Neustadt International School and Air Force One: Difference between pages

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The '''International School of Neustadt''' (ISN) is for students from age 4 years onwards and they offer an internationally recognized education that allows children to develop the attributes of a wold citizen: inquirer, knowledgeable, caring, communicator, principled, open-minded, balanced, reflective, thinker and risk-taker.
<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{Infobox Aviation
|name = Air Force One
|image = Image:Air Force One over Mt. Rushmore.jpg
|caption = A USAF [[Boeing VC-25]]A above [[Mount Rushmore]]
}}


'''Air Force One''' is the [[air traffic control]] [[call sign]] of any [[United States]] [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] aircraft carrying the [[President of the United States]].<ref name="foxtrot"> [http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/ATC/Chp2/atc0204.html#2-4-20 Order 7110.65R (Air Traffic Control)] Federal Aviation Administration 14 March 2007. Retrieved: 27 August 2007. </ref> Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two specifically configured, highly customized [[Boeing 747-200#747-200|Boeing 747-200B]] series aircraft – [[Tail Code|tail codes]] "28000" and "29000" – with Air Force designation "[[Boeing VC-25|VC-25A]]". While these aircraft are referred to as "Air Force One" only while the president is on board, the term is commonly used to describe either of the two aircraft normally used and maintained by the U.S. Air Force solely for the president.
The [[International School]] of Neustadt is the only school in [[Neustadt an der Weinstrasse]] accredited by the prestigious [[University of Cambridge]] to conduct the internationally recognized " [[International General Certificate of Secondary Education]]" ([[IGCSE]]: a grade 10 examination and qualification).


When the president needs to fly to locations that have runways too short for the VC-25A, a [[Boeing C-32]] is used instead; the [[Lockheed JetStar|Lockheed C-140 Jetstar]] was also used in this role, notably by [[Ronald Reagan]].{{Fact|date=April 2008}}
ISN is also an accredited centre to offer Cambridge's Professional Diploma for teachers and Trainers.


An Air Force aircraft carrying the [[Vice President of the United States]] is designated as [[Air Force Two]].
All examinations are conducted in Neustadt and marked in Cambridge, UK.


==History==
The language of school instruction is English. Children are exposed to this language throughout the day, from the age of 4 onwards.
[[Theodore Roosevelt]] became the first president to fly in an aircraft on 11 October 1910. At the time he was no longer in office, having been succeeded by [[William Howard Taft]]. However, prior to [[World War II]], overseas and cross-country presidential travel was rare. Lack of [[wireless]] [[telecommunication]] and quick transportation made long-distance travel impractical, as it took up much time and isolated the president from events in [[Washington, D.C.]]


===The First "Flying Presidents"===
ISN value the host country language and from the age of 5 and until the end of their primary schooling, children receive 5 hours of German instruction per week.
By the late 1930s, with the arrival of aircraft such as the [[Douglas DC-3]], increasing numbers of the U.S. public saw passenger air travel as a reasonable mode of transportation. All-metal aircraft, more reliable engines, and new radio aids to navigation had made commercial airline travel safer and more convenient. Life insurance companies even began to offer line pilots insurance policies, albeit at extravagant rates, and many businessmen began using the airlines in preference to rail travel, especially for longer trips.


The first president to fly in an aircraft while in office was [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], who traveled on a Pan Am-crewed [[Boeing 314]] [[flying boat]] to the 1943 [[Casablanca Conference (1943)|Casablanca Conference]] on the progress of World War II. The threat from the [[Kriegsmarine|Kriegsmarine's]] submarines in the [[Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945)|Battle of the Atlantic]] made air travel the preferred method of transportation.
In ISN middle school section, students learn 3 languages - English, French and German. They receive 3 hours of instruction in each of these 3 languages weekly. All the language teachers are native speakers, with specialization in language teaching.


