Air Force One is the official flight of the President of the United States of America. It was brought into existence after 1953 when Dwight E. Eisenhower was the President of the USA. Since then, the Presidential flight carries an air traffic control call sign which is simply called Air Force One. Preceding this air traffic control sign, a specific type of aircraft was reserved for presidential use and it was called the Sacred Cow. The necessity to have a distinct flight with its own air traffic symbol arose when the flight of President Eisenhower entered the air space of common commercial flights using the same air traffic signal. The security of the President as well as hassle free travel is the basic reason why Air Traffic One was constituted.
There are lesser known facts about this prestigious air traffic signal. Some of them are as follows:
The Air Force One uses distinct air traffic signals while on air so that it can be recognized as the presidential flight. This ensures a secure passage for the flight as no other aircraft is allowed to enter its air space.
Although the tenets of the term refer to an air traffic signal, the flights designated as Air Force One are of specific designs and purpose, reserved for presidential use only. Since the 1970s, different models of Boeings have been modified for this purpose. Currently, the stock includes two highly customized Boeing VC-25As.
The Air Force One flights allow have secure communication systems installed which allow the President to keep in touch with the administration as well as the rest of the world while on air.
Unlike the other commercial, private or administrative flights, Air Force One has no boundaries or limited air space within the USA. It can take the President wherever it needs to.
The Air Force One has impressive defence mechanisms against any attack, especially Electronic Counter Measures (ECM). This is probably why it is never escorted by military fighter jets except on special occasions.
The technical intricacies of the Air Force One are largely kept secret and only very few people know of the intricate details of the aircraft.
Every flight of the Air Force One is treated with utmost diligence to secure the safety of the President. The aircraft and the runways are checked by authorities as well as the communication system.
As known statistics go, the Air Force One aircrafts have four General Electric CF6-80C2B1 jet engines. The top speed of the carriers is approximately 700 miles an hour at an elevation of over 40000 feet.
The Air Force One aircrafts can refuel themselves even while it is airborne at any time. This equips the aircrafts with the capacity to stay airborne during emergency situations.
A 1997 Hollywood thriller film was based on the Air Force One and Harrison Ford acted in the movie. It was also named Air Force One.
The Air Force One is not just a presidential flight. Nor is it only an on-air official signal. It is the insignia of the President of the USA. The aircrafts flaunt the national flag of USA, the official seal of the President and the words United States of America.
