Boeing VC-25
Encyclopedia
The Boeing
VC-25 is the designation of a United States Air Force
passenger transportation aircraft, a military version of the Boeing 747
airliner. The A-model (VC-25A) is the only variant of the VC-25.
The VC-25 is most famous for its role as Air Force One
, the call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States
. The two aircraft currently in U.S. service are highly modified versions of Boeing's 747-200B, with tail numbers
28000 and 29000. Although the Air Force One designation technically applies to the aircraft only while the President is aboard, the term is commonly applied to the VC-25s more generally. They often operate in conjunction with Marine One
helicopters that ferry the President to airports in circumstances where a vehicle motorcade
would be inappropriate.
issued stated that the aircraft to be selected should have at least three engines and an unrefueled range of at least 6000 miles (9,656 km). Both Boeing with its 747
and McDonnell Douglas
with the DC-10
were in competition to be selected, with the Boeing entry eventually selected. The fabrication of the current 747s began during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
(1981–1989). Reagan ordered two identical Boeing 747
s to replace the 707 that he used for transport.
The VC-25s were completed in 1986 and first flew in 1987. The interior designs were created by First Lady
Nancy Reagan
, who used designs reminiscent of the American Southwest. Problems with interior wiring for communication systems delayed delivery of the two aircraft until 1990, during the administration of George H.W. Bush.
The main passenger area is on the second floor or main deck. There are three entrances onboard, two on the lower and one on the main deck. Typically the president boards and deplanes from the front, main deck entrance via an airstair
, while journalists and other passengers enter at the lower rear door. Facilities for the press and other passengers are configured like an ordinary airliner's first-class cabin.
The front of the aircraft is referred to as the "White House" of the aircraft. The president's executive suite includes sleeping quarters with two couches that can be converted into beds, lavatory and shower, vanity, double sink, and a private office, or the president’s "Oval Office aboard Air Force One". If necessary, the president can address the nation from the office. This capability was added after the September 11 attacks, during which the aircraft had to land at Barksdale Air Force Base
in order for President George W. Bush
to address the nation. These offices, including the president's suite, are mostly located on the starboard (right), and a long corridor runs along the port (left) side. There is an area along the corridor for two Secret Service
agents. The aircraft also contains a conference room, originally designed as situation room but now used for meeting with staff while traveling. This room includes a 50-inch plasma screen television which can be used for teleconferencing. The aircraft have fully equipped office areas with telecommunication systems (including 87 telephones and 19 televisions).
On board the VC-25 is a medical annex, which includes a fold-out operating table, emergency medical supplies, and a well-stocked pharmacy
; George W. Bush had a treadmill
added to Air Force One during his term in office. Every flight is staffed by a doctor
and nurse. The aircraft is self-sufficient, such as carrying all the food it will need. Meals are prepared in two galleys
, which together are equipped to feed up to 100 people at a time. The President gets his own menu. An area where guests sit is near the center of the aircraft, outside of the "White House".
There are separate quarters for guests, senior staff, Secret Service and security personnel, and the news media located in the aft
area of the main deck. Protocol states that one may wander aft of wherever one's assigned seat is, but not forward. Communications equipment and the cockpit are on the upper deck. There are also secure and non-secure voice, fax and data communications facilities.
While the aircraft's luggage capacity is adequate to carry the belongings of the passengers, the logistics train of the President means that the aircraft must fly preceded by an aerial convoy of several cargo transports, which carry the helicopters, motorcade vehicles, and other equipment required by the presidential entourage.
The VC-25A is capable of flying 7,800 miles (12,600 km)—roughly one-third the distance around the world—without refueling. It can be refuelled during flight from a tanker aircraft. The VC-25A can accommodate more than 70 passengers. Each VC-25A cost approximately US$
325 million. When a VC-25 taxis to an airport's ramp for events, it comes to a stop with the port side of the aircraft facing gathered onlookers.
) as the mainstays of the Air Force One fleet. On some occasions, the VC-25s are used to transport the Vice President of the United States, for which service they adopt the callsign Air Force Two. These aircraft are maintained and operated as military operations by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of Air Mobility Command
's 89th Airlift Wing, based at Andrews Air Force Base
in Camp Springs, Maryland
.
