From the steps taken to secure each flight
to the incredible, high-tech features aboard each deck, today we take a look at some AMAZING
Things About Air Force One. Number 10. Presidential Symbol
Iconically recognizable by its distinct shades of blue and the presidential seal emblazoned
on its side, Air Force One is one of the major symbols of the United States presidency. At the size of a six story building, the jumbo
jet stands tall and proud to U.S. allies while maintaining an intimidating presence to would-be
enemies. The brilliant blue across the top and more
delicate shade of baby blue lining the underbelly of the plane come from a design inspired by
first lady Jackie Kennedy as the latter color was a favorite of her husband, former president
John F. Kennedy. This traditional color scheme has persisted
into the modern age, but current president Donald Trump has stated that, with a new set
of Air Force One jets in the works, he believes this should be changed to red, white, and
blue and intends to do so. Number 9. Overdue Upgrade
For over half a century, the aircraft corporation Boeing has been the sole provider for all
of the head of state's air transportation needs. Originally initiated with the first overseas
presidential flight taken by Franklin Roosevelt in 1943 to Casablanca, the Boeing B-314 "Dixie
Clipper" is considered to be history's introduction to Air Force One. In the late 1950s, the company built the first
plane dedicated to serving the commander-in-chief with the development of the Boeing VC-137A. It debuted under the term of Dwight Eisenhower
with a 19-day maiden voyage across 11 nations. Currently, the pair of jets serving as Air
Force One are extremely customized Boeing 747-200B models and were purchased under the
Reagan administration. With production of the plane long since ended,
the need for new presidential planes has only gotten more serious with each new presidency. And so, under the Obama administration, two
Boeing 747-8 models were commissioned to be converted to airbound presidential command
centers. Since taking office, though, President Trump
has made numerous modifications to this order, claiming to try to lower costs, and the total
price and completion date have yet to be seen. Number 8. Military Op
Getting around can be a hassle for most people in congested cities, but the President of
the United States takes it to another level. Upon leaving the White House, a helicopter
will transport the head of state about 13 miles away to Andrews Air Force Base. Once aboard Air Force One, the plane is equipped
with anti-missile flares and hidden electronic jammers for added defenses. The heavily shielded paneling of the jet,
along with hundreds of miles of wiring, also protect Air Force One from an electromagnetic
pulse, the common result of a nuclear explosion. Everything that occurs aboard the plane is
considered confidential information as an extra measure in guarding the secrets of the
flying safehouse. Steps are even taken to send the presidential
motorcade ahead of Air Force One in a cargo plane so that the head of state isn't left
without protected ground transportation once arriving to their destination. Number 7. Mobile Command Center
While typically built as modified versions of pre-existing jumbo jets, Air Force One
is essentially a three-story, flying Oval Office. Composed of more than 4,000 square feet of
floor space, the interior of the aircraft has numerous rooms to fully accommodate the
needs of the president and his administration. This includes offices, a conference room,
living quarters, gym, two galleys for food preparation, a doctor's office staffed by
medical personnel, and a kitchen that can feed up to 100 people! Luckily it rarely houses
that many people as the plane usually carries about 70 passengers comfortably along with
26 members of the flight crew. Electronic capabilities aboard the flight
are also of the highest caliber with 85 onboard telephones, 19 televisions, and numerous two-way
radios, computers and fax machines. This way the president and his staff are always
aware of new developments on the ground level, as well as able to keep up with the workload
typical of a nation's leader. Number 6. Massive Cost
Creating a presidential headquarters capable of touring the world by air and still maintaining
the day-to-day work schedule the commander-in-chief requires may be a cool feat, but it certainly
isn't cheap. During the Obama administration the cost per
hour of flight was calculated to be more than two hundred thousand dollars! Now looking to replace the current crop of
jets that are nearly two decades old, estimates for the new Boeing 747-8 planes range from
3.9 to 5.3 billion dollars. Attempts by the current administration to
cut costs have brought recent calculations closer to the 3.9 billion dollar mark, but
at the end of the day, the cost for the Air Force One program is still only a drop in
the bucket for the massive 8.1 trillion dollar defense budget of the United States. Number 5. Fully Staffed
In addition to its electronic, military, and operational preparedness, Air Force One is
also fully loaded with an excellent staff. Members of the Air Force One staff must first
pass intense scrutiny and a rigorous screening process before being hired on to serve the
president and his guest passengers. Hired staff are pretty much exclusively composed
of applicants with exceptional records of military service. Even more heavily screened, though, is the
food purchased for Air Force One. Markets are chosen at random and often located