The first dedicated aircraft proposed for presidential carriage was a [[C-87 Liberator Express|C-87A]] VIP transport aircraft. This aircraft, Number 41-24159, was re-modified in 1943 for use as a presidential VIP transport, the ''Guess Where II'', intended to carry President Franklin D. Roosevelt on international trips.<ref name= "Dorr"/> Had it been accepted, it would have been the first aircraft to be used in presidential service i.e. the first Air Force One. However, after a review of the C-87's highly controversial safety record in service, the [[United States Secret Service|Secret Service]] flatly refused to approve the ''Guess Where II'' for presidential carriage.<ref name= "Dorr">Dorr 2002, p. l34.</ref> The plane was then used to transport senior members of the Roosevelt administration on various trips. In March 1944, the ''Guess Where II'' transported [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] on a goodwill tour of several Latin American countries. The plane was scrapped in 1945.<ref name= "Dorr"/>
The ISN's aim is to equip the students with strong language skills and linguistic competence so as to enable them to study at the best German, Francophone and Anglophone universities.


[[Image:Sacred Cow airplane.jpg|thumb|right|President Roosevelt's [[C-54 Skymaster]] aircraft, nicknamed "the Sacred Cow."]]
International School of Neustadt is a learner-centered school, internationally recognized and offers [[University of Cambridge]] and [[IB programmes]]. Accredited by the [[University of Cambridge]], ISN offer international certificate and diplomas to young students, teacher and trainers. It offers a continuum of quality education for students aged 3 to 20 years ([[IB PYP]] and starting 2009, [[IB Diploma]]).
The Secret Service subsequently reconfigured a Douglas [[C-54 Skymaster]] for duty as a presidential transport. This aircraft, nicknamed the ''Sacred Cow'', included a sleeping area, radio telephone, and retractable elevator for Roosevelt's [[wheelchair]]. As modified, the presidential C-54 carried the president on several important trips.


[[Image:Independence aircraft.png|thumb|left|The ''Independence''.]]
== Weblinks ==
After Roosevelt died in spring 1945, Vice President [[Harry S Truman]] became President. He replaced the C-54 with a modified [[Douglas DC-6|C-118 Liftmaster]], calling it the ''Independence'', possibly in reference to President Truman's hometown of [[Independence, Missouri]]. This was the first aircraft acting as Air Force One that had a distinctive exterior&ndash;a [[bald eagle]] head painted on its nose.
* [http://www.is-neustadt.de Internationale Schule Neustadt]

* [http://www.sbw.edu SBW – Trägerin der ISN]
[[Image:Columbine III aircraft.png|thumb|right|The ''Columbine III'']]
* [http://www.cie.org.uk University of Cambridge IGCSE ]
The presidential call sign was established for security purposes during the administration of [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]. The change stemmed from a 1953 incident where an [[Eastern Air Lines|Eastern Airlines]] commercial flight (8610) had the same call sign as a flight the president was on (Air Force 8610). The aircraft accidentally entered the same airspace, and after the incident the unique call sign "Air Force One" was introduced for the presidential aircraft.
* [http://www.ibo.org IBO program]

{{school-stub}}
Eisenhower also introduced four other [[propeller]] aircraft, the [[Lockheed Constellation|Lockheed C-121 Constellations]] (VC-121E) to presidential service. These aircraft were named ''Columbine II'' and ''Columbine III'' by [[Mamie Eisenhower]] after the [[Aquilegia caerulea|columbine]], the official [[state flower]] of [[Colorado]], her adopted home state. Two [[Aero Commander 500|Aero Commanders]] were also added to the fleet and earned the distinction of being the smallest Air Force Ones ever. President Eisenhower also upgraded Air Force One's technology by adding an air-to-ground telephone and an air-to-ground [[teletype]] machine. Towards the end of Eisenhower's term, in 1958, the Air Force added three [[Boeing 707]] [[jet aircraft|jet]]s (designated SAM 970, 971, and 972), 707-153 models, into the fleet. "Ike" became the first president to use the 707 during his "Flight to Peace" Goodwill tour, from 3 December through 22 December 1959. He visited 11 Asian nations, flying {{convert|22000|mi|km}} in 19 days, about twice as fast as he would have on ''Columbine''.