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The aircraft can also be operated as a military command center in the event of an incident such as a nuclear attack
. Operational modifications include aerial refueling
capability and anti-aircraft missile
countermeasures. The electronics on board are connected with approximately 238 miles (383 km) of wiring, twice that of a regular 747. All wiring is covered with heavy shielding for protection from an electromagnetic pulse
in the event of a nuclear attack. The aircraft also has electronic countermeasures
(ECMs) to jam enemy radar
, flares
to avoid heat-seeking missiles, and chaff
to avoid radar-guided missiles. All small arms and ammunition stores not under the physical possession of the Secret Service on board the VC-25s are stowed and secured in separate locked compartments each with a different locking mechanism by the Secret Service for added security. Many of the VC-25's other capabilities are classified for security reasons.
After a Presidential inauguration in which there is a change in office, the outgoing President is provided a flight aboard one of the VC-25A aircraft to their home destination. The aircraft is not known as Air Force One for this flight because it is not carrying the President in office. For both Presidents Bill Clinton
and George W. Bush
, the flight was known as Special Air Mission 28000, with 28000 representing the aircraft's tail number.
The VC-25A has also been used to transport deceased former presidents. The guest area aft of "the White House" has chairs and tables that can be removed and the casket laid in their place. The remains of both Ronald Reagan
and Gerald Ford
were transported by SAM 28000 and 29000 respectively to Washington for their state funerals, and then onto their final resting places. Colonel Mark Tillman, pilot for President George W. Bush, said, "We’ll take care of the president from basically when he’s in office to when he lays in state." For the funeral of President Ronald Reagan
in 2004, Tillman said that the crew converted the front of the aircraft to look the way it would have appeared when Reagan was president; President and Nancy Reagan
’s Air Force One jackets were placed on the chairs to “make them feel at home”. A specially designed hydraulic lifter (similar to the type used by airline catering) with the presidential seal affixed to the sides lifts the casket up to the door to enter the VC-25A. The tradition of placing the caskets inside the passenger cabin dates back to the assassination of John F. Kennedy
, when the crew refused to allow the president's body to be placed in the cargo hold, and again during the state funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson
.
and the Airbus A380
from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS
). On January 7, 2009, the USAF Materiel Command issued a new Sources Sought notice for a replacement aircraft to enter service by 2017 with an additional two aircraft to follow in 2019 and 2021. As of January 2009, Boeing is the only interested aircraft manufacturer in supplying the replacement aircraft, and is reported to be exploring a 787 option also. On January 28, 2009, EADS North America confirmed the company will not respond to a US Air Force notice, as assembling only three planes in the US would not make financial sense.
and presidential seal
, it is one of the most familiar presidential symbols. Air Force One has often appeared in popular culture
and fiction
, most notably as the setting of the 1997
action movie Air Force One
where the aircraft had an escape pod and a parachute ramp, unlike the actual Presidential aircraft.
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
VC-25 is the designation of a United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
passenger transportation aircraft, a military version of the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
airliner. The A-model (VC-25A) is the only variant of the VC-25.
The VC-25 is most famous for its role as Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
, the call sign of any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The two aircraft currently in U.S. service are highly modified versions of Boeing's 747-200B, with tail numbers
United States military aircraft serials
In the United States, all military aircraft display a serial number to identify individual aircraft. Because these numbers are located on the aircraft tail, they are sometimes referred to unofficially as "tail numbers"...
28000 and 29000. Although the Air Force One designation technically applies to the aircraft only while the President is aboard, the term is commonly applied to the VC-25s more generally. They often operate in conjunction with Marine One
Marine One
Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the President of the United States. It usually denotes a helicopter operated by the HMX-1 "Nighthawks" squadron, either the large VH-3D Sea King or the newer, smaller VH-60N "WhiteHawk", both due to be replaced by the...
helicopters that ferry the President to airports in circumstances where a vehicle motorcade
Motorcade
A motorcade is a procession of vehicles. The term motorcade was coined by Lyle Abbot , and is formed after cavalcade on the false notion that "-cade" was a suffix meaning "procession"...
would be inappropriate.
Development
By 1985, the pair of VC-137s used as the Presidential aircraft had been in service for 23 and 13 years respectively, and the USAF began searching for an eventual replacement. The Request for ProposalRequest for Proposal
A request for proposal is issued at an early stage in a procurement process, where an invitation is presented for suppliers, often through a bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision and is meant to...
issued stated that the aircraft to be selected should have at least three engines and an unrefueled range of at least 6000 miles (9,656 km). Both Boeing with its 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
and McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
with the DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
were in competition to be selected, with the Boeing entry eventually selected. The fabrication of the current 747s began during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
(1981–1989). Reagan ordered two identical Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s to replace the 707 that he used for transport.