a good distance from the plane, and personnel charged with securing the supplies must operate
undercover. This ensures each meal aboard the plane is
free of foreign contaminants. This service staff belongs to an organization
known as the Presidential Airlift Group and they operate as part of the White House Military
Office. Though they always maintain a sense of professionalism,
ties between the president, the secretaries and members of his administration that travel
with him, and the Air Force One service staff typically strengthen throughout the presidency. Trust and fondness have a history of blossoming
in this scenario due to the 24-hour first class service they provide, especially in
such a sensitive environment. As such, the final flight of the head of state's
term in office rides a bit more like an emotional rollercoaster than one of the safest, most
advanced aircrafts known to man. Number 4. Flight Features
Often considered an airborne White House of sorts, Air Force One is capable of playing
that role for days, weeks, and possibly longer thanks to some of its excellent required features. Theoretically possessing an unlimited range
of flight, the presidential aircraft is equipped with mid-flight refueling technology, allowing
Air Force One to gas up without ever having to touch ground! A special fuel cap on the nose of the plane
allows the fuel jet to fly ahead of the plane and pump the gas while thousands of feet in
the air. This function was featured heavily in the
1997 film named after the subject of this video starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman,
giving audiences an in-depth reenactment of the process. In a controversial decision, though, President
Trump has removed this emergency feature to cut costs for the upcoming 707-8 amid some
protests from Congress. In total, Air Force One can carry over 200
thousand litres of fuel which can propel the jet up to a top speed of about 630 miles per
hour. So while it is prepared for long, enduring
tours, Air Force One is also adept at completing much speedier trips. Capable of cruising at 45,000 feet, or more
than 8 miles above ground, these Boeing planes soar over normal commercial flights which
typically only fly at about two-thirds of that height. This makes it even easier to avoid any potential
interference when combined with its radar-repelling technology. Thus, not only can Air Force One make both
long tours and quick journeys, but it can do so in secrecy as well! Number 3. Call Sign
While the fully kitted pair of Boeing 747-200 series jets used today are certainly deserving
of the Air Force One moniker, technically speaking, they're not the only planes that
can act as such. In fact, any U.S. Air Force aircraft in which
the president is a passenger becomes Air Force One as far as the military is concerned. Similarly, any Navy, Army, or Marine aircraft
carrying the president are respectively known as Navy One, Army One, and Marine One. There has only ever been one Navy One recorded
in history, as former president George W. Bush rode in a Lockheed S-3 Viking fighter
jet to board the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier, in 2003. Arising as a solution to a problem first encountered
with Dwight Eisenhower in 1953, this rule was established after an incident in which
the similarly named flights of Air Force 8610 and Eastern Air Lines Flight 8610 confused
ground support and military officials. Henceforth, Air Force One was adopted, applied,
and continues to be recognized nationwide as the presidential plane in the U.S. today...well,
that and a type of cool Nike sneakers. Number 2. The Other Presidential Plane
As many may assume from the business mogul's reputation, sitting president Trump had his
own plane before entering the White House. In a 2015 interview, Trump bragged to Rolling
Stone magazine that his private plane, a Boeing 757-200 coated in gold and Trump brand logos,
was "bigger than Air Force One, which is a step down from [his plane] in every way." In fact, though, Air Force One is the larger
of the two by a wide margin. With its four engines compared to the private
Trump jet's two, the presidential plane is also faster and capable of flying further. About the only area in which Trump's private
aircraft surpasses Air Force One is in sheer extravagance. Hosting features such as a movie theater,
Rolls Royce branded engines, and 24 karat gold-plated seatbelts, the president's personal
plane isn't exactly focused on utilitarian functionality and high-grade security, making
Air Force One the superior vehicle for protecting the head of state. Number 1. Ready to Launch
Following up on the prerogative to remain as independently functional as possible, Air
Force One never docks to a loading bay once it touches down at an airport. It doesn't even require the typical ground
support equipment of normal planes as the jet has a built-in staircase that projects
and retracts from the lower deck doors. This can be employed when not wanting to risk
the use of any potentially sabotaged staircases. Once it arrives, Air Force One doesn't move
from its landing spot as it remains ready to take off at a moment's notice. In the interim, all access to the plane is
heavily monitored and nearly everyone aside from the flight crew are denied the chance
to even enter the proximity of the jet. Surprisingly most high-ranking politicians
are excluded from even visiting the plane without invitation from the head of state. And so, Air Force One stays ever vigilant
and secure, prepared for any precarious scenario in which a president might find themselves.
