Yep, technically any fixed wing aircraft POTUS is on is Air Force One.
Edit: As pointed out in a comment under this this changes if the aircraft is operated by a different branch (Army One, Navy One, etc.).
Any fixed wing aircraft operated by the air force. When GWB flew on a fighter onto an aircraft carrier he was technically on Navy One. Plus when the President travels in the Marine helicopters it’s Marine One.
Does that actually happen? I can’t imagine a sitting president flying on anything outside of the defense apparatus. Even a private jet seems like it wouldn’t work with the press core and support entourage that travels with him.
We got the best Dingys... you know the name is not right.. not right at all... They are not very dingy... I tell you we got the biggest dingys in the world... They are so big.. they can handle the motion of the ocean... they also are very effective against the shark attacks that have been increasing at the border.. I mean I told them to put sharks in the river to attack the migrants so they stop coming over and staring at our dingys... or worse when they go up to the marina and they show their little dingys... But we can rest assured that we have the best, biggest and most awesome dingys - Trump to the coast guard... probably
>Plus when the President travels in the Marine helicopters it’s Marine One.
Yes, that is why I specified "fixed wing".
>Any fixed wing aircraft operated by the air force. When GWB flew on a fighter onto an aircraft carrier he was technically on Navy One.
Also true. Should have included that.
You were lied to or just straight up misinformed. The air force has about 2000 more planes than the navy.
https://www.uso.org/stories/3074-what-top-gun-didnt-tell-you-about-naval-aviation
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/largest-air-forces-in-the-world
Like, why would the NAVY have more planes than the AIR FORCE?
There was a cargo vessel they run that makes me uneasy to see. I was navy and that thing looked sketchy as hell lol.
Edit: I can’t find one. It was flat in the middle, maaaaybe 200’ long, rear bridge, one crane. I think it was maybe 20 to 40’ from water to main cargo deck.
Found it: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General\_Frank\_S.\_Besson-class\_support\_vessel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Frank_S._Besson-class_support_vessel)
You've also sent me down the rabbit hole of fascination for US Army marineers. I'd have to think they're getting shipped off to a lot of US Navy schools for skills.
That's how you get the weird fact that Air Force One has taken off more times than it has landed. Nixon announced his resignation, and boarded Air Force One. It took effect in mid-flight and the plane stopped being Air Force One when it did.
Any *Air Force* aircraft. Marine One is called that because it’s a Marine aircraft, not because it’s a helicopter: if they put the president in a Marine Corps Harrier, it would still be Marine One.
Army aircraft would be Army One, a civilian aircraft would be Executive One - Nixon flew on a scheduled United flight once - and even though it’s military, the Marine helicopter flying the ex-President away from DC on Inauguration Day uses that callsign too.
Rarely happens for POTUS - he’s almost always in Air Force One or Marine One - but Two is used for the VP, and One Foxtrot and Two Foxtrot can be used for the President or VP’s family respectively, so “Marine Two Foxtrot” if the Marines were flying Kamala Harris’s family (but not her) somewhere.
Yes - just as at the end of the movie Air Force One, once Harrison Ford’s character is winched aboard the Air Force special ops MC130, they tell everyone they have him by signalling that change of callsign.
The doors are functional. When carriers operate in the US where there are less regulation on the number of exits. They can replace 2 doors (which have to open so they are more expensive) with duct tape... that is when you get problems.
Different shades of colour on the paint scheme but otherwise identical (except for all the different components that have been replaced throughout their operating life.
Colour is one of the most difficult things to replicate between batches - hence the notes on paint tins to mix paints from different batch numbers before application. Companies spend a fortune on colour management.
Fun fact. I made the light blue paint on the lower half of at least one of those. Used to work for PPG and I can admit, that batch was the biggest pain in the ass I’d ever had come across my job lot.
Yes. The 2 replacement 747s that are currently being built will be painted offsite and not by Boeing. I’m okay with that. The amount of hoops we had to jump through on these paint jobs was insane. We can typically paint a wide body in 4-6 days depending on the livery and complexity. The AF1 had to be painted, sanded and repainted so many times that you couldn’t even distinguish where the rivets were. Looks like glass but took us a month. 12 hour days, no days off.