The VC-25s were completed in 1986 and first flew in 1987. The interior designs were created by First Lady
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, who used designs reminiscent of the American Southwest. Problems with interior wiring for communication systems delayed delivery of the two aircraft until 1990, during the administration of George H.W. Bush.
Design and configuration
While the VC-25 has three decks, like a regular Boeing 747, its 4,000 square feet (370 m²) of floor space has been reconfigured for presidential duties. Its lowest deck is mostly cargo space, carrying luggage and the onboard food supply.The main passenger area is on the second floor or main deck. There are three entrances onboard, two on the lower and one on the main deck. Typically the president boards and deplanes from the front, main deck entrance via an airstair
Airstair
An airstair is a passenger staircase that is built in to an airliner — often, though not always, on the inside of a clamshell-style door. The stairs can be raised or lowered while the aircraft is on the ground, allowing passengers and ground personnel to board or depart the aircraft without the...
, while journalists and other passengers enter at the lower rear door. Facilities for the press and other passengers are configured like an ordinary airliner's first-class cabin.
"The White House"
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
in order for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to address the nation. These offices, including the president's suite, are mostly located on the starboard (right), and a long corridor runs along the port (left) side. There is an area along the corridor for two Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
agents. The aircraft also contains a conference room, originally designed as situation room but now used for meeting with staff while traveling. This room includes a 50-inch plasma screen television which can be used for teleconferencing. The aircraft have fully equipped office areas with telecommunication systems (including 87 telephones and 19 televisions).
On board the VC-25 is a medical annex, which includes a fold-out operating table, emergency medical supplies, and a well-stocked pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
; George W. Bush had a treadmill
Treadmill
A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain...
added to Air Force One during his term in office. Every flight is staffed by a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and nurse. The aircraft is self-sufficient, such as carrying all the food it will need. Meals are prepared in two galleys
Galley (kitchen)
The galley is the compartment of a ship, train or aircraft where food is cooked and prepared. It can also refer to a land based kitchen on a naval base or a particular formed household kitchen.-Ship's kitchen:...
, which together are equipped to feed up to 100 people at a time. The President gets his own menu. An area where guests sit is near the center of the aircraft, outside of the "White House".
There are separate quarters for guests, senior staff, Secret Service and security personnel, and the news media located in the aft
Aft
Aft, in naval terminology, is an adjective or adverb meaning, towards the stern of the ship, when the frame of reference is within the ship. Example: "Able Seaman Smith; lay aft!". Or; "What's happening aft?"...
area of the main deck. Protocol states that one may wander aft of wherever one's assigned seat is, but not forward. Communications equipment and the cockpit are on the upper deck. There are also secure and non-secure voice, fax and data communications facilities.
While the aircraft's luggage capacity is adequate to carry the belongings of the passengers, the logistics train of the President means that the aircraft must fly preceded by an aerial convoy of several cargo transports, which carry the helicopters, motorcade vehicles, and other equipment required by the presidential entourage.
The VC-25A is capable of flying 7,800 miles (12,600 km)—roughly one-third the distance around the world—without refueling. It can be refuelled during flight from a tanker aircraft. The VC-25A can accommodate more than 70 passengers. Each VC-25A cost approximately US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
325 million. When a VC-25 taxis to an airport's ramp for events, it comes to a stop with the port side of the aircraft facing gathered onlookers.
Operational history
The VC-25s replaced the VC-137C (a military version of the Boeing 707Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
) as the mainstays of the Air Force One fleet. On some occasions, the VC-25s are used to transport the Vice President of the United States, for which service they adopt the callsign Air Force Two. These aircraft are maintained and operated as military operations by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
's 89th Airlift Wing, based at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
in Camp Springs, Maryland
Camp Springs, Maryland
Camp Springs is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,968 at the 2000 census. Camp Springs is not an official post office designation, but rather the area is divided between the surrounding mailing addresses...
.