Air Force One usually does not have fighter aircraft to escort the presidential aircraft over the United States, but it does occur. On an unscheduled stop in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2006, four fighters were seen in close coverage, within a few meters, two below Air Force One's fuselage, and one under each wing. In June 1974, Syrian fighter jets intercepted Air Force One to act as escorts. However, the Air Force One crew was not informed in advance and, as a result, took evasive action including a dive.<ref> [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/liveonline/03/special/books/sp_books_walsh052203.htm Washington Post Book Review] of ''Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes''. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.</ref>

===Boeing 707s as Air Force One===
{{main|VC-137C SAM 26000|VC-137C SAM 27000}}
[[Image:Air Force One SAM 27000.jpg|thumb|right|[[SAM 27000]] as ''Air Force One'']]
Presidential air travel entered the jet age during the presidency of [[John F. Kennedy]]. In October 1962, the Kennedy administration took delivery of a [[Boeing C-137|VC-137]], [[SAM 26000|a modified long-range 707—Special Air Mission (SAM) 26000]], although he had used the Eisenhower-era jets for trips to Canada, France, Austria and the United Kingdom.

The Air Force had attempted a special presidential [[livery]] of their own design: a scheme in red and metallic gold, with the nation's name in block letters. Kennedy felt the aircraft appeared too regal and on advice from his wife, First Lady [[Jacqueline Kennedy]], he contacted the French-born American [[industrial design]]er [[Raymond Loewy]] for help in designing a new livery and interiors for the VC-137 jet.<ref name=Walsh>Walsh, Kenneth T. Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.</ref> Loewy met with the president, and recorded that his earliest research on the project took him to the National Archives where he looked at the first printed copy of the [[United States Declaration of Independence]], and saw the country's name set widely spaced and in upper case in a typeface called [[Caslon]]. He chose to expose the polished aluminum fuselage on the bottom side, and used two blues; a slate-blue associated with the early republic and the presidency, and a more contemporary [[cyan]] to represent the present and future. The [[Seal of the President of the United States|presidential seal]] was added to both sides of the fuselage near the nose, a large American flag was painted on the tail, and the sides of the aircraft read <small>UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</small>. The result of Loewy's work won immediate praise from the president, the press, and the jet's livery became a global icon. The VC-137 markings were adapted for the larger VC-25 when it entered service in 1989.

SAM 26000 was in service from 1962 to 1998, serving Presidents Kennedy to [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]], but was replaced by another VC-137, [[SAM 27000|Special Air Mission 27000]] in 1972. [[Richard Nixon]] was the first president to use this, and the aircraft would continue serving every president since, until it too was replaced by two [[Boeing VC-25|VC-25]] aircraft (SAM 28000 and 29000) in 1990. SAM 27000 was decommissioned in 2001 by President [[George W. Bush]], flown to [[San Bernardino International Airport]] in [[California]], and later driven in pieces to the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]] in [[Simi Valley]] where it was reassembled and is currently on permanent display.

===Transition to Boeing 747s===
[[Image:Air Force One President Office.jpg|thumb|right|[[George W. Bush]], Bill McGurn, Stephen Hadley and Ed Gillespie gather in the President's office aboard ''Air Force One''.]]
{{see also|Boeing VC-25}}

Though [[Ronald Reagan|Ronald Reagan's]] two terms as president saw no major changes to Air Force One, the fabrication of the current 747s began during his presidency. Reagan ordered two identical [[Boeing 747]]s to replace the aging 707 that he used for transport.<ref name="747-dod">{{cite web|url=https://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=26295|title=Reagan Makes First, Last Flight in Jet He Ordered|accessdate=2008-04-24|date=June 10, 2004|publisher=United States Department of Defense|author=Williams, Rudi}}</ref> The interior designs were drawn up by [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Nancy Reagan]], who used designs reminiscent of the [[American Southwest]].<ref name="747-dod"/> The first aircraft was delivered in 1990, during the administration of [[George H.W. Bush]]. Delays were experienced to allow for additional work to protect the aircraft from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects. [[Image:George and Laura Bush at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Air Force One sits at [[Bagram Air Base]] in [[Afghanistan]] on March 1, 2006.]]

Today's Air Force One is equipped with both secure and unsecure phone and computer communications systems, enabling the president to perform duties while in the air in the event of an attack on the [[United States]].

