Little-Known Rules That Air Force One Must Follow

The presidential security team is always looking for potential threats, but even the most highly trained professionals may overlook tiny details if they aren’t obvious threats. That’s why Air Force One carries decoy bags along with the president’s actual luggage: to reduce the risk of someone tampering with it or attempting to steal something. This also provides more peace of mind for the team onboard when items are loaded onto the aircraft.

Though everybody knows that Air Force One is the official aircraft of the President of the United States, that doesn’t mean the team wants to draw attention to it. When landing, the aircraft adjusts its engines and landing approach to minimize noise, particularly in residential areas that the crew may be unfamiliar with. It’s essential that they are prepared for anything, so landing as quietly as possible makes the job much easier and safer.

The general rule when flying Air Force One is to be prepared for anything, but did you know that that includes coordinating with submarines? Naval vessels are constantly on the lookout for national security threats, so they may need to supply information to the president during flight. Similarly, if something happens in the air, Air Force One may need to coordinate with submarines to arrange landing and continue guarding the president’s safety no matter where they are.

Sometimes, the president must fly even when threats are present, so Air Force One has a very important job. The president’s flight plan will be kept top secret, but the work to deter dangers doesn’t end there. To confuse threats in the air, Air Force One will travel with an identical decoy plane. This disguises the president’s current location, reducing the risk that anybody will strike, as the attempt may fail.

Air Force One is a military aircraft, so it only makes sense that all of the staff onboard are highly trained military personnel. The pilots, flight attendants and other staff must all know how to deal with situations on a military level because there are massive stakes involved in transporting the country’s leader. They must also be able to carry out military-grade inspections and understand the codes and coordination involved in arranging communication during flight.

Air Force One typically avoids commercial flight paths altogether, but it also flies at higher altitudes for safety purposes. The aircraft can fly up as high as 45,100 feet! There is a lot of traffic on commercial air routes that often causes backlogs that lead to delayed landings. It is Air Force One’s job to get the president to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible, so favoring higher altitudes avoids disruption and maintains privacy.

As a military plane, Air Force One is equipped with all the best defensive technology and infrastructure. This includes advanced anti-missile technology, which is used to counteract both air-to-air and ground-to-air attacks. The infrared countermeasures divert incoming missiles by masking the heat of the aircraft’s engine and creating flares, misleading the missile as to where its intended target is. The anti-missile technology is able to detect airborne missiles and then immediately employ defensive measures.

In the event of a medical emergency, it isn’t always possible to safely arrange a swift landing. And even then, the emergency may be so severe that there is no time to wait until the plane lands. That’s why Air Force One always carries medical equipment and a doctor to attend to any passengers, but especially the president. There is a dedicated medical suite onboard that can be used as a temporary hospital room until the plane has landed.

Though all aircraft must consider onboard weight, knowing the exact amount on Air Force One is vital. To obtain this information, all passengers, including crew, government officials, and even the president, must be weighed before they come onboard. This increases the flight’s efficiency and settles any safety concerns about the onboard weight being too much. The weight of luggage, bags, gifts, and other items is also taken into account.

Emergency escape pods on planes may sound like something out of an action movie, but they’re supposedly very much real on Air Force One! The aircraft is designed for extreme situations, so provisions are made for every eventuality. In an emergency, the president can be evacuated from the aircraft via an escape pod, which would seal them in and return them safely to the ground. This rule is based on speculation, however, mainly due to pop culture.

Despite its 7,800 statute miles of range, Air Force One may need to be refueled during long journeys, trips with multiple stops, or in an emergency. The tank should be full when the aircraft takes off, and it also carries extra reserves to supplement that. However, it may become necessary to refuel during a flight. This is done via aerial refueling, with an accompanying tanker aircraft transferring fuel mid-air through a receptacle.

Though Air Force One is fitted with many technological safety measures, it may still end up in an emergency that it can’t escape on its own. In these circumstances, the emergency signal system will be used to send coded signals to military bases. These signals are encrypted so that the people receiving them can understand what is being said while protecting the information from any outside threats. That’s why it’s so important for Air Force One’s communications systems to be well-maintained.

Air Force One’s main job may be to carry the president, but it’s more than just a mode of transportation. The aircraft is fitted with advanced recon technology, which allows it to gather intelligence while airborne. This information helps the crew understand the environment of their flight path and screen out any potential threats to the aircraft. Surveillance tools look out for any possible risk, giving pilots more insight into and control over their journeys.

Aside from the president, Air Force One is tasked with transporting the most important thing in the United States: the nuclear football. Despite its fun-sounding name, the nuclear football is actually the Presidential Emergency Satchel. It contains portable codes that allow the president to authorize and launch a nuclear attack while on the move. The Air Force One command center gives the president somewhere to stow the nuclear football safely.