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
. Operational modifications include aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
capability and anti-aircraft missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
countermeasures. The electronics on board are connected with approximately 238 miles (383 km) of wiring, twice that of a regular 747. All wiring is covered with heavy shielding for protection from an electromagnetic pulse
Electromagnetic pulse
An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic radiation. The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation usually results from certain types of high energy explosions, especially a nuclear explosion, or from a suddenly fluctuating magnetic field...
in the event of a nuclear attack. The aircraft also has electronic countermeasures
Electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
(ECMs) to jam enemy radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, flares
Flare (countermeasure)
A flare is an aerial infrared countermeasure to counter an infrared homing surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile. Flares are commonly composed of a pyrotechnic composition based on magnesium or another hot-burning metal, with burning temperature equal to or hotter than engine exhaust...
to avoid heat-seeking missiles, and chaff
Chaff (radar countermeasure)
Chaff, originally called Window by the British, and Düppel by the Second World War era German Luftwaffe , is a radar countermeasure in which aircraft or other targets spread a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminium, metallized glass fibre or plastic, which either appears as a cluster of secondary...
to avoid radar-guided missiles. All small arms and ammunition stores not under the physical possession of the Secret Service on board the VC-25s are stowed and secured in separate locked compartments each with a different locking mechanism by the Secret Service for added security. Many of the VC-25's other capabilities are classified for security reasons.
After a Presidential inauguration in which there is a change in office, the outgoing President is provided a flight aboard one of the VC-25A aircraft to their home destination. The aircraft is not known as Air Force One for this flight because it is not carrying the President in office. For both Presidents Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, the flight was known as Special Air Mission 28000, with 28000 representing the aircraft's tail number.
The VC-25A has also been used to transport deceased former presidents. The guest area aft of "the White House" has chairs and tables that can be removed and the casket laid in their place. The remains of both Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
were transported by SAM 28000 and 29000 respectively to Washington for their state funerals, and then onto their final resting places. Colonel Mark Tillman, pilot for President George W. Bush, said, "We’ll take care of the president from basically when he’s in office to when he lays in state." For the funeral of President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
in 2004, Tillman said that the crew converted the front of the aircraft to look the way it would have appeared when Reagan was president; President and Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
’s Air Force One jackets were placed on the chairs to “make them feel at home”. A specially designed hydraulic lifter (similar to the type used by airline catering) with the presidential seal affixed to the sides lifts the casket up to the door to enter the VC-25A. The tradition of placing the caskets inside the passenger cabin dates back to the assassination of John F. Kennedy
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
, when the crew refused to allow the president's body to be placed in the cargo hold, and again during the state funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
.
Future
These aircraft are expected to be replaced as they have become less cost-effective to operate. The USAF Air Mobility Command is looking into possible replacements and press coverage suggested that the USAF would consider the Boeing 747-8Boeing 747-8
The Boeing 747-8 is a wide-body jet airliner developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Officially announced in 2005, the 747-8 is the fourth-generation Boeing 747 version, with lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings and improved efficiency...
and the Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
). On January 7, 2009, the USAF Materiel Command issued a new Sources Sought notice for a replacement aircraft to enter service by 2017 with an additional two aircraft to follow in 2019 and 2021. As of January 2009, Boeing is the only interested aircraft manufacturer in supplying the replacement aircraft, and is reported to be exploring a 787 option also. On January 28, 2009, EADS North America confirmed the company will not respond to a US Air Force notice, as assembling only three planes in the US would not make financial sense.
Operators
- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
- 89th Airlift Wing89th Airlift WingThe 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel...
- Presidential Airlift Group (PAG)
- 89th Airlift Wing
Specifications (VC-25A)
Notable appearances in media
The VC-25 "Air Force One" is a prominent symbol of the American presidency and its power; with the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and presidential seal
Seal of the President of the United States
The Seal of the President of the United States is used to mark correspondence from the U.S. president to the United States Congress, and is also used as a symbol of the presidency. The central design, based on the Great Seal of the United States, is the official coat of arms of the U.S...
, it is one of the most familiar presidential symbols. Air Force One has often appeared in popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
and fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
, most notably as the setting of the 1997
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
action movie Air Force One
Air Force One (film)
Air Force One is a 1997 American action-thriller film written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It stars Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Glenn Close, and also features Xander Berkeley, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell and Paul Guilfoyle...
where the aircraft had an escape pod and a parachute ramp, unlike the actual Presidential aircraft.
See also
External links
- USAF VC-25 fact sheet
- USAF Photo gallery
- Interior pictures of Air Force One from Airliners.netAirliners.netAirliners.net is an aviation website founded by Johan Lundgren, Sweden, in 1997, evolving from his previous Pictures of Modern Airliners site started in 1994...