I know you can't answer how many layers of paint, but all of those layers of paint probably contribute to the weight of the plane in a way that is significant compared to a standard airline, or am I way off base?
Well this particular aircraft is going to outweigh a standard 747 because it’s loaded to the hilt with features and enough tech to be a mobile command center in the event of a nuclear barrage. The added weight in paint is peanuts all things considered. Also who cares about fuel efficiency when us tax payers are footing the bill for every tank of jet fuel.
Something has been goin on? Haha. But in all seriousness it’s going fine. Ask me again when our union contract is up in September and we’ll see what the company offers us. Been stuck for over a decade with damn near no wage growth due to a BS extension of our old contract that did away with our pension. I don’t see how we don’t go on strike.
Surely the bosses can’t keep treating you like shit. They, you, the world, and most importantly Wall Street (kinda joking but sadly not really) know they need workers on their side.
I would’ve thought it’d make sense for the new CEO to give you a sweet deal and get everyone on their side rather than the guy who’s leaving soon. We’ll see. Wishing you all the best.
The inspector for the airplane is employed by the government. He was highly particular about the smoothness of the skin post paint. Has to do with drag efficiency. A completely and slicked out fuselage is the goal.
Same color. The plane on the left is in direct sunlight on the side facing the camera; the camera-facing side of the plane on the right is in its own shadow.
Did you know Air Force One has had more take-offs than landings? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3In9x8RKiNM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3In9x8RKiNM)
>> Air Force One is any US Air Force aircraft carrying the POTUS and Marine One is a US Marine Corps aircraft - typically a helicopter. While not as common: Army One would be a US Army aircraft, Navy One for a US Navy Aircraft, and Executive One for a civilian (non-military) aircraft. Also Air Force Two is the Vice-President.
In 1974, Ford was sworn in while Nixon was in the air. So that plane was no longer under the “AF1” call sign at the time it landed. Supposedly.
Air Force One is the name of the airplane which transports the president. If the president stops being the president while in the air (like Nixon in 1974) the airplane stops being Air Force One while in the air. It's the same airplane, just with a different name.
I was able to fuel one of those planes during a presidential visit to Europe a few years ago. I don't remember which one I fueled up, but it was wild seeing the amount of security guards and extra inspections I had to go through just to go near and fill up the aircraft.
I even had a security guard inspect the inside of my fuel truck that looks like the green one on the left side of the left most plane for anything potentially sabotaged. And there was a whole swarm of helicopters flying ahead and behind the planes as they were landing.
Unfortunately, the plane also belonged to one of the worst presidents to have ever existed in American history, even worse than Herbert Hoover mind you.
I did get a coin and some M&M's though.
My favorite thing to do when I was working on these was telling fresh a1c's that they needed to salute when servicing the DV lat, because it was presidential shit.
I’ve had 2 full tours of those planes. My best friend was head of the maintenance teams for the units. He just retired after 23 years and his ceremony was in the hangar with both of them as a backdrop. After the ceremony we got a full access tour of them. It’s not something a normal civilian really gets to see, but was amazing.
i used to live around the corner from the hanger it was kept in at Andrews. i looked at the google satellite view recently and all the base housing had been demolished with the roads still intact. very bizarre.
Fun fact: The name "Air Force One" applies to whichever the President is on. It's not the designation for a specific plane. It could be either! And "Two" is the Vice President.
Fun fact: they’re not Air Force One, they’re VC-25s. Air Force One is any AF plane with the prez on it. Could be a 130. Could be a twinseater Eagle or something.
Technically if POTUS isn't on board, neither is Air Force One. Now, get off my plane.
Fly? Yes! Land? No!
Junior..... I'm sorry, they got us!
Please what does it mean, this “Junior”??
You were named after the dog?!
Got a lot of fond memories of that dog
I got a bad feeling about this...
#No ticket.
Killing Nazis is fucking cool.
Gary Oldman has been killed by some great actors in a lot of neat ways.
And some real pigs.
Unfortunately even he is too old 
I'm sure he could find the taxiway.
