kennedy became the first President to fly in a jet specifically built for presidential use – a modified Boeing 707. Over the years, several other jet aircraft have been used, with the first of the current aircraft being delivered in 1990 during the administration of President George H W Bush.
When it’s time to head off, the Marine One helicopter brings the President from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base. In advance of every Air Force One flight, the Air Force crew sends C141 Starlifter cargo carrier planes, toting the President’s motorcade, to the destination. This collection of bulletproof limousines and vans, loaded with weaponry, keeps the President safe on the ground.
Air Force One is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office.