Sptv From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 117 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 819 times:
I was taxing in HNL today (7/2) at about 2:00pm local time, looked out the window of my HA DC9 and saw a 707 which was clearly one of the planes used to carry the President as Air Force One. I was under the impression all the 707s had been retired. This one was taxing right along with me and still wore the "United States of America" blue and white livery. Anyone know anything about this?
FrndlySkys777 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 25 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (11 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 803 times:
Not all 707's are retired yet. Since there are only a handful of C-45A's (Military 757), other less important officials particularly under-secretaries or military dignitinaries fly on these aging aircraft. Either that or this plane is used to train Air Force or Air National Guard pilots on how to fly KC-135 or E-3 aircraft. Obviously, both these planes are 707 variants and they haven't been retired. Another possibility is a MAC (Mobile Air Command) flight carrying active/retired servicemen/ woman and their families. Some of those flights are operated on C-9's wearing schemes seen on Presidential or high ranking military officials aircraft, but inside it's all economy class seating. Those are the possibilities but none are accuate. Can anyone clear this up?
Dahawaiian From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 226 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (11 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 783 times:
That was probably not a SAM aircraft, but a C-135 operated by the 15th Air Base Wing at Hickam. Members of the wing's 65th Airlift Squadron fly C-135 aircraft to transport the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command; Commander, Pacific Air Forces; and other high-ranking dignitaries. The markings on their C-135's look very similar to those of the SAM aircraft. These are the only air force aircraft based in Hawai'i. It could have well been a SAM aircraft, but chances are it was just a C-135.
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From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 117 posts, 
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