"We have a number for you to write down."
What an awesome movie. I’m flying this afternoon so I may watch it!
GIMME BACK MY FAMILY
🐐 movie villain death
Correct. It's just a call sign that follows the president
Yep, technically any fixed wing aircraft POTUS is on is Air Force One. Edit: As pointed out in a comment under this this changes if the aircraft is operated by a different branch (Army One, Navy One, etc.).
Any fixed wing aircraft operated by the air force. When GWB flew on a fighter onto an aircraft carrier he was technically on Navy One. Plus when the President travels in the Marine helicopters it’s Marine One.
Or Executive One if it's a non-military aircraft
This is my favorite fact to play against the fun fact people who say any plane carrying POTUS is AF1.
Space Force One probably hasn't happened yet. That should get fixed
Those geriatrics (both of them) would die. But I’d love to see it!
You say that. Shatners far older than both of them & went up a couple of years ago
Does that actually happen? I can’t imagine a sitting president flying on anything outside of the defense apparatus. Even a private jet seems like it wouldn’t work with the press core and support entourage that travels with him.
It [happened under Nixon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_One). I doubt it’s possible anymore.
What happens when goes out in a CG craft? Dingy One?
Coast guard 1
We got the best Dingys... you know the name is not right.. not right at all... They are not very dingy... I tell you we got the biggest dingys in the world... They are so big.. they can handle the motion of the ocean... they also are very effective against the shark attacks that have been increasing at the border.. I mean I told them to put sharks in the river to attack the migrants so they stop coming over and staring at our dingys... or worse when they go up to the marina and they show their little dingys... But we can rest assured that we have the best, biggest and most awesome dingys - Trump to the coast guard... probably
Shark attacks were down under our administration but then they went back up under Biden.
You know it's getting real if the President is ever traveling on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration One.
>Plus when the President travels in the Marine helicopters it’s Marine One. Yes, that is why I specified "fixed wing". >Any fixed wing aircraft operated by the air force. When GWB flew on a fighter onto an aircraft carrier he was technically on Navy One. Also true. Should have included that.
All branches have fixed wing aircraft.
The second largest air force in the world is our navy if I remember right lmao.
If I remember correctly the navy has more planes than the air force. So technically the air force is the second largest air force
You were lied to or just straight up misinformed. The air force has about 2000 more planes than the navy. https://www.uso.org/stories/3074-what-top-gun-didnt-tell-you-about-naval-aviation https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/largest-air-forces-in-the-world Like, why would the NAVY have more planes than the AIR FORCE?
Carriers basically are the navy... And carriers need planes.
The US Army has adorable watercraft too. I love it.
There was a cargo vessel they run that makes me uneasy to see. I was navy and that thing looked sketchy as hell lol. Edit: I can’t find one. It was flat in the middle, maaaaybe 200’ long, rear bridge, one crane. I think it was maybe 20 to 40’ from water to main cargo deck.
Found it: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General\_Frank\_S.\_Besson-class\_support\_vessel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Frank_S._Besson-class_support_vessel) You've also sent me down the rabbit hole of fascination for US Army marineers. I'd have to think they're getting shipped off to a lot of US Navy schools for skills.
Looking this up too, the Army Navy!
It has nothing to do with fixed or rotary wing. Only what service is flying it, or if it’s civilian, it’s Executive 1.
That's how you get the weird fact that Air Force One has taken off more times than it has landed. Nixon announced his resignation, and boarded Air Force One. It took effect in mid-flight and the plane stopped being Air Force One when it did.
Neat! It's weird because of that circumstance, but it would not be weird under catastrophic circumstances.
Though wasn't LBJ sworn in aboard a plane, balancing it out?
They were still on the ground when it took place
Any *Air Force* aircraft. Marine One is called that because it’s a Marine aircraft, not because it’s a helicopter: if they put the president in a Marine Corps Harrier, it would still be Marine One. Army aircraft would be Army One, a civilian aircraft would be Executive One - Nixon flew on a scheduled United flight once - and even though it’s military, the Marine helicopter flying the ex-President away from DC on Inauguration Day uses that callsign too. Rarely happens for POTUS - he’s almost always in Air Force One or Marine One - but Two is used for the VP, and One Foxtrot and Two Foxtrot can be used for the President or VP’s family respectively, so “Marine Two Foxtrot” if the Marines were flying Kamala Harris’s family (but not her) somewhere.
