SAM 29000 Air Force One

SAM 29000 Air Force One VC-25a is the second of the two prime Air Force One aircraft to transport the President of the United States. These two aircraft were based on the Boeing 747-200B airliners, but highly modified to serve the needs of the President.

The main differences between a standard Boeing 747 airliner and SAM 29000 VC-25 Air Force One aircraft is the electronic and communication equipment, compartmentalized cabin, the self-contained baggage loader, medical facility, front and rear airstrips and the capability for mid-air refueling. The airplanes are also equipped with military anti-aircraft missile countermeasures to protect the airplane.

Both of the Boeing VC-25a aircraft, SAM 28000 and SAM 29000 have a crew of 26 with the capacity to carry 76 passengers. They are 231 feet long with a wingspan of 195 feet. They have a cruise speed of 575 mph and have a range of 6,800 miles. This is about enough to fly around the world with two stops for fuel.

Several myths have gained acceptance in popular culture regarding the Air Force One aircraft. Two of these were because of the 1997 movie “Air Force One”. In the movie, the airplane was equipped with a parachute ramp and an escape pod. I have been through the belly of SAM 29000. There are spare parts and lots of supplies, but no escape pod and the rest of the airplane has no parachute ramp. So much for accuracy in the movies!

Both of the VC-25a aircraft will be replaced around 2023 to 2024 by VC-25b aircraft. This is basically replacing quite old Boeing 747-200Bs with new, and much more capable Boeing 747-8i aircraft. The new VC-25b aircraft will have new, much more efficient wings and engines, a longer fuselage with quite a bit of additional space inside. And they will be new!