One of the most dramatic episodes aboard Air Force One happened during the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]. President [[George W. Bush]] was interrupted at [[Emma E. Booker Elementary School]] in [[Sarasota, Florida]], after the attack on the [[World Trade Center]] South Tower in [[New York City]]. President Bush flew on Air Force One from [[Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport]] to [[Barksdale Air Force Base]] in [[Louisiana]] and then to [[Offutt Air Force Base]] in [[Nebraska]] before returning to Washington. The next day, officials at the White House and the Justice Department explained that President Bush did this because there was "specific and credible information that the White House and ''Air Force One'' were also intended targets."<ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010912-8.html White Hose News releases]</ref> The White House later could not confirm evidence of a threat made against Air Force One, and subsequent investigation found the original claim to be a result of miscommunication.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A32319-2001Sep26 "White House Drops Claim of Threat to Bush."] ''The Washington Post'', 27 September 2001. Retrieved: 28 February 2007.</ref>

==Past aircraft that served as Air Force One==
[[Image:George W. Bush Tours Air Force One.jpg|thumb|right|President [[George W. Bush]], [[Laura Bush]], and former First Lady [[Nancy Reagan]] tour [[VC-137C SAM 27000|SAM 27000]], the aircraft that served seven presidents from 1972&ndash;2001; it is now housed at the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]].]]

Several presidential aircraft that have formerly served as Air Force One are on display in the presidential hangar of the [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]], located at [[Wright-Patterson Air Force Base|Wright-Patterson AFB]] near [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], [[Ohio]] (''Sacred Cow'', ''Independence'', ''Columbine III'', [[VC-137C SAM 26000|SAM 26000]], and other smaller presidential aircraft), as well as at the [[Museum of Flight]] in [[Seattle, Washington|Seattle]], [[Washington]] (earlier VC-137B SAM 970).

[[United Airlines]] has the distinction of being the only commercial airline to have operated ''[[Executive One]]'', the designation given to a civilian flight on which the U.S. President is aboard. On 26 December 1973, then-President Richard Nixon flew as a passenger aboard a [[Washington Dulles]] to [[LAX|Los Angeles]] flight. It was explained by his staff that this was done in order to conserve fuel by not having to fly the usual Boeing 707 Air Force aircraft.<ref> [http://openweb.tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/1973-12/1973-12-27-CBS-8.html United Airlines]</ref> However, the 707 followed the United aircraft to transport the President back to Los Angeles, negating the flight.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}

On 8 March 2000, President Clinton flew to Pakistan aboard an unmarked [[Gulfstream III]] while another aircraft with the call sign "Air Force One" flew on the same route a few minutes later. This diversion was reported by several U.S. press outlets and is not a secret event. This was presumably done as a diversion in case terrorists attempted to shoot down the aircraft that the president was aboard.

The Boeing 707 that served as Air Force One from the Nixon years to the current George Bush administration ([[VC-137C SAM 27000|SAM 27000]]) is on display in [[Simi Valley]], [[California]] at the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]]. The Library's Air Force One Pavilion was opened to the public on 24 October 2005.

A [[Douglas DC-6|VC-118A Liftmaster]] used by John F. Kennedy is on display at the [[Pima Air & Space Museum]] in [[Tucson, Arizona|Tucson]], [[Arizona]].

In 2007 U.S. Air Force requested information from Airbus on the [[A380]] as replacement for Air Force One and the [[C-5 Galaxy]] based on maintenance costs and fuel efficiency concerns.<ref name="A380">Trimble, Stephen. "US considers Airbus A380 as Air Force One and potentially a C-5 replacement." ''[[Flight Global]]'' 17 October 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/10/17/218681/exclusive-us-considers-airbus-a380-as-air-force-one-and-potentially-a-c-5-replacement.html Airbus] Retrieved: 7 October 2007.</ref> It is believed{{Who|date=September 2008}} the two current aircraft will not need replacement until at least 2020.

==Analogs in other countries==
{{main|Air transports of heads of state and government}}

==Popular culture==
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Air Force One is a prominent symbol of the [[United States|American]] [[President of the United States|presidency]] and its power.<ref name=Walsh/> Air Force One is famous worldwide, so much so that when then-[[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] indicated a desire for a similar personal air transport, the press immediately dubbed it "[[Air transport of the Royal Family and executive of the United Kingdom|Blair Force One]]."<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2978756.stm 'Blair Force One' plans get boost BBC [[11 June]] 2003.] Retrieved: 22 April 2007.</ref><ref>Tempest, Matthew. [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1801931,00.html "PM to get his own 'Blair Force One'".] ''[[Guardian Unlimited]]'', 20 June 2006. Retrieved: 22 April 2007.</ref><ref>Campbell, Duncan. [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,,1802380,00.html?gusrc=rss "Blair Force One cleared for takeoff."]''[[Guardian Unlimited]]'', 21 June 2006. Retrieved: 22 April 2007.</ref>

