Today, this name refers to one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft, which carry the tail codes 28000 and 29000. The Air Force designation for the aircraft is VC-25A.
Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B (VC-25A) aircraft. The USAF has ordered two Boeing 747-8s to serve as the next presidential aircraft, with designation VC-25B.
Although it is Air Force One, the military has two planes that are designated as the official planes for presidential travel under the call sign Air Force One.
The Air Force One of tomorrow
The two replacement aircraft will be the latest generation Boeing 747-8. These aircraft will be designated as VC-25B by the Air Force, sharing much in common with their predecessors. The specifications of the new aircraft and its capabilities are, understandably, classified.
Kenneth Walsh: No, it is actually very unusual for Air Force One to be escorted by fighter jets. On 9/11 there were fighter escorts almost all day -- especially after the initial hour or two, but it is rare. The reason is that it is considered too hazardous to fly fighter jets through heavily trafficked American skies.
The aircraft also has self-defense measures of ejecting flares onto missiles that are seeking heat to throw them off.
And while the plane features a private residence, meeting rooms, a medical facility, and Secret Service agents, there are no weapons onboard.
For security reasons the US government doesn't usually make it easy to track Air Force One when they president is travelling to different destinations. There are some publicly available resources that claim to provide details of various flights around the world, including the route of Air Force One.
Flugzeuginfo.net notes that the range of a Boeing 747-200 is 12,700km - equating to a maximum of 14 hours of flight at cruising speed.
The primary customers are the vice president, using the distinctive call sign "Air Force Two," the first lady, and members of the Cabinet and Congress. The C-32 is a specially configured version of the Boeing 757-200 commercial intercontinental airliner.
All aircraft, including the two that serve as Air Force One, are housed and maintained at Andrews, just 10 miles southeast of the White House. The wing employs 80 pilots and 89 flight attendants who are handpicked for this mission from the greater Air Force pool.
Once an engine was sourced, the aircraft was scheduled to be flown to a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility (MRO) in Lake Charles, Louisiana, for overdue maintenance. On May 21, 2021, Trump announced in a press release that the plane would be restored and upgraded at a service facility in Louisiana.
Joint Base Andrews
The host at Andrews is the 11th Wing (11 WG), assigned to the Air Force District of Washington.
US military regulations prohibit crew and passengers from smoking on military aircraft. This is both for the safety of the aircraft and the health of all aboard.
The U.S. Air Force has disclosed that the average per-hour flight cost to operate its two VC-25A Air Force One aircraft was $177,843 in Fiscal Year 2021. This was actually down the price point to fly and maintain these highly specialized presidential aircraft as of 2015, which the service had pegged at $206,337.
'Let's get the ugly facts out first: as awesome as they are at their jobs, Air Force pilots don't train to land on carriers. This is a skill that is underappreciated in the question. You can't wish yourself onto the carrier whilst smokin' in at over 100 knots (best case).
JP-8, the jet engine fuel used by the Air Force, starts as Jet A-1 fuel that is brought in by ships.
The onboard electronics are hardened to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, and Air Force One is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, allowing the aircraft to function as a mobile command center in the event of an attack on the United States.
The VC-25A planes used as Air Force One are the most well-equipped and well-defended aircraft flying. Ready for business (with 85 phone lines) or wartime (they really can withstand a nuclear blast on the ground), today's Air Force One planes have 4,000 square feet of space for up to 76 passengers and a crew of 26.
Aircraft that previously served as Air Force One are kept in the National Museum of the US Air Force. However, they are kept inside a hanger so they cannot be seen in Google Earth. You can, however, see them in the Google Maps version of Street View or in a Street-View-like virtual tour created by the Museum.
Currently, Nike has increased the maximum quantity of Air Force 1s available for purchase by a single customer from two pairs to five pairs.
In basic training, cell phones may be confiscated and kept by the MTI, and only returned to you to call home or during other emergency situations. You'll have to remember that during basic training you are only permitted to use a phone when supervised, and told it is okay to do so.
The Doomsday plane is stuffed with communications equipment, while Air Force One has more space for passengers. Military experts and advocates of a swift E-4B replacement argue that the current plane belongs in a museum. In fact, E-4B pilot Lt. Col.
The Air Force says the real plane does not have an escape pod, as depicted in the movie, or even onboard parachutes. Of course, an escape pod could be one of the many special features that Air Force won't talk about. Tom Harris "How Air Force One Works" 23 May 2002.
Today's Air Force One
Each of the current Air Force One aircraft is equipped with classified security and defense systems, including measures to protect onboard electronics against the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion.