Air Force One Question

It was GWB (a really super nice guy by the way; although his father was, in many ways, the epitome of a gentleman in my opinion) an S-3 Viking and it would have been "Navy One". The helicopters that usually transports the President is "Marine One" when he's on board.

 

It was well after his presidential days.

 

To quote a conservative politician acquaintance of mine: "Once you're in, it's like the mob. There's no going back to not being a politician".

 

I remember several elections ago, the incumbent was on the campaign trail in a bus tour.

Would that have been "Greyhound One"??

 

It should have been, or Navy One depending on what service the plane was with.

 

SUPPOSEDLY (this was told to me by someone I know who was in the presidential squadron at Andrews) during GWB's re-election campaign, he suggested naming a bus they had "Lonestar One" but it was pointed out that too many people would probably make Space Balls jokes. The response from W was "What's wrong with that? It's a great movie".

 

The “________ One” callsign is more than publicity, it dates back to just after a near-accident when the POTUS used to get carted around in a plane with a generic callsign. IIRC there was the president’s plane and an airliner with very similar identifications on the same frequency. Some sort of mixup with ATC happened and the wrong plane auctioned an instruction which almost caused a crash. I forget if it was almost a midair or almost a CFIT, doesn’t really matter. Point is, the US Government decided they needed something more distinct sounding on the radio.

To that end, if a current US president were to go up in an ultralight that was NORDO the callsign would be...







...nothing.

 

Note that there are times when they do not use that callsign. If they are in a foreign country to reduce risk they don't announce to everyone with a radio and a anti aircraft or tank missile when a target is inbound. In those cases there will be a Secret Service agent, and a local liaison officer in the tower to observe & advise as to priority & flight path.

But Light Trike One is certainly a possibility. An ultralight would just use light signals.

 

And, IIRC, they send both planes. They have 2 b747 painted the same. You don't know WHICH one is actually Air Force 1. For the same reason, you always see 3 marine choppers approaching/leaving the South Lawn of the White House. Until the last few seconds you don't know which one is actually Marine 1.

I would like to point out, though, that IF the Air Force had an ultralight in its inventory, and IF the president was flying it, would it then still be Air Force 1?

 

If it's an Air Force aircraft, yes. The Secret Service wouldn't let George HW Bush fly in a light plane, so the question is very likely moot.

 

Of course not; he would be violating a TFR.


BJC

 

EAA issues identification registration numbers to ultralight owners, that can be used for calling a tower.

 

If you hear the callsigns "SAM 28000" or "SAM 29000", those are the two 747s. SAM= "Special Air Mission"

 

Why? How?

AF1 flies into TFR areas, doesn't it?

 

Depending on the particular president, "Air Force Zero" might be the most appropriate callsign.

 

How is you small aeroplane design coming along ?

 

LMAO!!!

 

I was at Solberg NJ a couple years back and the pres was coming to Morristown which is I think where he usually lands when going downtown. The feds go around to all the local airports and check for I dunno what all. The FBO lady said I would have to lock my plane...they would check all of them for doors locked and ignition key removed. I don't have any locks or keys. Just a turn handle and mag switches. It's a 701. So she opened a new throttle lock outa the display case and loaned it to me. She greased the skids with the fed(they knew one another from past inspections). He bought it.
They had the Army camped out on the far corner of the field.

 

he was in my pilot training class. Big instigator in the student bar on Friday nights.

"see this thin wall here, knock, knock? you can go over to that other wall over there and lower your head and run as hard as you can and run right thru it. Try it!"

LOL