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Misuse Of The Term "Air Force One"  
User currently offlineAsstChiefMark From , joined today!, posts, RR:
Posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2614 times:

It drives me crazy when people assume a VC-25 is Air Force One.  banghead 

This IS NOT Air Force One:

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Photo © Alejandro PĂ©rez



These ARE Air Force One:

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Photo © Jeremy Irish/Cactus Wings
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Photo © David J Madzelonka



What's the problem?

Mark

20 replies: All unread, jump to last
 
User currently offlineJaybird From United States, joined Mar 2001, 77 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2610 times:
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Air Force One is ANY plane that the U.S. President is on .. Piper Cub, 747, whatever .. it's not a SPECIFIC aircraft - it's the aircraft a President happens to be in on any given moment ..

User currently offlineEMBQA From United States, joined Oct 2003, 7330 posts, RR: 11
Reply 2, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 2570 times:

Air Force One is ANY plane that the U.S. President is on

Air Force One is any US AIR FORCE aircraft that the President is on, I don't think they own any J-3 Cub's...  Wink


"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
User currently offlineStarlionblue From Greenland, joined Feb 2004, 12738 posts, RR: 57
Reply 3, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 2555 times:

So the world is full of ignorant people who don't care. YAwn...


My real self is a Blood Elf Mage in Azeroth. Meet him on Boulderfist.
User currently offlineSATL382G From , joined today!, posts, RR:
Reply 4, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 2504 times:

Quoting AsstChiefMark (Thread starter):
It drives me crazy when people assume a VC-25 is Air Force One.

It drives me a bit bonkers when folks who know relatively little about the situation get upset and drive threads that go on and on about what the damn callsign is.

When I worked the Air Force 1 detail at Andrews it was always the Air Force 1 detail regardless of wether the President was aboard the aircraft or not. If you asked the cop at the gate how to get to the Air Force 1 complex he could help you -- If you asked for the SAM 28000 complex he'd look at you funny.

The crew on the aircraft always refered to the VC25 as either Air Force 1, or Air Force 1 (Primary) and Air Force 1 (Backup). For short they used Primary and Backup. This applies to common conversation only. When the pilot talks to tower he is going to use "Air Force 1" or "SAM 2x000" for a callsign.

Hey check this out. It's even called Air Force 1 on the aircrafts website -- I can guarantee you the Prez was not aboard when they took the photo at Rushmore.

http://public.andrews.amc.af.mil/vc25a.htm

So lets take a deep breath and remember the following:

Air Force 1 is...

A. The callsign used by an Air Force aircraft that the President is aboard.

and

B. The popular name for the Air Force aircraft that is reserved for the Presidents use, the VC25. Any of the big shots in D.C. can order up a junket in a C-32, they can not ask for the VC25. The VC25 is controlled/tasked thru the White House Military Office for White House use.

any questions?

[Edited 2005-05-16 03:49:21]

User currently offlineOzLAME From Australia, joined Feb 2005, 338 posts, RR: 0
Reply 5, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 2484 times:

Is it the case that Dubya's helicopter is 'Marine One'? I guess that the aircraft that took him to the carrier for his 'major combat is over' speech was 'Navy One' for the day, would that be correct? If he happened to go up in a Coast Guard C-130 would that be 'Coast Guard One'?


Monty Python's Flying Circus has nothing to do with aviation, except perhaps for Management personnel.
User currently offlineJhooper From United States, joined Dec 2001, 5966 posts, RR: 15
Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 2469 times:

Quoting OzLAME (Reply 5):
I guess that the aircraft that took him to the carrier for his 'major combat is over' speech was 'Navy One' for the day, would that be correct?

Yes, indeed. The a/c was called "Navy One". In fact, I think they actually painted it on the side.

Quoting Jaybird (Reply 1):
Air Force One is ANY plane that the U.S. President is on .. Piper Cub, 747, whatever .. it's not a SPECIFIC aircraft - it's the aircraft a President happens to be in on any given moment ..

A civilian aircraft with the prez on board = EXECUTIVE ONE.


Last year 1,944 New Yorkers saw something and said something.
User currently offlineGarnetpalmetto From United States, joined Oct 2003, 4566 posts, RR: 60
Reply 7, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2466 times:
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Quoting OzLAME (Reply 5):
Is it the case that Dubya's helicopter is 'Marine One'?

Only if it's a Marine Corps helicopter. If it was an Air Force helo it would be Air Force One or if it were a US Army UH-60, it would be Army One.


South Carolina - too small to be its own country, too big to be a mental asylum.
User currently offlineKC135R From United States, joined Apr 2005, 690 posts, RR: 8
Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 2459 times:

Quoting AsstChiefMark (Thread starter):
It drives me crazy when people assume a VC-25 is Air Force One.

Details... Wink

Quoting OzLAME (Reply 5):
Is it the case that Dubya's helicopter is 'Marine One'? I guess that the aircraft that took him to the carrier for his 'major combat is over' speech was 'Navy One' for the day, would that be correct?

All correct, now who knows the story as to why they started using these callsigns??? I'll give you a hint, it had to do with a close call.

User currently offlineNBGskygod From United States, joined May 2004, 329 posts, RR: 1
Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 2359 times:

If I remember right, it was a trip when Kennedy was flying somewhere, and a PanAm (or other now defunct carrier) had a nearly similar callsign to the presidential aircraft.