There are plentiful food and drink reserves provided on Air Force One, but there may be circumstances when those stores run out. Water, in particular, is crucial to survival, so in extended emergencies, Air Force One will use portable desalination equipment to produce potable drinking water. This may mean purifying seawater via reverse osmosis, using advanced technology to produce drinkable liquids for everybody onboard. Through this process, thousands of gallons can be safely converted.

Weather conditions are one of the greatest threats to any flight, so even though Air Force One must be prepared to fly at short notice when necessary, special weather checks will be carried out to ensure conditions are safe for flight. Meteorologists analyze weather patterns, including the wind, to determine visibility, speed, and stability. In the case of poor weather, alternate flight paths will be considered to avoid taking risks.

If somebody wishes to harm the president at any point during the flight and cannot tamper with the safety of the plane, they may target the food onboard instead. To avoid this risk, all food that the president will consume is thoroughly inspected and then made into meals by trusted staff members. On a longer journey, the president may be served multiple meals, so it’s vital that all contamination, malicious or otherwise, is avoided.

Air Force One may look like any other plane on the outside, but things are very different on the inside. To keep the aircraft operating at maximum speed and efficiency, it uses a high-grade military fuel called JP-8. This fuel is kerosene-based and is used in all US military aircraft. This custom fuel enhances the jet’s performance and reduces the risk of something going wrong with the fuel mid-flight. The aircraft also has a massive fuel capacity so that it can make long journeys with this fuel.

Electromagnetic pulses, commonly known as EMPs, are small bursts of energy that can cause huge damage to electrical equipment. If an EMP hits a plane while in the air, the result could be catastrophic. Aircraft equipment can be tested with EMPs to determine its structural resistance, which has actually helped engineers create electronics for Air Force One that protect against EMPs. All equipment is hardened to shield the aircraft from pulses produced by the sun or nuclear attacks.

As the president’s official aircraft, there are some rules that permit special treatment for Air Force One. The aircraft will always land first at airports, even if there are other flights due beforehand. As the most important aircraft in the United States, it takes precedence over all other planes during departures and arrivals. The president may need to be somewhere else in a short amount of time or be swiftly evacuated in the event of threats to their safety.

Marine One refers to any United States Marine Corps aircraft, usually a helicopter, that is carrying the president, and it works closely with Air Force One. The two have very similar and intrinsically linked logistics, protecting the president’s safety and security every time they are in the air. Ground-to-air maneuvers involve many strict rules, and Air Force One may take the lead and provide input and support for Marine One.

Air Force One is not a typical aircraft, so it doesn’t follow typical flight paths. While commercial flights are bound by the conditions relating to those flight paths, Air Force One charts exclusive routes to reduce the risk of any interference or delay that could seriously compromise the president’s safety. Air Force One is responsible for getting the president to places on strict time, so any setbacks can have serious consequences that don’t exist for commercial flights.

All flights will have a pilot and co-pilot, but with Air Force One, having two pilots is non-negotiable. Both pilots are required to be present and alert throughout the flight to ensure somebody is always ready to handle the jet should any issues arise. One pilot may have an emergency and be unable to continue their duties, so the second pilot can step in and take control, ensuring a safe journey and landing for all on board.

Air Force One never flies alone, and provision is made for every scenario, particularly those that may occur in the air. That’s why a backup plane follows the actual aircraft in case of an emergency. If the president needs to be evacuated from the plane because of a threat or any mechanical failures during the flight, they can board the backup jet and continue to their location. Two Boeing 747-200Bs are used to ensure that both planes are equally efficient and capable.

We tend to refer to an aircraft that is used to transport the President of the United States as “Air Force One” by default, but that name actually only applies when the president is onboard. For any other journeys, the plane is no different than any other military aircraft, so it doesn’t receive any special treatment while flying. The radio call sign becomes “Air Force One” again when it is used for presidential business once more.

Air Force One is part of a fleet, with many aircraft protecting the security of the one carrying the president. If a flight is deemed to be high-risk, fighter jets will accompany it to provide military support if anything goes wrong. These fighter jets can engage in air combat, though they will not be used unless a serious threat to the president’s safety becomes apparent. They mostly look out for potential issues and keep tabs on Air Force One.

The President of the United States is the most important person in the country, so must be able to attend to important national and international business at any time. This means relying heavily on Air Force One to provide the necessary transport in the quickest and most efficient way. The aircraft is kept in a constant state of readiness, with a full fuel tank and all systems checked and set. This allows for prompt take-off at a moment’s notice.