''Air Force One'' has often appeared in [[popular culture]] and [[fiction]], most notably as the setting of the [[1997 in film|1997]] [[Air Force One (film)|action film of the same name]]. In the film, [[Kazakhstan|Kazakh]] [[Terrorism|terrorists]] [[Aircraft hijacking|hijack]] ''Air Force One'' and hold the president and other passengers as [[hostage]]s.

In the film ''[[Superman (film)|Superman]]'', Air Force One (a [[Boeing 707]]) is struck by lightning flying over Metropolis, prompting [[Superman]] to bring it safely to the ground.

Air Force One was featured prominently in the 1978 [[Edwin Corley]] thriller of the same name. Air Force One has also been featured in [[John Denis]]'s 1981 novel ''Air Force 1 is Down'' and [[Robert Serling]]'s novel ''[[The President's Plane Is Missing]]'', subsequently adapted for a TV movie and its sequel ''[[Air Force One Is Haunted]]''.

==See also==
{{portalpar|Military of the United States|Naval Jack of the United States.svg|65}}
*[[Air transports of heads of state]]
*[[Cadillac One]]
*[[Marine One]]
*[[C-137 Stratoliner|VC-137C Air Force One]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*Abbott James A. and Elaine M. Rice. ''Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration.'' New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1998. ISBN 0-442-02532-7.
*Albertazzie, Ralph and [[Jerald TerHorst|Jerald F. TerHorst]]. ''Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One''. New York: Book Sales, 1979. ISBN 0-698-10930-9.
*Braun, David. [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/05/0529_030529_airforceone.html Q&A: U.S. Presidential Jet Air Force One.] ''National Geographic News,'' 29 May 2003
*Dorr, Robert F. ''Air Force One''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 2002. ISBN 0-7603-1055-6.
*Hardesty, Von. ''Air Force One: The Aircraft that Shaped the Modern Presidency''. Chanhassen, Minnesota: Northword Press, 2003. ISBN 1-55971-894-3.
*Harris, Tom. [http://www.howstuffworks.com/air-force-one.htm How Air Force One Works.] HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved: 10 October 2006.
*Technical Order 00-105E-9, Segment 9, Chapter 7 [http://www.0x4d.net/files/AF1/ Technical Order 00-105E-9]
*United States Air Force. [http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=131 Air Force One Fact Sheet] July 2003.
*Walsh, Kenneth T. ''Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes''. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=570 SAM 26000 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force]
* [http://www.707sim.com/air-force-one.html Facts and History of 707 as Air Force One and "Where they are Now?"]
* [http://www.reaganfoundation.org/airforceone/ Air Force One Pavilion]
* [http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=131 Air Force Fact Sheet, VC-25 - AIR FORCE ONE]
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/whmo/af1.html Air Force One page on White House site]

===Photographs and other multimedia===
* [http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photographs/search.php?access=selectbycategory&keywords=Presidential+aircraft Truman Library & Museum]
* [http://www.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=55 United States Air Force]
* [http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/airforceone.html Boeing History of Air Force One]

{{PresidentialCallsigns}}
{{White House Military Office}}
{{US Air Force navbox}}
{{aviation lists}}

[[Category:Executive Office of the President of the United States]]
[[Category:Individual aircraft]]
[[Category:Presidential aircraft]]
[[Category:Special-purpose aircraft]]
[[Category:United States Air Force]]
[[Category:Call signs]]

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Revision as of 20:04, 10 October 2008

For the current aircraft, see Boeing VC-25.
For other uses, see Air Force One (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox Aviation

Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States.[1] Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two specifically configured, highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft – tail codes "28000" and "29000" – with Air Force designation "VC-25A". While these aircraft are referred to as "Air Force One" only while the president is on board, the term is commonly used to describe either of the two aircraft normally used and maintained by the U.S. Air Force solely for the president.