"I use multi-billion dollar military satellite systems to find tupperware in the woods."
User currently offlineKC135R From United States, joined Apr 2005, 690 posts, RR: 8
Reply 10, posted (3 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 2276 times:

Quoting NBGskygod (Reply 9):
If I remember right, it was a trip when Kennedy was flying somewhere, and a PanAm (or other now defunct carrier) had a nearly similar callsign to the presidential aircraft.

Close - from Wikipedia:

The call signs were established for security purposes during the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the first American president to have been a pilot in his own right. The change stemmed from a 1953 incident where an Eastern Airlines commercial flight (8610) had the same callsign as a flight the President was on (Air Force 8610). The planes accidentally entered the same airspace, and after the incident the unique call sign "Air Force One" was made for the presidential aircraft.

User currently offlineKevinSmith From , joined today!, posts, RR:
Reply 11, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1569 times:

Quoting OzLAME (Reply 5):
I guess that the aircraft that took him to the carrier for his 'major combat is over' speech was 'Navy One' for the day, would that be correct?

This is that aircraft. It has since been retired and placed on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation.



Quoting Jhooper (Reply 6):
The a/c was called "Navy One". In fact, I think they actually painted it on the side

Sure did. You can see it in the picture just above the VS-35 towards the tail. It's hard to make out but it also says "George W Bush Commander in Chief" under the pilot's window.

[Edited 2007-02-03 06:21:22]

[Edited 2007-02-03 06:21:59]

User currently offlineUnattendedBag From United States, joined Oct 2003, 1260 posts, RR: 1
Reply 12, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1565 times:

Quoting KC135R (Reply 10):
from Wikipedia:

a 1953 incident where an Eastern Airlines commercial flight (8610) had the same callsign as a flight the President was on (Air Force 8610).

What was an Eastern Airlines aircraft doing using an Air Force callsign?


Slower traffic, keep right
User currently offlineShyFlyer From United States, joined Jan 2004, 3707 posts, RR: 8
Reply 13, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1556 times:

Quoting UnattendedBag (Reply 12):
What was an Eastern Airlines aircraft doing using an Air Force callsign?

The Eastern flight was using Eastern 8610 as a call sign. The confusion resulted from the same numbers being used.


Orville Wright was the first person ever to return a tray table to its upright and locked position.
User currently offlinePC12Fan From United States, joined Jan 2007, 1071 posts, RR: 3
Reply 14, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1514 times:

Quoting Jhooper (Reply 6):
A civilian aircraft with the prez on board = EXECUTIVE ONE.

I know this will raise a red flag, but I have also heard this call sign used for the First Lady as well when she flew on the C-37 (BBJ) into STL.


Just when I think you've said the stupidest thing ever, you keep talkin'!
User currently offlineDc8jet From United States, joined Feb 2004, 319 posts, RR: 0
Reply 15, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 1484 times:

Most likely 8610 was the Eastern flight number. 8610 was the tail number of
the VC-121 that Eisenhower was on. Airliners use their flight number as part of their call sign while other aircraft use their tail number or registration.

User currently offlineShyFlyer From United States, joined Jan 2004, 3707 posts, RR: 8
Reply 16, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1448 times:

Quoting PC12Fan (Reply 14):
I have also heard this call sign used for the First Lady

Are you sure it wasn't Executive One Foxtrot?


Orville Wright was the first person ever to return a tray table to its upright and locked position.
User currently offlineDeskflier From Sweden, joined Jan 2007, 516 posts, RR: 0
Reply 17, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 1393 times:

Quoting Jhooper (Reply 6):
A civilian aircraft with the prez on board = EXECUTIVE ONE.

So, if GWB decides to help out on the family ranch, by doing some airborne crop-dusting, the crop-duster he is flying becomes Executive One?


Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
User currently offlineShyFlyer From United States, joined Jan 2004, 3707 posts, RR: 8
Reply 18, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 1304 times:

Quoting Deskflier (Reply 17):
the crop-duster he is flying becomes Executive One?

This is correct. Now the likelyhood of that happening is another question.  Smile


Orville Wright was the first person ever to return a tray table to its upright and locked position.
User currently offlineJetBlueGuy2006 From United States, joined Jan 2006, 1243 posts, RR: 1
Reply 19, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1276 times:

Quoting SATL382G (Reply 4):
So lets take a deep breath and remember the following:

Air Force 1 is...

A. The callsign used by an Air Force aircraft that the President is aboard.

and

B. The popular name for the Air Force aircraft that is reserved for the Presidents use, the VC25. Any of the big shots in D.C. can order up a junket in a C-32, they can not ask for the VC25. The VC25 is controlled/tasked thru the White House Military Office for White House use.

Couldn't have said it better myself. If the White House Loans one of the aircraft out say for a pres. funeral, many will refer to it as SAM 28000 or 29000.

Although, from what I remember of Ronald Regan and Gerald Ford's Funerals, SAM 29000 was loaned by the White House for both, at the authorization of George W. Bush

edit: Tail Numbers

[Edited 2007-02-05 22:54:42]


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User currently offlineZANL188 From United States, joined Oct 2006, 1221 posts, RR: 0
Reply 20, posted (1 year 8 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 1258 times:
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Quoting JetBlueGuy2006 (Reply 19):
Couldn't have said it better myself. If the White House Loans one of the aircraft out say for a pres. funeral, many will refer to it as SAM 28000 or 29000.

Although, from what I remember of Ronald Regan and Gerald Ford's Funerals, SAM 29000 was loaned by the White House for both, at the authorization of George W. Bush

Very Cool! Someone remembered a good point from the other thread. Even the aircraft used for Ford & Reagans funerals were tasked by the White House so never left the White House Military Office' operational control.

ZANL188