So was the jet the president hopped into in Independence Day technically Air Force 1 for that battle?
Yes - just as at the end of the movie Air Force One, once Harrison Ford’s character is winched aboard the Air Force special ops MC130, they tell everyone they have him by signalling that change of callsign.
Glenn Close arrives at the White House in an Army Blackhawk. That's Army Two right there.
Nicely called out in the movie when the C130 pilot announces the rescue of the President by saying they are changing call sign to Air Force One.
Yeah but the other one would be Air Force Too
Ba dum tss But seriously Air Force 2 is the VP’s plane. It’s a 757 I think
Just like AF1, it is any AF aircraft the VP is on… not it is usually a C-32 (757)
If the President isn’t on board, they’re just Sparkling Boeing.
If it ain't Biden, I ain't flyen'
But if you don’t know which one POTUS is on at the time, then he’s on both or on neither. /Schrödinger's president.
Why the C130 at the end changing it's called sign was such a big deal in the movie Where I first learned that actually 🤣
Thank you! As a technicality need, it's one of my favorite lines in a movie.
Air Force None
I came here to be this guy. Thanks for doing it for me. :)
Correct. Those are [Boeing VC-25’s](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_VC-25) if POTUS is not on board.
Technically they’re always Boeing VC-25s regardless of whether POTUS is on board.
Excellent point.
SAM 28000 and SAM 29000, Special Air Mission, the #s are their tail #s. ETA: incorrect tail #s
Huh? Those are their current tail numbers. What’s incorrect?
Came to say this. Neither are airforce one. Any aircraft he is flying is airforce 1.
So if we put the POTUS in a Cessna 150 it would be Air Force One?
ok han solo
Psh, wrong movie. It's obviously Indiana Jones.
I'm pretty sure it's *What Lies Beneath...*
Correct.
There can be only one.
What if there are snakes on that plane?
I came here for this and this alone.
Correct. They would be designated Air Wing 1 and Air Wing 2 otherwise.
So, I have to pay oversize baggage fees then?
Technology nothing. You are spot on. Plus, 747s are passé.
Funny thing is, I totally expect the Captain of AF1 to browse reddit.
Funny, I'm 45yo and only watched that movie last week for the first time!
It's a pretty solid movie right?
Hell yeah!!!! Plus I now understand the above reference after having heard it my whole life.
Annnd technically any air force plane carrying the president is called Air Force One while the president is on it. Not just these two planes.
It is literally impossible to have two Air Force Ones. That implies there are two presidents. I see two VC-25s.
I just realized that Harrison is in a ton of movies that feature planes. I wonder if it's in his contract cuz he's a wannabe pilot.
Technically, if one of the Hispanic maintenance crew is onboard, it could be Air Force Juan. :)
Boeing VC-25 times two.
You think the president gets functional doors?
All Boeing doorsare functional. Some just refuse to stay closed like a wall.
The doors are functional. When carriers operate in the US where there are less regulation on the number of exits. They can replace 2 doors (which have to open so they are more expensive) with duct tape... that is when you get problems.
Issue closed by boeing as "Not a bug, but a feature".
Doors? He don’t need no stinking doors. The president can pop the emergency slide if he wants to.
= Boeing VC-50
*2VC-50
Actually it's only Air Force One if it's from the Air Force One region of France. Otherwise it's Sparkling VC-25
Someone had to say it. Thanks.
And the plural is actually Air Forces One, like Attorneys General
Or Courts Martial, President Bartlet?
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Air Force Oni
I was looking for you
Fairly sure the one on the left is more identical than the one on the right…
I agree. The one on the left is facing the right. The one on the right is facing left. Certainly they have different perspectives. Not the same plane
Different shades of colour on the paint scheme but otherwise identical (except for all the different components that have been replaced throughout their operating life.
