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Just as much a symbol of the presidency as the White House itself, Air Force One is one of the world’s most recognizable planes. This flying command center is responsible for bringing the Commander-in-Chief wherever they need to go around the globe, during both times of peace and through the uncertainty of war. Here are a few things you might not know about Air Force One.
1. Air Force One isn’t technically the name of a plane.
When someone says Air Force One, they could be describing a couple of different things. The term is actually a general call sign used for any Air Force aircraft that the president of the United States is currently on. If a president is on a civilian aircraft such as a personal plane that plane is known as Executive One. Now, though, it’s pretty much accepted to also use Air Force One as the names of the two Boeing 747-200Bs that the president regularly travels in, even when they re not on it. (We’ll also be referring to these
Claim Air Force One changed call signs mid-flight after U.S. President Richard Nixon resigned and President Gerald Ford was sworn in.
Origin
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In the weeks leading up to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20, 2021, an interesting historical anecdote concerning the resignation of President Richard Nixon became popular on social media:
“Today I Learned: The moment Gerald Ford was sworn in, Nixon was on Air Force One flying home. Because he was no longer President, the airplane’s call sign was changed mid-flight from Air Force One to SAM 27000.”