PHOTOS Obama on Air Force One - Maiden Voyage!

[Jackeens]

President Barack Obama on Air Force One for the first time as President on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009.

[El Supremo]

1. They gave him a flight jacket? Yuuuuuuuck!

I guess he couldn't refuse.

[Dennis Donovan]

13. He's nomally so un-gimmicky, it looks alien on him, doesn't it?

[Clio the Leo]

19. Are you kidding?

That jacket just gave me another "OH MY GOODNESS HE'S REALLY THE PRESIDENT!!!!" moments!!!!

[LynzM]

60. Me too...

Like, oh wait, this is for real? Some days, it still doesn't sink in... still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[wndycty]

44. He is the Commander in Chief. . .

. . .this is a military mission. More importantly its about respect to the military service, in this case the Air Force. It's a gimmick to you but its important to the men and women who will be flying him all over the world for the next 4-8 years.

[trof]

49. I had the same thought.

Kinda wish he'd said "No thanks." to that.
Oh well...

[ooglymoogly]

63. Silly comment alert. nt

[fortyfeetunder]

71. All POTUS wear it.

I saw the National Geographic AF1 special and * was wearing one.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Gorp! The press can't even get a good photo now?

They are really stinky. I hope he passes some legislation to put them back in their Constitutional restraints.

[rsmith6621]

3. I Guess I Have A Hard Time

Understanding why they would fly a 747-300 less than 100 miles......I understand that Obama should be able to fly on the big bird but a one of the 757 would have been more economical and environmentally a better choice and it still would have been called Air Force One.


Just a thought....let the flaming begin....

[glowing]

4. Air Force One is a special plane. There are two and they are unlike

anything most of us will ever think about flying in. There was a special on about Marine One and Air Force One... It was interesting.

[rsmith6621]

7. Wrong.....

....So Wrong you are...

Air Force One can be any aircraft form the Air Force Fleet regardless of whether it is a 737, a G-5 or the 747....same goes with Marine One...if Obama is on a F-18 then the callsign would be Marine One as well...and same goes with the Navy and Army...

Remember he has to be on board for it to be Anything ONE !!!!!!

[Drunken Irishman]

9. Yes, at the end of Air Force One, this happens.

When President Marshall is rescued from Air Force One, the plane he is put on automatically becomes Air Force One. This is relayed to the White House, where the VP Glen Close is and they say, "Air Force One...something, something" and everyone goes nuts.

[ronnykmarshall]

20. I love that movie.

[Jennicut]

38. Me too. Saw it the other night.

Get off my plane!

[glowing]

16. Yes, anything the President is on is the labeled with "One", but the design

of the airplane is all specialized and for safety reasons, they like to have those specialized things. I also didn't realize that when Marine One is flying, two similar helicopters fly with along with it so no one knows which one the President is aboard.

[whopis01]

64. Wow... way to miss the point

While you are technically correct, your jumping at the opportunity to call out someone on their mistake missed the point that the previous poster was trying to make.

Yes, any aircraft from the USAF carrying the president is issued the call sign "Air Force One". However when the previous poster said that there are two Air Force One planes and they are special planes unlike ordinary ones, he was clearly referring to the two VC-25As that were built to fly the president around. You know - the ones with the big presidential seal on the side and the big "United States of America" down the side... They don't just slap that on any plane carrying the president.

[Phx_Dem]

12. I saw both of those shows. They were great!

[Sherman A1]

5. That was my thought as well

Seems just a bit excessive. I think one of the smaller planes (hey, even the helicopter) could have covered the ground just as easily.

[El Supremo]

6. Maybe it's a shakedown flight.

[rsmith6621]

8. A Shake down flight

would be a trip back to Chicago for the weekend....not a 93 mile flight that last about 15 minutes...

[ronnykmarshall]

18. Where did he go?

[Clio the Leo]

22. Would your regular 757....

... have a a full medical office, room for the press and be able to also carry his limo? He's gotta take all of that stuff with him.

And that doesn't even begin to cover the security issues.

[awoke_in_2003]

29. Don't forget...

the upper deck filled with communication equipment.

[nadinbrzezinski]

37. Or the comms suite, or the comms specialists

or the encryption

Or the command and control

It goes on... and on, and on

[Nye Bevan]

50. and don't forget the Escape Pod

the existence of which was revealed by the movie, but still denied officially.

[Hippo_Tron]

66. I took a class with a guy who was very high up on Clinton's staff and he says it doesn't exist

But I still wonder...

[Sirveri]

24. I thought the same thing. Why not just take the helo the whole way down?

It's like a three hour drive, the helicopter probably could have got there in 20-30 minutes. I mean, if you have to fly, why get on board a helo, transfer to a plane, then fly for like 10 minutes, it's a waste of time.

