Air Force One Causes Landing Delays following Obama Speech at a Solar Factory
May 30, 2010, 11:21 am
#46
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I've sort of long wondered why the 747 must be used for domestic trips. I realize the main justifications are to fit all the press, and some security concerns, but really, for domestic, I don't see the need. Send the press commercial or on a separate charter. Any plane the President flies in is of course always going to be Air Force One, so why not take a an Air Force 757 or smaller and land at a less congested airport? I guess the ability to maintain unlimited flight (KC-10 airborne refueling) in case of attack would be the main reason this won't happen.
May 30, 2010, 11:31 am
#47
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Not at all. The free ride for the press is secondary ( more like tertiary ) to it's function as a command post for National Command Authority of the Commander in Chief. AF1 has the communications, command, control and intelligence links to do everything from issuing political sound bites to the media, to fighting a full blown nuclear war and anything in between.
May 30, 2010, 11:51 am
#48
Join Date: Aug 2009
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I live quite close to DPA (DuPage), a small but fairly busy airport about 15 miles southwest of ORD. It's been a long three days so far without any flights from DPA. I miss the small planes overhead.
For me Barry O. can't go back to Washington fast enough. It's too quiet around here.
For me Barry O. can't go back to Washington fast enough. It's too quiet around here.
May 30, 2010, 4:43 pm
#49
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I'll bet we spend a boatload to tank in fuel for AF1 rather than let the pres use that inferior commercial stuff they have lying around the commercial airports, too 
May 30, 2010, 8:51 pm
#50
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May 30, 2010, 10:02 pm
#51
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May 31, 2010, 2:06 am
#52
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I've sort of long wondered why the 747 must be used for domestic trips. I realize the main justifications are to fit all the press, and some security concerns, but really, for domestic, I don't see the need. Send the press commercial or on a separate charter. Any plane the President flies in is of course always going to be Air Force One, so why not take a an Air Force 757 or smaller and land at a less congested airport? I guess the ability to maintain unlimited flight (KC-10 airborne refueling) in case of attack would be the main reason this won't happen.
Jun 1, 2010, 6:17 am
#53
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Jun 1, 2010, 9:38 am
#54
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Calling it Executive One is a great giveaway... wouldn't it be more secure if the POTUS's plane wasn't called ___ One?
If it weren't for cell phones I would not be surprised if the POTUS would be more secure if he just secretly hopped on random commercial flights. (One of those times that security through obscurity works because of the short lifespan of the usefulness of the secret).
If the POTUS is on Marine One, what are the escorting (decoy?) helicopters called?
MKE (yes, an ANG at a civilian airport) would certainly cause less disruption to civilian air traffic. Then take Navy One
to Navy Pier (I am aware that Navy One would actually be an aircraft.)
Wright-Patterson is actually slightly closer than Scott is to CHI (as the bird flies).
If it weren't for cell phones I would not be surprised if the POTUS would be more secure if he just secretly hopped on random commercial flights. (One of those times that security through obscurity works because of the short lifespan of the usefulness of the secret).
If the POTUS is on Marine One, what are the escorting (decoy?) helicopters called?
MKE (yes, an ANG at a civilian airport) would certainly cause less disruption to civilian air traffic. Then take Navy One
to Navy Pier (I am aware that Navy One would actually be an aircraft.)Wright-Patterson is actually slightly closer than Scott is to CHI (as the bird flies).
What all this proves is just how bad the closing of Miegs Field was. Anyone who's played Flight Simulator knows you could land a B747 there, right?
Aug 22, 2013, 6:47 pm
#55
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Why does Air Force One occasionally use Dulles instead of Andrews? [...] The president flew from IAD to Riyadh that evening to meet with the King before going on to Egypt the following day for his speech to the Muslim world, and then to Normandy for D-Day.
Anyway, I never figured out why AF1 was in Dulles instead of Andrews. Any ideas?
Anyway, I never figured out why AF1 was in Dulles instead of Andrews. Any ideas?
ADW (Joint Base Andrews)'s longest runway is 9755 ft; IAD's longest runway is 11,500 ft.
Another option would be to depart from NHK (Patuxent River NAS) which has a runway of 11,807 ft. NHK is 44 miles south-east of ADW while IAD is 33 miles north-west of ADW. The longest runway within 100 miles of ADW is at DOV (Dover AFB), 79 miles north-east of ADW, which sports a 12,900 ft runway. All of these airports are within helicopter range of 1600 Pennsylvania.
There is little room at ADW to lengthen runways.
Aug 22, 2013, 8:09 pm
#56
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I'm not quite sure if by "Navy One" you're referring to a boat
Aug 23, 2013, 6:33 am
#57
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Somewhat OT, but I have to say---
One of the (FT-related!) perks of living in my area is that the presidential 747's use our local airport Newport News (PHF) to practice approaches frequently throughout the year. Rather cool to be out running errands at shopping centers near PHF and watch it pass overhead on short final to runway 07 at less than 500 ft altitude. Repeatedly.
And the other day, there was a 172 in the pattern with it!
One of the (FT-related!) perks of living in my area is that the presidential 747's use our local airport Newport News (PHF) to practice approaches frequently throughout the year. Rather cool to be out running errands at shopping centers near PHF and watch it pass overhead on short final to runway 07 at less than 500 ft altitude. Repeatedly.
And the other day, there was a 172 in the pattern with it!