President Obama landed at PVD yesterday evening in a non-747, but with the standard AF1 livery. I understand AF1 is the code-name whenever the President in on-board AF equipment but has there been a standard rotation out of 747?

http://www.providencejournal.com/top...-force-one.ece

That is a Boeing C-32 (757 variant). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_C-32

I think one of the airports he visited cannot handle a VC-25 (747) of which there are two that typically serve as AF1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_VC-25

See also: http://time.com/3550255/obama-campai...the-spotlight/

When traveling domestically, the president often uses the C-32 (757) or one of the helicopters. The 747 is a bit overkill for short haul travel.

Theoretically any aircraft he is on is Air Force One, but in practice they dedicate specific equipment just to his (or her) use.

any idea why he was in Providence?

No, he doesn't "often use" the C-32 unless the runway can't accommodate the VC-25 (747) or even more rarely, if both VC-25s are unavailable for some reason. The VC-25 is used even for short domestic hops (Andrews AFB to Wright-Patterson AFB, <300 miles or so, for one example). The Marine One helicopters are primarily for very short local travel, like transport to/from the White House and Andrews.

The C-32 doesn't have the full range of equipment, accessories, and other things the VC-25 does, making it less than ideal for transport of the President. and is only sparingly used for such. The C-32 is primarily used by the Vice President, Secretary of State, and on occasion others.

Preliminary plans are in work for a replacement to the VC-25.

The call sign Air Force One isn't just theoretical, it is standard practice that any US Air Force aircraft carrying him operates under than call sign while the President is onboard.

This is done very precisely and literally. When President Nixon resigned, he left Andrews on AF1. While in flight, President Ford was sworn in as his replacement, and at that moment, the flight Nixon was on was re-assigned a new designation mid-flight, as the President was no longer on board.

747-8?

I doubt it will be the A380.

Also doubt that it will be a 777.

Not theoretically. Officially. All the time.

That is not entirely correct either. Air Force One is not the designation when POTUS is aboard a rotary-wing aircraft of the helicopter sort and that aircraft is USMC-operated; for then it is Marine One. Also, Air Force One is a reference to at least two things: (a) USAF planes specifically designed and designated for use by the POTUS; and (b) a call sign for any plane used by the USAF when the POTUS is on-board.

Also there is also "Navy One" which covers Navy fixed-wing planes being used to transport the President. Perhaps you remember Navy One landing with GW Bush on the USS Abraham Lincoln? Navy One isn't Air Force One. "Mission accomplished."

+1 that most likely the 800 series will win out but I've heard the 777 is a possibility. Personally I just don't see how.

When one of the presidents flew on a commercial flight (I believe from IAD to LAX) on United DC-8. Did they change callsign to AF1?

Just checked it. It was Nixon back in 1972. Flew United DC-10 from IAD to LAX. The flight became Executive One.

Executive One. It applies to more than just that flight.

In 2009 Airbus declined to participate in the bid for the new AF1.

I also remember reading sometime ago (but i'm not able to find the source...) that Boeing will push 747-800 production up to fulfill this bid, after it they will probably pull the plug at the 747 line.

Speculation, but well-founded speculation. Obsolete or not given ETOPS advances since the 1980s, the Secret Service has a bias toward four-engine solutions for long-haul presidential work. The 748 is the only remaining American-made plane that suits. The current 742s came in with Bush 42 in early 1989 and are now 25 years old. Expect replacements by the end of the decade which will keep the 747 in the public eye through 2050 or so. It is indeed widely believed that this is Boeing's main incentive to keep the 748 line going.

Well, an Ilyushin Il-96 is still an open option...