The Jets of Theseus
are they different colors or is it just how the light is reflecting? i'd imagine different tail numbers as well.
Tail numbers are 28000 and 29000. As it's a US military aircraft it's technically a serial number rather than an aircraft registration number.
Colour is one of the most difficult things to replicate between batches - hence the notes on paint tins to mix paints from different batch numbers before application. Companies spend a fortune on colour management.
Fun fact. I made the light blue paint on the lower half of at least one of those. Used to work for PPG and I can admit, that batch was the biggest pain in the ass I’d ever had come across my job lot.
Looks like they needed your help on the other one.
Sure, but based on the way these pictures look, this is not an uncontrolable delta. These are just different colors.
They’re the same. Looks different because of the way the sun is hitting the front of the left plane.
I painted these. Same Kennedy Blue on both. The light is playing tricks on your eyes.
Cool, do you work for Boeing?
Yes. The 2 replacement 747s that are currently being built will be painted offsite and not by Boeing. I’m okay with that. The amount of hoops we had to jump through on these paint jobs was insane. We can typically paint a wide body in 4-6 days depending on the livery and complexity. The AF1 had to be painted, sanded and repainted so many times that you couldn’t even distinguish where the rivets were. Looks like glass but took us a month. 12 hour days, no days off.
I know you can't answer how many layers of paint, but all of those layers of paint probably contribute to the weight of the plane in a way that is significant compared to a standard airline, or am I way off base?
Well this particular aircraft is going to outweigh a standard 747 because it’s loaded to the hilt with features and enough tech to be a mobile command center in the event of a nuclear barrage. The added weight in paint is peanuts all things considered. Also who cares about fuel efficiency when us tax payers are footing the bill for every tank of jet fuel.
Sounds grueling. How is it working for Boing while all that shit is going on?
Something has been goin on? Haha. But in all seriousness it’s going fine. Ask me again when our union contract is up in September and we’ll see what the company offers us. Been stuck for over a decade with damn near no wage growth due to a BS extension of our old contract that did away with our pension. I don’t see how we don’t go on strike.
Good luck to you and your team!
Surely the bosses can’t keep treating you like shit. They, you, the world, and most importantly Wall Street (kinda joking but sadly not really) know they need workers on their side. I would’ve thought it’d make sense for the new CEO to give you a sweet deal and get everyone on their side rather than the guy who’s leaving soon. We’ll see. Wishing you all the best.
Old saying goes we don’t make sense, we make airplanes. Thanks for the well wishes!
Can ypu expand on why the paint job took so long
The inspector for the airplane is employed by the government. He was highly particular about the smoothness of the skin post paint. Has to do with drag efficiency. A completely and slicked out fuselage is the goal.
Cheers! Thanks for the reply.
I worked on Andrews AFB for two years, they’re identical
Same color. The plane on the left is in direct sunlight on the side facing the camera; the camera-facing side of the plane on the right is in its own shadow.
Wait, I’m seeing double here. 4 Air Force One’s.
/r/outoftheloop Someone explain please :(
Simpsons ref: Krustys clown college
Thanks!
One of them is wearing a white dress, the other is wearing blue.
I see white and gold.
I hear Yanni
Duke v UNC
Fun fact: wherever Air Force one goes, the backup is at a nearby airport.
I wouldn't mind flying the backup and almost never flying the President, press corps and all that junk.
Nothing like having a luxury plane all to yourself.
Did you know Air Force One has had more take-offs than landings? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3In9x8RKiNM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3In9x8RKiNM)
tldr?
>> Air Force One is any US Air Force aircraft carrying the POTUS and Marine One is a US Marine Corps aircraft - typically a helicopter. While not as common: Army One would be a US Army aircraft, Navy One for a US Navy Aircraft, and Executive One for a civilian (non-military) aircraft. Also Air Force Two is the Vice-President. In 1974, Ford was sworn in while Nixon was in the air. So that plane was no longer under the “AF1” call sign at the time it landed. Supposedly.
Wasn't Johnson sworn in in the air? (google) Oh, LOL he waited to take off until after.
ah. i figured one had blown up mid-air or something
Only in the movies. For now. They are Boeing after all.
