Did you know there are 2 Airforce One's?

[mears]

And they are both sitting at Prestwick Airport. Does that mean there are 2 George Bushes?

Well he is certainly thick, so perhaps it is the doubling up of brains, gives him one brain cell.

But of course, the current presidential fleet consists of two specifically-configured Boeing 747-200B series aircraft - tail numbers 28000 and 29000 - with Air Force designation VC-25A.

(OK I got that off the internet)

Yes there are two George Bushes.

Well done morningpaper - swat

Did you know it is only called Airforce One when the President is in it? DH just told me.

Presumably the second one is supposed to be a decoy? But if any passing terrorists have a shortwave radio they can pick up air traffic control and see which one's being addressed as air force one? Or with binoculars they can see which one he got on (or maybe there is a GBush decoy too, aha)

Sunchowder

Do enlighten please

senior and junior?

father and son Bush

This was in a film recently wasn't it? No need idea which one thou'

TW janh - I always assumes that the second Airforce one was a reserve in case of mechanical failure or similar

Do you know that the UKs seven AWACs aircraft (the ones with the big mushroom on the back for all the potters out there) are named after the 7 dwarves?

So where the US a/c have call signs like 'Interceptor' or 'vengence' dh flys round in 'Grumpy' or 'dopey'

hmb, that is so lovely and British, thanks for that

okapi, I was fantasising about the decoy, I don't have a clue!

Two George Bushes DUH

HMB that is fantastic .

I did mean father and son....just joking. It's so damn hard to be an American on here sometimes!

there can only ever be one airforce One. Airforce One is the president not the plane. Any plane carrying the president becomes Airforce One. My smart arse comment for the day

thread hijack - Sunchowder we have just booked to go to Florida in Oct 2006 - will you have your business up and running by then?

Oh thanks for remembering Okapi! I don't know. Still working full time in IT right now, but I so appreciated everyone's feedback. I would love to make a go of it. Even if I am not up in business yet, I would help you if I could. Just CAT me and let me know what you need!

no pressure Sunny - -still got 15 months to think about it!!!!

There are DEFFO several presidental helicopters

we experienced one several years ago

JanH all their radio signals are scrambled securely i believe. Nerdy comment for my day.

How can their radio signals be scrambled, air traffic control would lose them. I believe that the planes are called 'Air Force One' but when they are in the air only the one with the president in is designated 'Air Force One' as its radio call sign. The other takes members of staff and is designated on radio as Air Force Two.

I will look this up now to check...

mears, don't suppose maternity got the message that went round asking all members of staff to keep their ID badges on them at all times, as if there were a major incident we wouldn't get back into the hospital? Somehow I can't see very many people fighting with security staff / police to be allowed to come to work.

Mine is in my office as we speak(and I'm at home)

When the President is aboard either craft (the presidential Boeings), or any other Air Force aircraft, the radio call sign is "Air Force One."

(from whitehouse.gov)

""Air Force One" isn't technically a plane: It's simply the radio call name for any U.S. Air Force plane carrying the president of the United States. As soon as the president steps aboard an Air Force plane, that plane is referred to as Air Force One by the crew and all air traffic controllers, in order to avoid confusion with any other planes in the area. If the president rides on an Army aircraft, that aircraft is Army One, and whenever he boards his specialized helicopter, that craft is Marine One. Civilians generally refer to the physical plane itself as Air Force One."

(from HowStuffWorks.com)