Due to its important job, Air Force One is possibly the most well-maintained aircraft in the United States. Even the smallest problems must be closely inspected and swiftly repaired to ensure the jet is ready to go whenever it is next needed. However, all details relating to any repairs or modifications are kept classified because of the risk of interference if the information is leaked to people wishing to harm the president.

Many of the public are excited to see real-life military vehicles, but while other military planes offer public tours, Air Force One is strictly off-limits for viewing when in active use. This is because the aircraft may be needed for important presidential business at any moment, so a tour would delay take-off. Opening up the most essential military vehicle in the country to public viewing could also lead to tampering or interference, so it’s safer to keep Air Force One restricted to only the most important personnel.

Air Force One is a lot more than just a plane. It transports classified documents along with the president and serves as a mobile command center for official business conducted while in the air. The plane stores this important information securely, protecting against any leaks to the public. Only those closest to and most trusted by the president are allowed onboard to witness or be involved with classified documents and any meetings conducted.

The president may be targeted by threats before they have even boarded Air Force One, so the security team will conduct intensive inspections of the airfield before the flight is boarded. The same checks of the runway and surrounding areas will be carried out before landing, too. Anything that may interfere with the safety of take-off or landing must be removed, or else the flight will be delayed or diverted as necessary.

Even after the aircraft and airfield have been thoroughly vetted before the president boards the plane, Air Force One maintains strict security protocols throughout the flight. This means conducting in-flight security checks to sweep the entire aircraft for threats. If one is discovered, the crew will immediately work to arrange an emergency landing and communicate with any other necessary personnel in the air and on the ground. During long journeys, multiple checks will be conducted.

One of the most important technologies onboard an Air Force One flight is the communication system. The pilot and crew are constantly in contact with global military and government leaders and the rest of the fleet around the main aircraft. Air Force One uses a secure, uninterrupted line of communication to relay all important information and request assistance if necessary. Everybody involved must be alert and ready to receive calls.

All planes have flight numbers, including Air Force One, but this important aircraft is allowed to use false flight numbers without penalty when necessary. For example, if a threat is suspected, the plane will be assigned a generic flight number to obscure its identity. This means that only those closest to Air Force One will be aware that it is flying that day, maximizing security until the president has been safely transferred from one location to another.

Once produced, every plane is assigned a registration number, which is usually located on the tail. Even private jets aren’t exempt from this rule, yet it doesn’t apply to Air Force One. Standard tail numbers can be used to track flights, which isn’t a problem unless the President of the United States is onboard and conducting official state business. Removing identifying tail numbers is one of the simplest ways to increase security.

Air Force One is dedicated to the president’s every travel need, which means flying them wherever they need to go. However, the aircraft must stay within US military airspace when possible, which has the advantage of a controlled airspace that the crew is familiar with. The US military airspace is strong, so there’s plenty of protection available for every flight Air Force One takes. However, when it isn’t feasible to remain within US airspace, Air Force One will take international flight paths.

The biggest potential threats to a presidential flight crop up when the plane is in the air, so Air Force One must always follow a pre-screened route to reduce the risk of anything going wrong. Every step of the journey is carefully planned to avoid any conflicts and ensure a smooth journey through the air. Experts will pre-screen things like the weather and other aircraft taking flight at the same time to ensure there are no disruptions on Air Force One’s flight path.

People who catch a glimpse of Air Force One flying overhead in cities are often surprised because it’s rare to see. Whenever possible, Air Force One avoids flying over highly populated areas, like major cities, to minimize security risks and protect the privacy of the flight path. In the past, Air Force One has been seen flying over busy areas for training exercises or photo ops, but there is always the chance that seeing the fleet will cause panic.

Air Force One is privy to the president’s schedule because it is responsible for getting them to important places on time, but it’s vital that this sensitive information isn’t leaked to the public. Only a select few people know the president’s schedule, which helps to reduce the risk of somebody attempting an attack on one of the places they visit. The itinerary is tightly guarded, and the crew is restricted from speaking about it, too.

Pilots may be responsible for ensuring the president has a safe flight, but it’s all of the maintenance workers responsible for fixing the aircraft who make this possible. That’s why every technician, engineer, or contractor employed to work on Air Force One must undergo an extensive background check. If anything crops up that suggests the worker may have bad intentions or not be up to the job, they will not be contracted to work.

Air Force One doesn’t always use false landing schedules, but they may be employed if publishing the real itineraries is deemed a great risk. Decoy landing schedules may list different departure and landing times and alternate locations to the president’s actual destinations. This is an easy way to maintain secrecy and ensure the president can travel with peace of mind in uncertain circumstances. Threats may be confused or diverted entirely.