When the president needs to fly to locations that have runways too short for the VC-25A, a Boeing C-32 is used instead; the Lockheed C-140 Jetstar was also used in this role, notably by Ronald Reagan.[citation needed]

An Air Force aircraft carrying the Vice President of the United States is designated as Air Force Two.

History

Theodore Roosevelt became the first president to fly in an aircraft on 11 October 1910. At the time he was no longer in office, having been succeeded by William Howard Taft. However, prior to World War II, overseas and cross-country presidential travel was rare. Lack of wireless telecommunication and quick transportation made long-distance travel impractical, as it took up much time and isolated the president from events in Washington, D.C.

The First "Flying Presidents"

By the late 1930s, with the arrival of aircraft such as the Douglas DC-3, increasing numbers of the U.S. public saw passenger air travel as a reasonable mode of transportation. All-metal aircraft, more reliable engines, and new radio aids to navigation had made commercial airline travel safer and more convenient. Life insurance companies even began to offer line pilots insurance policies, albeit at extravagant rates, and many businessmen began using the airlines in preference to rail travel, especially for longer trips.

The first president to fly in an aircraft while in office was Franklin D. Roosevelt, who traveled on a Pan Am-crewed Boeing 314 flying boat to the 1943 Casablanca Conference on the progress of World War II. The threat from the Kriegsmarine's submarines in the Battle of the Atlantic made air travel the preferred method of transportation.

The first dedicated aircraft proposed for presidential carriage was a C-87A VIP transport aircraft. This aircraft, Number 41-24159, was re-modified in 1943 for use as a presidential VIP transport, the Guess Where II, intended to carry President Franklin D. Roosevelt on international trips.[2] Had it been accepted, it would have been the first aircraft to be used in presidential service i.e. the first Air Force One. However, after a review of the C-87's highly controversial safety record in service, the Secret Service flatly refused to approve the Guess Where II for presidential carriage.[2] The plane was then used to transport senior members of the Roosevelt administration on various trips. In March 1944, the Guess Where II transported Eleanor Roosevelt on a goodwill tour of several Latin American countries. The plane was scrapped in 1945.[2]

President Roosevelt's C-54 Skymaster aircraft, nicknamed "the Sacred Cow."

The Secret Service subsequently reconfigured a Douglas C-54 Skymaster for duty as a presidential transport. This aircraft, nicknamed the Sacred Cow, included a sleeping area, radio telephone, and retractable elevator for Roosevelt's wheelchair. As modified, the presidential C-54 carried the president on several important trips.

The Independence.

After Roosevelt died in spring 1945, Vice President Harry S Truman became President. He replaced the C-54 with a modified C-118 Liftmaster, calling it the Independence, possibly in reference to President Truman's hometown of Independence, Missouri. This was the first aircraft acting as Air Force One that had a distinctive exterior–a bald eagle head painted on its nose.

The Columbine III

The presidential call sign was established for security purposes during the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower. The change stemmed from a 1953 incident where an Eastern Airlines commercial flight (8610) had the same call sign as a flight the president was on (Air Force 8610). The aircraft accidentally entered the same airspace, and after the incident the unique call sign "Air Force One" was introduced for the presidential aircraft.

Eisenhower also introduced four other propeller aircraft, the Lockheed C-121 Constellations (VC-121E) to presidential service. These aircraft were named Columbine II and Columbine III by Mamie Eisenhower after the columbine, the official state flower of Colorado, her adopted home state. Two Aero Commanders were also added to the fleet and earned the distinction of being the smallest Air Force Ones ever. President Eisenhower also upgraded Air Force One's technology by adding an air-to-ground telephone and an air-to-ground teletype machine. Towards the end of Eisenhower's term, in 1958, the Air Force added three Boeing 707 jets (designated SAM 970, 971, and 972), 707-153 models, into the fleet. "Ike" became the first president to use the 707 during his "Flight to Peace" Goodwill tour, from 3 December through 22 December 1959. He visited 11 Asian nations, flying 22,000 miles (35,000 km) in 19 days, about twice as fast as he would have on Columbine.

