MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images
- The Boeing VC25 is arguably the most famous jetliner in the world.
- Most people know the plane by the callsign it’s assigned when the President of the United States is on board, Air Force One.
- A larger number of prominent international leaders have some form of executive transport with the Boeing 747 jumbo jet and the Airbus A330/A340 popular options.
The Boeing VC25 is arguably the most famous jetliner in the world. Although most people know it by the callsign it’s assigned when the President of the United States is on board, Air Force One.
Air Force One is instantly recognizable — both as the airplane of the President of the United States and as a flying symbol of American military and economic might. With its hand-polished blue, white, and silver livery, Air Force One boldly proclaims the arrival of the most powerful man in the world.
Read more: Here’s a look back at the incredible history of Air Force One.
What many people don’t know is that there isn’t one, but two nearly identical Boeing jets that serve as the official transport of the president. Normally, the planes are referred to by their tail numbers — 28000 and 29000 — but when the Commander and Chief steps on board, they take on the call sign "Air Force One." In fact, presidential airplanes didn’t begin using the Air Force One designation until 1959.
The president’s pair of Boeing 747-200 series-based jets are operated by the Presidential Airlift Group out of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
The US President is not the only one to have his or her own "presidential jet." In fact, a larger number of prominent international leaders have some form of executive transport. The Boeing 747 jumbo jet is a popular option for many nations including China, Japan, India, and South Korea. While the Airbus A330 and A340 are also commonly found in presidential fleets.
Here’s a closer look at how the presidents, chancellors, and prime ministers of the world travel.
1. The United States of America: The US president’s Boeing VC25 is a heavily modified version of the Boeing 747-200 airliner.
1000 Words/Shutterstock
It entered service in 1990 and is expected to be replaced by new planes based on the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental in 2024.
AP
On some occasions, the US President has been known to use the Boeing 757-200-based C-32 aircraft as well.
Holger Hollemann/picture alliance via Getty Images
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – bzhang@businessinsider.com (Benjamin Zhang)