Deadeye

For the first time since JFK visited; Great Falls, MT was graced with a Presidential visit last Thursday! We were about 100 feet from the door to get in to the Arena were Bush was going to speak, when this huge 747 flew right over the top of us! Great Falls hasn't seen a 747 for a decade, let alone AF1!!! How exciting! The pictures don't show the markings very clearly, but there is no mistaking who is in the final picture! Go Bush! If you choose to respond, please don't turn this into a political discussion. I just wanted to share my excitement.

aaron2874

That is cool! I've never gotten to see AF1.

FLYBOY

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Way awsome!

I have been held up at a few airports for airfoce one, which is cool as heck. Got held up for Foxtrot one a few years ago with the wicked witch on it (hillary). I don't think that bird should have the same power as AF1. I would wait any time for the pres or vice pres no matter who it is, but I don't feel they should have given the first lady bird the priority that AF1 has.

When GW went to Seattle a few months ago, my sister in law was the official Boeing greeter. Way cool. I would love to do that. Could have thanked him for letting me be the only private airplane in the country allowed to fly after 9/11..... but thats a whole nother story!

Great pics Randy.

K.O.

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Deadeye
Seeing one of the most notable symbols that represent out country and freedom is in deed a breath taking sight. I've had the opportunity to see AF1 on 3 occasions. The one most noteworthy was from the penthouse of the Ramada near OHare, in Chicago. We had a birds eye view of the motorcade driving right up to AF1 that was parked at the National Guard station and the T.O. After T.O. we watched them load the limosines onto a C-141.
FYI when AF1 lands or takes off all air traffic is halted. You can imagine the headache that is to the traffic controllers especially at a busy airport.
Yes I share in your excitement. Good for you.
K.O.

LearjetMech

Yea AF1 comes into Love Field quite often. I have NEVER seen it though since I'm a weekend guy. I do see the advance team come in. Usually a C141, 2 C-17's and 3-5 helicopters. Secret Service sends out a security notice with his arrival time and mandates that the hangar doors be closed and the ramp cleared of all personell. I have seend the 757 with Cheney on board take-off. As the plane rolls down the runway, two Suburbans are on the parallel taxi-ways, basically rolling with the airplane until airborne. Funny to see a black Suburban fly past our ramp at 140 mph! My brother-in-law by marriage is a TRACON controller up in Chicago. He said pre-911 that they would issue clearances and direct AF1. Now they pretty much leave it up to them and let them do what they want and how they want to. Pretty much there for moral support, traffic avoidance, and apprch/dep procedures. He said usually his escort is over the area before take-off. Have yet to spot them!! Cool stuff though! Nice pics!!!
Nik

TOPGUNNER

Yeah just about 2 weeks ago I seen a flock of planes comming in for a landing a few miles out at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. As it got closer I noticed it was a 747 with about 8 to 12 F-15's all around it so after freaking out like a little school girl at a backstreet boys concert.... My wife and I pulled to the side of the road after figuring out/taking a guess that it was AF1, and watched that shamu land... Personaly I thought the 4 f-15's on both wings, 2 behind, 1 above, and 2 following in back and above about 100 yards was a sight to see.... It looked pretty wild

JPBIII

This was taken in Birmingham a little over a year ago.

Deadeye

Gorgeous! What a sight to behold!

JPBIII

Deadeye,
Yea, it was pretty cool, I took the picture from our hangar at the airport. I expected him to taxi down to the other end, but he pulled out from the gaurd ramp and hauled ass. I guess they were trying to limit his exposure while on the ground.

Gringo Flyer

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This may be a dumb question, but in the picture of AF1, the flag on the vertical stab is backwards. What is the reason for that

JPBIII

The flag is not really backwards, imagine the the wind blowing across the tail as the airplane is in flight. This is how the flag would look.

ifixairplanes

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I used to work at PSM in portsmouth new hampshire. I have seen AF1 3 times. 2 times it was the 747, but once it was a G5. It does take your breath away seeing the nations most respected and guarded aircraft taxi by at less than 100 yards away. She truely is a sight to behold.
I have also gotten to meet John Kerry, I have a picture of myself shaking his hand and on the same day shook hands with Michael J. Fox. Working at an airport has some good perks.

Here's a pic of the G5 with Bush on it.

A4HawkPilot

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I've seen AF1 a whole bunch of times. I used to work on KBFI at the UPS ramp which is right next to the main terminal they would use.
Anytime it came in we would have to stop what we were doing and back off a certain distance. You could always spot all the guys on the rooftops pretty easy. One day I got to work just as it was coming in and I didnt know it. My friends thought it would be funny not to tell me. So there I go in my tug down to the end of the ramp next to the main terminal for some freight cans and all the sudden two black cars come out of no where and block me in to stop me. I knew right away what it was about, lol.
I noticed that they put lights up all around it and guard it 24hrs a day when stays overnight. Even when he was not in it we had to stay a certain distance away.

FLYBOY

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We had some dignitaries in the hangar from another country. Luckily I wasn't there that day. Armed guys all over. Was a huge pain. They told the mechanics to keep working like nothing was up. One dummy dropped his flashlight when the guys came in. Took a fraction of a sec and every guy in the hanger was on the floor with a foot on his throat and a gun in his face. Thats a little overboard! I understand the need for their safety though.

rickyrocket

So he doesn't always use the 747s? I didn't know that.

Deadeye

From what I understand, any aircraft the President of the United States is on IS automatically Air Force 1.

wsmalley

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I got to fly on it once, I think! As I understand it, the plane goes by its registration no. N...., if the President is not aboard. I was stationed in Panama back in the 80's, and was in Peru doing some stuff when I got recalled to Panama. I was told to be at the Lima airport at a certain time of day. When I walked out, there was that 'United States of America', I was speechless! There were about six guys standing there in civilian attire who went through my luggage. I was escorted on board and to the rear of the plane. The Commanding General, the CSM, and myself (an LTC) were in the rear cabin. I don't know who else was on that plane! The service was First Class, and the T/O and landing was the smoothest I've ever experienced. Flying over the snow covered Andes was a once in a lifetime thrill

SlammedRS4

wsmalley, That's really awesome.

I work for the Philadelphia Eagles and was working the past Army vs. Navy game and as I was standing outside the gates AF1 flew over then 2 F18's then 4 F14 tomcats flew by, and then they had like 6 or 7 apaches follow but the helicopters werent for him, having a 747 and 6 jets fly by you at a couple hundred feet isnt a great experience for your eardrums. [:@]

LearjetMech

I'd be willing to bet that Bush wasn't on that Gulfstream! Especially since you snapped that pic so close!! He usually uses the dc-9 for back-up and small airports. But I may be wrong.

duke

You made it political when you said "Go Bush". and sure you meant it to be that way.....no weapons, ties to Al Queida or 9/11......sorry couldn't help myself.

..I've seen AF1 and it is truely incredible..........powerful.

No1RCfan

Deadeye, actually only every air force operated aircraft that old dubya flies on is Air Force One. If he is on his helicopter operated by the marines it is Marine One. when he landed on the aircraft carrier he was on Navy One. if he is for some reason on a commercial aircraft it is known as Execuative One.