Air Force One usually does not have fighter aircraft to escort the presidential aircraft over the United States, but it does occur. On an unscheduled stop in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2006, four fighters were seen in close coverage, within a few meters, two below Air Force One's fuselage, and one under each wing. In June 1974, Syrian fighter jets intercepted Air Force One to act as escorts. However, the Air Force One crew was not informed in advance and, as a result, took evasive action including a dive.[3]

Boeing 707s as Air Force One

Main articles: VC-137C SAM 26000 and VC-137C SAM 27000
SAM 27000 as Air Force One

Presidential air travel entered the jet age during the presidency of John F. Kennedy. In October 1962, the Kennedy administration took delivery of a VC-137, a modified long-range 707—Special Air Mission (SAM) 26000, although he had used the Eisenhower-era jets for trips to Canada, France, Austria and the United Kingdom.

The Air Force had attempted a special presidential livery of their own design: a scheme in red and metallic gold, with the nation's name in block letters. Kennedy felt the aircraft appeared too regal and on advice from his wife, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, he contacted the French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy for help in designing a new livery and interiors for the VC-137 jet.[4] Loewy met with the president, and recorded that his earliest research on the project took him to the National Archives where he looked at the first printed copy of the United States Declaration of Independence, and saw the country's name set widely spaced and in upper case in a typeface called Caslon. He chose to expose the polished aluminum fuselage on the bottom side, and used two blues; a slate-blue associated with the early republic and the presidency, and a more contemporary cyan to represent the present and future. The presidential seal was added to both sides of the fuselage near the nose, a large American flag was painted on the tail, and the sides of the aircraft read UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The result of Loewy's work won immediate praise from the president, the press, and the jet's livery became a global icon. The VC-137 markings were adapted for the larger VC-25 when it entered service in 1989.

SAM 26000 was in service from 1962 to 1998, serving Presidents Kennedy to Clinton, but was replaced by another VC-137, Special Air Mission 27000 in 1972. Richard Nixon was the first president to use this, and the aircraft would continue serving every president since, until it too was replaced by two VC-25 aircraft (SAM 28000 and 29000) in 1990. SAM 27000 was decommissioned in 2001 by President George W. Bush, flown to San Bernardino International Airport in California, and later driven in pieces to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley where it was reassembled and is currently on permanent display.

Transition to Boeing 747s

George W. Bush, Bill McGurn, Stephen Hadley and Ed Gillespie gather in the President's office aboard Air Force One.
See also: Boeing VC-25

Though Ronald Reagan's two terms as president saw no major changes to Air Force One, the fabrication of the current 747s began during his presidency. Reagan ordered two identical Boeing 747s to replace the aging 707 that he used for transport.[5] The interior designs were drawn up by First Lady Nancy Reagan, who used designs reminiscent of the American Southwest.[5] The first aircraft was delivered in 1990, during the administration of George H.W. Bush. Delays were experienced to allow for additional work to protect the aircraft from electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects.

Air Force One sits at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on March 1, 2006.

Today's Air Force One is equipped with both secure and unsecure phone and computer communications systems, enabling the president to perform duties while in the air in the event of an attack on the United States.

One of the most dramatic episodes aboard Air Force One happened during the September 11, 2001 attacks. President George W. Bush was interrupted at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, after the attack on the World Trade Center South Tower in New York City. President Bush flew on Air Force One from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana and then to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska before returning to Washington. The next day, officials at the White House and the Justice Department explained that President Bush did this because there was "specific and credible information that the White House and Air Force One were also intended targets."[6] The White House later could not confirm evidence of a threat made against Air Force One, and subsequent investigation found the original claim to be a result of miscommunication.[7]

Past aircraft that served as Air Force One

President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and former First Lady Nancy Reagan tour SAM 27000, the aircraft that served seven presidents from 1972–2001; it is now housed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Several presidential aircraft that have formerly served as Air Force One are on display in the presidential hangar of the National Museum of the United States Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio (Sacred Cow, Independence, Columbine III, SAM 26000, and other smaller presidential aircraft), as well as at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington (earlier VC-137B SAM 970).

United Airlines has the distinction of being the only commercial airline to have operated Executive One, the designation given to a civilian flight on which the U.S. President is aboard. On 26 December 1973, then-President Richard Nixon flew as a passenger aboard a Washington Dulles to Los Angeles flight. It was explained by his staff that this was done in order to conserve fuel by not having to fly the usual Boeing 707 Air Force aircraft.[8] However, the 707 followed the United aircraft to transport the President back to Los Angeles, negating the flight.[citation needed]

On 8 March 2000, President Clinton flew to Pakistan aboard an unmarked Gulfstream III while another aircraft with the call sign "Air Force One" flew on the same route a few minutes later. This diversion was reported by several U.S. press outlets and is not a secret event. This was presumably done as a diversion in case terrorists attempted to shoot down the aircraft that the president was aboard.

