Air-Minded: Air Force One Folklore & Fact (Updated 06/19/26)

It was announced today that a gifted Qatari Boeing 747-8 is set to enter service as a temporary Air Force One, pending the 2028 delivery of two new USAF B747-8s scheduled to replace the current B747s, which have been in service since the Reagan administration. The “bridge” Air Force One (as well as the permanent […]

Tuesday Bag o’ Callsigns (Updated 2/5/18)

That leaves Marine One, the callsign used by USMC helicopter crews flying the current president to and from the White House. This is the point of highest danger on my tour, because I refuse to say that president’s name. “Current president” is as close as I come; I have to carefully engage my tongue to my brain lest I blurt out “President Individual One” or something worse.

Wednesday Bag o’ Staples

Progress report: my knee still aches (with occasional sharp nerve twinges) and I still walk like Festus, but the home exercise routine is going well, the outpatient physical therapy at the orthopedic institute even better, and the swelling has almost disappeared. Tomorrow I see the surgeon who replaced my knee and who will, I hope, […]

Air-Minded: Cancel Order! (Updated)

I corrected a couple of minor errors in the original post. I have since learned more about early presidential aircraft, and will share that knowledge in a separate post, coming soon. —Paul When I read the president-elect’s now-famous tweet a few days ago, my thoughts turned to two presidential fleet aircraft I show visitors at the Pima Air […]