# Flying on Air Force One: Absolute, 100 % safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2015, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191 "2015-03-04T11:55:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/61 "2017-08-03T03:55:14Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > There is a certain amount of built in redundancy for this reason (you can’t guarantee the safety plane travel, and accidents tend to be fatal). That is why Air Force Two exists, the VPOTUS and POTUS can’t be on the same plane at the same time. > > The UK has a similar policy with the royal family (which I never got I mean that’s the point of having a line of succession surely, you’ve got enough cousins lying around to take control if they Queen and family hit a mountain 🙂 ) There is also redundancy in that two identical aircraft always fly together. The plane carrying the POTUS has an identical doppelganger which always accompanies it, so that if one plane has a mechanical mishap, the President can immediately transfer to the other plane, which then becomes Air Force One. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/62 "2017-08-03T10:08:10Z")
> [@Hocus\_Pocus](#): > > If the AF is unable to provide fuel at a particular location they will purchase fuel locally, test it, and seal the container as well as guard it until AF1 needs it. Uh-huh… and what sort of “container” do you think is adequate to hold the quantity of fuel needed by AF1? How do you think they get it from the “container” into the airplane? There are these things called “fuel trucks” purpose-built for that. Even if the AF1 entourage brings one along, there is still the possibility of an accident with it, or with any other vehicle. Including AF1. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/63 "2017-08-03T10:31:10Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Uh-huh… and what sort of “container” do you think is adequate to hold the quantity of fuel needed by AF1? How do you think they get it from the “container” into the airplane? > > There are these things called “fuel trucks” purpose-built for that. Even if the AF1 entourage brings one along, there is still the possibility of an accident with it, or with any other vehicle. Including AF1. While I could never rule out an accident 100%, I can’t recall any fires on airplanes being caused during the refueling process. Besides, the plane wouldn’t be AF1 during refueling, as it would usually take place while POTUS is off the plane (thus relegating it back to SAM 29000). ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/64 "2017-08-03T11:52:58Z")
Who said anything about fires? A collision between fuel truck and airplane can cause damage without fire being involved - impact on landing gear or flight control surfaces could be serious. ---
**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/65 "2017-08-03T12:37:42Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Who said anything about fires? > > A collision between fuel truck and airplane can cause damage without fire being involved - impact on landing gear or flight control surfaces could be serious. Anytime anything like that happens the plane is taken out of commission until it can pass inspection. In this case they would use the remaining two big jets, or use a smaller one. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/66 "2017-08-03T19:33:37Z")
> [@Hocus\_Pocus](#): > > If the AF is unable to provide fuel at a particular location they will purchase fuel locally, test it, and seal the container as well as guard it until AF1 needs it. I hope you are right about the airplane fuel…because that’s not the way they handle the fuel for the [President’s armored limousine.](http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/20/world/meast/israel-obama-limousine/index.html) “The official limousine awaiting President Barack Obama’s arrival in Israel malfunctioned after its driver refueled it using gasoline rather than diesel fuel… The limo failed to start, and required towing.” ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/67 "2017-08-03T19:39:26Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Where did you get this idea? There’s even a famous quote by Chicago O’Hare ATC telling Air Force One to get moving to avoid problems ("Air Force One I said _expedite!")_. > > … Is there an audio cite for this? And what did the pilot say back? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/68 "2017-08-03T19:41:29Z")
> [@Hocus\_Pocus](#): > > … > > I would also note that since the last presidential assassination security has changed dramatically. At the time of JFK’s death there were approx. 100 Secret Service agents assigned to the White House. There are now 3,200 agents, along with 1,300 additional uniformed officers… Interesting. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/69 "2017-08-03T22:50:54Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Is there an audio cite for this? Well, it was on an ATC tape. It long predates the internet so I wouldn’t know where to find one on line. > [@](#): > > And what did the pilot say back? Presumably, he complied with the instruction and if so there was no need for him to reply. It would be a matter of ATC trying to push the PotUS around, it would be for a safety reason. What do you expect the pilot to say? \* “We don’t have to listen to you, we’ll just ignore -” CRUNCH! “Uh… ground control, we need a tow now…”.\* ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/70 "2017-08-03T23:56:24Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > The Trumpenführer fires the flight crew? Mid-flight! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/71 "2017-08-04T00:52:42Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > It’s only a matter of time until someone executes a successful attack on the presidential airplane. I realize I’m responding a couple of years later, but - with drones and swarms of drones and such and such - this is more inevitable than ever\*. - - If things can, in fact, increase in inevitability. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191/72 "2017-08-04T01:23:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > [Nitpick] Said airplane would be referred to as _Executive One_ - only Air Force aircraft get the “Air Force One” designation. Hence, you sometimes hear “Marine One” in reference to the President’s helicopter. [/Nitpick] Nitpick duly noted 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-on-air-force-one-absolute-100-safe/714191.md?page=3)