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Boeing VC-25 (Air Force One)

1990 MODERN AIRCRAFT

History

The VC-25 is used to accompany the President of the United States and his colleagues on various trips around the world. Essentially a significantly improved version of the Boeing 747-200B family, the VC-25 has state-of-the-art communications and air defense systems worthy of the protection of senior heads of state. Two Boeing 747-200Bs have been converted to VC-25 status with tail numbers 28000 and 29000. For safety and logistical reasons, the two aircraft will be flown simultaneously. It should be noted that this plane or any U.S.

Air Force plane will not be officially designated Air Force One until the president takes office. John F. Kennedy's VC-137 was the first presidential plane, commonly known as "Air Force One."

The idea of ??flying the President of the United States began in 1944, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the converted C-54 transport plane were affectionately known as the "Holy Cow." President Harry S. Truman was followed by his DC-6 Liftmaster series, which spanned from 1947 to 1953. President Dwight D. Eisenhower operated aboard Columbine II and III from 1953 to 1961.

President John F. Kennedy travels in his VC-137, a modified Boeing 707.

The President has full access to his own ship's office and executive suite, which contains staterooms and facilities such as showers, toilets and changing rooms. Additionally, the meeting room serves as a dining room for families and closest employees.

Air Force One is also equipped with medical equipment to treat minor injuries and conditions.

The VC-25 is powered by four GE CF6-80C2B1 large engines, each delivering over 56,700 pounds of thrust. The plane flies higher and faster than its commercial counterparts, reaching a top speed of 630 mph and an altitude of 45,100 feet.

Range is also a big factor in presidential transportation, and the VC-25 doesn't disappoint, offering up to 7,800 miles of flight range. With aerial refueling capabilities, that distance becomes essentially infinite.

Two VC-25s are held in high security in a special unmarked hangar at Andrews Air Force Base. Aircraft are thoroughly inspected, cleaned and waxed before each flight and must be ready to fly immediately. The events of September 11, 2001, exacerbated the need for the President to communicate adequately with the local people and the American people, and fortified defenses against enemy attacks that could directly target the President.

Air Force One pilots and crew are handpicked for the service of the President, a service considered an honor for all, as most have served in their respective positions for years, and in some cases decades.