The Boeing 707 that served as Air Force One from the Nixon years to the current George Bush administration (SAM 27000) is on display in Simi Valley, California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. The Library's Air Force One Pavilion was opened to the public on 24 October 2005.

A VC-118A Liftmaster used by John F. Kennedy is on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

In 2007 U.S. Air Force requested information from Airbus on the A380 as replacement for Air Force One and the C-5 Galaxy based on maintenance costs and fuel efficiency concerns.[9][10] It is believed[who?] the two current aircraft will not need replacement until at least 2020.

Analogs in other countries

Main article: Air transports of heads of state and government

Popular culture

Air Force One is a prominent symbol of the American presidency and its power.[4] Air Force One is famous worldwide, so much so that when then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair indicated a desire for a similar personal air transport, the press immediately dubbed it "Blair Force One."[11][12][13]

Air Force One has often appeared in popular culture and fiction, most notably as the setting of the 1997 action film of the same name. In the film, Kazakh terrorists hijack Air Force One and hold the president and other passengers as hostages.

In the film Superman, Air Force One (a Boeing 707) is struck by lightning flying over Metropolis, prompting Superman to bring it safely to the ground.

Air Force One was featured prominently in the 1978 Edwin Corley thriller of the same name. Air Force One has also been featured in John Denis's 1981 novel Air Force 1 is Down and Robert Serling's novel The President's Plane Is Missing, subsequently adapted for a TV movie and its sequel Air Force One Is Haunted.

See also

References

  1. ^ Order 7110.65R (Air Traffic Control) Federal Aviation Administration 14 March 2007. Retrieved: 27 August 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Dorr 2002, p. l34.
  3. ^ Washington Post Book Review of Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.
  4. ^ a b Walsh, Kenneth T. Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.
  5. ^ a b Williams, Rudi (June 10, 2004). "Reagan Makes First, Last Flight in Jet He Ordered". United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  6. ^ White Hose News releases
  7. ^ "White House Drops Claim of Threat to Bush." The Washington Post, 27 September 2001. Retrieved: 28 February 2007.
  8. ^ United Airlines
  9. ^ Trimble, Stephen. "US considers Airbus A380 as Air Force One and potentially a C-5 replacement." Flight Global 17 October 2007.
  10. ^ Airbus Retrieved: 7 October 2007.
  11. ^ 'Blair Force One' plans get boost BBC 11 June 2003. Retrieved: 22 April 2007.
  12. ^ Tempest, Matthew. "PM to get his own 'Blair Force One'". Guardian Unlimited, 20 June 2006. Retrieved: 22 April 2007.
  13. ^ Campbell, Duncan. "Blair Force One cleared for takeoff."Guardian Unlimited, 21 June 2006. Retrieved: 22 April 2007.

Bibliography

  • Abbott James A. and Elaine M. Rice. Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1998. ISBN 0-442-02532-7.
  • Albertazzie, Ralph and Jerald F. TerHorst. Flying White House: The Story of Air Force One. New York: Book Sales, 1979. ISBN 0-698-10930-9.
  • Braun, David. Q&A: U.S. Presidential Jet Air Force One. National Geographic News, 29 May 2003
  • Dorr, Robert F. Air Force One. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 2002. ISBN 0-7603-1055-6.
  • Hardesty, Von. Air Force One: The Aircraft that Shaped the Modern Presidency. Chanhassen, Minnesota: Northword Press, 2003. ISBN 1-55971-894-3.
  • Harris, Tom. How Air Force One Works. HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved: 10 October 2006.
  • Technical Order 00-105E-9, Segment 9, Chapter 7 Technical Order 00-105E-9
  • United States Air Force. Air Force One Fact Sheet July 2003.
  • Walsh, Kenneth T. Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes. New York: Hyperion: 2003. ISBN 1-4013-0004-9.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Force One.

Photographs and other multimedia

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