Air Force One is the aircraft that carries the president of the United States. The presidential fleet actually consists of two Boeing VC–25 airplanes, highly modified versions of the civilian Boeing 747-200B. The two planes are maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the 89th Airlift Wing of the Air Mobility Command of the U.S. Air Force. The planes are based at Joint Base Andrews-Naval Air Facility Washington, in Maryland. When the president is aboard either plane, or on any other Air Force aircraft, that aircraft’s radio call signal is “Air Force One.”
The two aircraft of the presidential fleet have been designed to suit the president’s requirements. Each contains a large room that can serve as a conference room or a dining room, quarters for the president and the first lady, and offices for senior staff members. Each plane also has extensive storage areas for food and equipment, two galleys, and work and rest areas for the presidential staff, reporters, and Air Force crews. Each plane can accommodate up to 76 passengers and 26 crew members. The aircraft are 231 feet 10 inches (70.7 meters) long, with wingspans of 195 feet 8 inches (59.6 meters). They can fly 7,800 miles (12,550 kilometers) without refueling.
The radio call sign “Air Force One” was first used by presidential aircraft in the 1950’s. But the first aircraft to be popularly known as Air Force One was a Boeing VC–137C, a modified civilian 707-320B, which went into service for President John F. Kennedy in 1962. One of the current aircraft in the presidential fleet went into service in 1990, and the other in 1991.
