Air Force One has taken on an almost mythic character not least because it is completely off-limits to almost all Americans, let alone foreigners. Even some high-ranking American officials and presidential and/or political journalists cannot go into certain sections of the aircraft, and the US Air Force painstakingly guards details of its layout. What sets apart Air Force One from other planes? Wherever the American president travels, whatever plane he boards is called “Air Force One.” The term is not technically a plane but rather a radio call. While it refers to the Air Force aircraft primarily tasked to transport the president, any other aircraft becomes “Air Force One” when the president gets on board. This helps the crew and all air traffic controllers to avoid confusion with any other planes in the area. President John F. Kennedy was the first American leader to fly in his own jet aircraft, a modified Boeing 707. Over the years, other aircraft have been used. The first of the current aircraft were used in 1990 during President George H. W. Bush's term. Air Force One today is used to refer to one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft which, with a full tank, can fly halfway around the world. It is capable of refueling midair and has unlimited range to bring the president wherever he needs to travel. Air Force One is equipped with advanced, secure communications equipment, which allow the aircraft to function as a mobile command center in the event of an attack. Air Force One also has quarters for those who accompany the president, including senior advisors, Secret Service officers, press people and other guests. Inside the aircraft, the president has extensive living quarters with his own bedroom, bathroom, workout room, a large office and conference room. With 4,000 square feet of floor space on three decks — much of it resembling a hotel or executive office — the president and his companions can travel comfortably. Air Force One can carry 70 passengers and 26 crew members, who are themselves carefully screened military personnel tasked to provide 24-hour first-class service. Air Force One has an extensive pharmacy and a staff doctor permanently on board, and its medical facility could also function as an operating room. Journalists traveling with the president are allotted an area that resembles the first-class section of an ordinary plane. The aircraft also has a staff area, galley, conference and dining room, and space for the service crew to ride and sleep. It has a communications room, lounge and cockpit, and a lot of technology and special features. The plane's lowest level serves as cargo space. On every mission, Air Force One is made ready for potential emergencies. Its most remarkable feature is substantial electronics: 85 telephones that allow the president to reach anybody anywhere in the world while airborne, ample two-way radios, fax machines, computers, television sets and assorted office equipment. Of course, its avionics and defenses are classified. What is established is that the two planes are military aircraft and could withstand air attacks, jam enemy radar, and eject flares to throw heat-seeking missiles off course. With all of the things that Air Force One carries, it's no wonder it's been dubbed “the flying White House.” __