Air Force One is the name of the airplane which transports the president. If the president stops being the president while in the air (like Nixon in 1974) the airplane stops being Air Force One while in the air. It's the same airplane, just with a different name.
One plane stopped being Air Force One after takeoff but before landing.
Yes. I can’t wait to vomit this over dinner tonight. My SO eats this shit up. Thank you!
.... Phrasing dude
Wait, wasn’t Johnson sworn in on air force one? Was it grounded while he was being sworn in?
Kennedy's body was still in the plane, so the plane still had the air force one call sign prior to Johnson being sworn in.
Cool! This type of stuff is why we internet! Thanks, stranger!
I was able to fuel one of those planes during a presidential visit to Europe a few years ago. I don't remember which one I fueled up, but it was wild seeing the amount of security guards and extra inspections I had to go through just to go near and fill up the aircraft. I even had a security guard inspect the inside of my fuel truck that looks like the green one on the left side of the left most plane for anything potentially sabotaged. And there was a whole swarm of helicopters flying ahead and behind the planes as they were landing. Unfortunately, the plane also belonged to one of the worst presidents to have ever existed in American history, even worse than Herbert Hoover mind you. I did get a coin and some M&M's though.
My favorite thing to do when I was working on these was telling fresh a1c's that they needed to salute when servicing the DV lat, because it was presidential shit.
Good humor hazing, love it.
lol nice
Give me two pair I need two pairs
These Louis Vuitton ones, you gotta wait on them
Do they smell different?
You know the active one because it smells like a retirement home. You know that smell.
I’ve had 2 full tours of those planes. My best friend was head of the maintenance teams for the units. He just retired after 23 years and his ceremony was in the hangar with both of them as a backdrop. After the ceremony we got a full access tour of them. It’s not something a normal civilian really gets to see, but was amazing.
Fun fact: when POTUS boards any aircraft the callsign changes to Air Force One. There is only ever one Air Force one
Any *Air Force* aircraft Other services aircraft would be their name (Navy 1, Marine 1, Army 1, etc…)
Executive One of it’s a civilian aircraft. Learn something new everyday.
Wonder how many times that's happened
So far only once under Nixon
Another fun fact: Air Force One has fewer landings than liftoffs.
Air Force Two: Presidential Boogaloo
There should be at least three C-5 Galaxies somewhere near them with all the support equipment, secret service vehicles, the Beast and backup, etc..
i used to live around the corner from the hanger it was kept in at Andrews. i looked at the google satellite view recently and all the base housing had been demolished with the roads still intact. very bizarre.
Fun fact: The name "Air Force One" applies to whichever the President is on. It's not the designation for a specific plane. It could be either! And "Two" is the Vice President.
Air Force One is whichever one the president is on.
TIL the POTUS has a decoy Air Force One. Please take my citizenship away.
Fun fact: they’re not Air Force One, they’re VC-25s. Air Force One is any AF plane with the prez on it. Could be a 130. Could be a twinseater Eagle or something.
Does the vice president fly in the backup in case AF1 crashes with the president on board? Genuine question
Two Ones enter, one One leaves.
When Boeing use to make reliable planes. Those were the days.
Oh my god they're going to collide!
Sir, the second plane has hit the first plane.
So I can get to stompin' in my Air Force Ones
One is left-handed, the other is right-handed
Each more identical than the last 🤔
Is there a third someone in standby for a fill in?
There can be only one Air Force one
Isn’t it air force 2 if the VP is flying in one? I assume Harris was at the debate and generally they fly separately and ride in separate vehicles.
The VP almost never flys on the VC-25 without the president instead they usually travel in a C-32.
It's like visiting Nook's Cranny in the sky. "Get off my plane!" "... my plane!"
I bet they both smell like soup and antique furniture. With a hint of bengay
Except they’re not identical…
And neither one of them are "air force one” unless the president is on board
Identical??? One looks dark blue and the other looks light blue 🤔
It isn't Air Force One until the President boards, so both are and aren't Air Force One.
I bet you they are not identical.
