# Why is Marine-1 still a S-61?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 13, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693 "2002-08-13T14:18:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693/1 "2002-08-13T14:18:23Z")

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The mightiest nation in world. Our defense budget is greater then the GDP of many nations. We have the some of the most advanced air forces in the world.

But our President still tools around in an old Sikorsky S-61? I know that ‘Marine-1’ is simply the callsign for any USMC-piloted aircraft that the President travels on, but whenever I see him disembarking, it is from a S-61.

Why not a Super Stallion, Blackhawk, or Chinook? Is the S-61 THAT good?

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**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693/2 "2002-08-13T14:26:28Z")

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From [this link](http://www.rotorhead.org/military/marine1.asp) :

> [@](#):
>
> A Modified VH-60N is the primary helicopter flying as Marine One today. First manufactured in 1974, the VH-60N is a variant of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The VH-60N has a crew of three, a cruise speed of 150 mph and a range of 580 miles.

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**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693/3 "2002-08-13T14:38:08Z")

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The S-61 has much more headroom. Presidents look much more dignified when standing to embark/disembark, rather than crouching. Aircraft performance really doesn’t matter for the short hop to Andrews.

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**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693/4 "2002-08-13T14:43:50Z")

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Interesting. The headroom argument makes sense, notwithstanding the newer airframe of the VH-60.

Thanks to both of you for the answers!

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**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-marine-1-still-a-s-61/123693/5 "2002-08-13T16:24:26Z")

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Well, I don’t think he should be riding in an Osprey…  
~VOW