(I mean, besides the vain hope that he will be re-elected.)
I see that our president is in John Edwards’ back yard this morning. And the news program that informed me of this also showed Bush getting off a plane was was not a 747. BUT it was painted blue and white like the two 747s that serve as Air Force One. It looked like maybe a 757 or 767 from the glimpses I got (strangely enough, the news wasn’t as concerned with the plane as the reason for the trip). What’s the deal? How many planes do we have for our cheif executive?
And…can I have one?
It still boggles me why people have to get in their personal political pot shots any time it is possible. I know the answer to your question, but when one asks it like this, I don’t feel compelled to answer. Please leave your political opinions out of a factual forum.
Source: http://www.fact-index.com/a/ai/air_force_one.html
Unfortunately the Andrews AFB web site doesn’t appear to list the aircraft of the 89th Airlift Wing anymore. Security reasons perhaps.
The 89th does have at least 2 Boeing C-32’s, commercial 757’s outfitted for VIP use but able to fit into airports that the 747’s can’t. That has to be what you saw.
The 89th Airlift Wing Home Page lists their inventory:
Dear Beltbuckle,
Would you please tell me what aircraft (besides the two 747-200s) are available to the President of the United States?
Thanks,
Deathllama
::checks to see that question has been answered::
Bushsucksbushsucksbushsucksnyahnyahbushsucks. 
Whatever he was flying on, it was not Ibogaine.
Nope.
No rare African hallucinogens here. Nope, nope, nope.
Gee, with a whopping 36 posts, it didn’t take you long to mount that high horse.
And after being here for four years, DeathLlama should know better.
I fail to see how it takes a great many posts to figure out what is acceptable. People that come here often know better. People have frequently been warned by moderators to stop this behaviour, as all it does is degrade the forum. So if following protocol is mounting a high horse, then I invite all the political-pot-shotters to mount up as well. It is basically common sense and courtesy.
Yes. Yes, I should. And as a life-long Republican, I probably shouldn’t criticize my party’s candidate, either. Bad recalcitrant llama. I shan’t do it again (at least, not in this forum).
Anyhow.
If you all would please forgive the flippancy of my damn fool OP and return to the question, I’d really like to know what the heck they are flying. I managed to dig up an article from Clinton’s administration mentioning a Boeing 707 serving as Air Force One (and getting stuck in the mud on a taxi way). I’m wondering if they’re still flying those as back-ups, or if there’s something else. Did anyone else see Bush’s plane on the news this morning? I know it’s not the burning question on everyone’s mind these days, but I’m just curious.
thanks,
GraveIllnessLlama*
*a slightly more health-conscious, politically benign subsidiary of DeathLlama, Inc.
I think you missed where ElvisL1ves answered your question earlier.
Bush was flying on a C-32, a modified Boeing 757. The Air Force bought these to replace the aging VC-137s (the old 707s).
Okay, I definitely missed the part where they replaced the 707s (not used to thinking of them as VC-137s). And really, who could mistake a 707 for a 757? Shouldn’t have even brought it up. Sorry.
However, while Elvis said the C-32 has to be what I saw, I want to know from someone who saw it themselves or can find a picture. The C-40 (military version of the 737) is the newest aircraft in the 89th’s inventory. Head-on from far away (which is what I saw…and only for a second), they could easily be mistaken for each other. Things have certainly been narrowed down a bit, but right now I’m looking for someone who can say, “Yeah, I saw that, and it was a C-32,” or, “Nope. It was the new C-40.”
The larger question has been answered, though. Yes, there are a whole fleet of planes painted blue and white with “United States of America” emblazoned on the side. And, they can all serve as Air Force One, if need be. Thank you. (The final question of my OP remains unanswered, though.)
No. You may pay for it, but you can’t have it.
DeathLlama, I saw the video this morning and it was definitely a C-32.
If you want to see a better view of the airplane go here and click on the “Bill O’Niel Live with the President” video clip. You can clearly see that it is a C-32 (757) that Bush was on.
Since the question seems to have been asked and answered, let’s wrap this up before it gets more political or snarky than it already is.
Closed.
samclem GQ moderator