# Is there a smaller version of Air Force One in operation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 21, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897 "2009-04-21T21:12:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/1 "2009-04-21T21:12:38Z")
As was passing the airport today, I saw a plane that looked just like Air Force One, only smaller. It had the same blue and white paint, with United States of America on the side on the flag on the tail. But I haven’t heard anything about Obama being in town and there wasn’t any sort of military presence like the last time he was here (Peoria, IL). Is there a smaller version used for someone else? The only person who I can imagine being here without making any sort of news would be Ray LaHood. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/2 "2009-04-21T21:22:59Z")
Yes, there are aircraft like the [C-40](http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=189) and the [C-32.](http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=90) There are even smaller, business jet types, like the [C-20.](http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=87) They are used by Cabinet members, members of Congress, and senior military personnel. ETA: oh, and the VP. The people who use these planes do not “own” them like the President uses Air Force One (aka VC-25). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/3 "2009-04-21T21:59:07Z")
> [@](#): > > **Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States.** Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two specifically configured, highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft – tail codes Special Air Mission (SAM) “28000” and SAM “29000” – with Air Force designation “VC-25A”. While these aircraft are referred to as “Air Force One” only while the president is on board, the term is commonly used to describe either of the two aircraft normally used and maintained by the U.S. Air Force solely for the president. Source: [Air Force One - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_One) ---
**Author:** ![A\_Man\_A\_Plan\_A\_Canal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@A\_Man\_A\_Plan\_A\_Canal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Man_A_Plan_A_Canal)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/4 "2009-04-21T22:00:26Z")
Former 89th Airlift Wing Team Member here. Amongst the blue-and-white fleet at Andrews, there is no particular aircraft that is “owned” by the president or anyone else other than, I suppose, the taxpayer, nor is there a particular aircraft that is designated “Air Force One.” The term is connected to the president, not to an airframe. There are many options available for gov’t VIP travel. Generally speaking, the decision as to which aircraft gets used depends on (1) the mission, (2) the number of people necessary to transport, and (3) in some cases, preference of the official. Any aircraft which carries the president uses the designation “Air Force One” during the time the president is aboard. AMAPAC ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/5 "2009-04-21T22:07:28Z")
I understand that the plane is only official Air Force One when the pres is in it, it’s just easier than saying “The official plane that the president normally flies in and when he does it’s called Air Force One.” Looking at Ravenman’s post, it definitely looks like it might have been the C-40 or the C-32 ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/6 "2009-04-21T22:12:52Z")
They had a hard time fitting all the special equipment into the new Air Force 1. They needed to put way more shielding on wires and other stuff than a standard 747. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/7 "2009-04-21T22:18:49Z")
The President does use a smaller plane if he needs to fly into an airport too small to handle a 747, but that plane is still called Air Force One as long as it’s an Air Force plane. The other designations are Army One, Marine One, Navy One, and Executive One. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/8 "2009-04-22T01:15:30Z")
> [@A\_Man\_A\_Plan\_A\_Canal](#): > > Any aircraft which carries the president uses the designation “Air Force One” during the time the president is aboard. As **alphaboi867** pointed out, this is not quite correct. The corrected version of your sentence would be “Any **Air Force** aircraft which carries the president uses the designation ‘Air Force One’ during the time the president is aboard.” ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/9 "2009-04-22T03:13:42Z")
I imagine the 737 and 757 versions are just as safe as the 747. Has there been any suggestion recently of having the president do more of his travel, particularly domestically, on the smaller planes? It would be greener, and after all the hell we gave GM for flying into Washington on private planes to beg for bailout money… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/10 "2009-04-22T03:58:27Z")
President Clinton also flew into Bosnia twice on C-17s which, although not distinctively marked, were nonetheless designated as Air Force One while he was aboard: [http://www.boeing.com/news/feature/baldrige/index.html](http://www.boeing.com/news/feature/baldrige/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/11 "2009-04-22T12:14:06Z")
> [@threemae](#): > > I imagine the 737 and 757 versions are just as safe as the 747. Has there been any suggestion recently of having the president do more of his travel, particularly domestically, on the smaller planes? It would be greener, and after all the hell we gave GM for flying into Washington on private planes to beg for bailout money… In most cases, the President has so many people accompanying him (secret service, military aides, staff members, cabinet secretaries, press, etc.) that they won’t all fit on one of the smaller planes. So they would have to make 2 trips, or fly 2 of them. And 1 747-400 trip is greener than 2 747-200 flights. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/12 "2009-04-22T12:24:57Z")
For big trips they often take along a 2nd charter plane just for the press. On the recent trip to Europe the press charter plane broke down and the press were left behind while Obama went on to Iraq. The press pay for those flights. ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/13 "2009-04-22T14:25:04Z")
I was under the impression that they flew both VC-25s to wherever the President goes in case of a problem with one. Is that true? Rob ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-smaller-version-of-air-force-one-in-operation/493897/14 "2009-04-28T01:01:42Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > I was under the impression that they flew both VC-25s to wherever the President goes in case of a problem with one. Is that true? > > Rob Don’t know if it’s always true, but during [George W. Bush’s visit to Canberra in 2003](http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2003/s972065.htm) they certainly did - I lived under the flightpath at the time. We have no scheduled 747 services here, so it was quite an unusual sight. (We also had quite a restless night’s sleep, because Australian Air Force FA-18s were airborne over our city for the entire night.)