[ecstatic]

32. does security mean anything to you? Helicopters aren't the safest

means of transportation.

[Sirveri]

65. While aircraft are likely safer than helo's, I doubt it's THAT much safer.

I mean seriously, are you worried some guy is going to be sitting around with an RPG in the middle of rural VA waiting for Marine 1 to fly past? I'm pretty sure that the maintenance is good and that the pilot is even better than the chap who landed in the Hudson.

[CitizenPatriot]

69. i am no flying expert

but we have to go up in helos in my line of work sometimes and they are KNOWN as the death ride. There is one brand we know to ask for...and still, it's scary.

I think if you google it, you'd find a lot more accidents on them...just sayin'.

[Joe the Revelator]

26. Why doesn't he just drive around in a normal car when going around D.C?

Instead of riding in a bullet proof limo?



Come on.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

35. I fully expect to see him riding his bike on the Mt. Vernon Trail along the river.

Hello, President Obama! ;-)

[Beacool]

41. I was thinking the same thing.

What a waste of fuel!!! Flying a 747 for a 37 minute ride. Bad for the environment and quite wasteful in these tough times.

:-(

[dionysus]

45. oh for crying out loud... get over it already.

what do you want, him to fly commercial? jesus h on a pogo stick
here, this will make you feel better;

[Beacool]

46. You and your blankie............

:eyes:

The helicopter would have been sufficient for such a short ride.

;-)

[dionysus]

47. maybe he could ride his magic pony instead

:hi:

[Beacool]

48. Geez, you never give up.........

If this had been Bush, you would have been all over his ass for it.

:eyes:

Back at ya'

:hi:

[janx]

52. As a matter of fact, he did:

Rode a smaller jet
Air Force One is the call sign for any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president. For the short flight, Obama didn't ride on the big 747 but one of the smaller jets that fill out the presidential fleet.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29037319/

[Hard_Work]

53. But...but if that's true,

what are we going to have to show our righteous indignation against!?!?

I swear, it truly gets strange around here at times...

[janx]

54. I know.

;-)

[xultar]

10. Love it

[Phx_Dem]

11. Sweet. I've been waiting for a picture of him in

his flight jacket. He looks goooooood.

:loveya:

[hvn_nbr_2]

14. Did they frisk his shampoo bottle? nt

[Jackeens]

15. Or worse, confiscate his moisturiser? (Not that I'm bitter about losing my Clarins).

[AspenRose]

56. Yikes, Clarins is pricey, too!

I would have asked those bastards to pay me back!!! :mad:

[bonito]

17. I hope they got all the neocon bugs out!

[RepublicanElephant]

21. freakin' sweet!

eat it, rush limbaugh!

[Hope And Change]

23. K & R!

[Terran]

25. Barry, lose the jacket.

You look like a complete dork in it.

That is all.

[DevonRex]

27. Don't call him "Barry." You sound like a complete dork when you do.

That is all.

[Jackeens]

28. Agreed. His name is B.A.R.A.C.K. (without the, eh, dots). n/t

[Terran]

34. No harm meant.

It was merely meant as an allusion to dorkiness.

[Thrill]

30. Leave the Barry to the Freepers

[Jennicut]

39. He looks adorable in the jacket. He makes it look good.

Bush looked like a tool in his.

[TwilightGardener]

51. That is from his crew. If someone gives you a gift, do you throw it back in their faces?

[ColbertWatcher]

31. Excellent collection.

You wouldn't happen to have any of him boarding it for the first time as President (taken from outside)?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

33. Love the pictures

and I LOVE the jacket. He looks like an adorable little boy in the pictures where he is wearing the jacket. Maybe he had another "omg I can't believe I am the President of the United States moments".

[EffieBlack]

40. I was just thinking the same thing!

Every time I see pictures like this, I can't help but think that not too deep inside, there's a 3-year-old Barack going . . .

[Cha]

36. Isn't that cute where

he has the jacket on that says "Air Force One" on one side and "Barack Obama" on the other?:)

Here's link to the tour he took on Air Force One when he ordered the burger with cheddar cheese and Grey Poupon, a salad, and the French Fries.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=263569&mesg_id=263569

[rvablue]

42. He's going to have to cut back on some of this acesss....

it's too much for ANYONE to handle.

Every move and word you say recorded and photographed.

I know. I know. It's the first flight and he's only been in 3 weeks.....

All I know is that I consider myself to be somewhat tough and resilient and I couldn't handle this for long.

With that said....these are fantastic pics!

And I happen to like the flight jacket .... it's a gift from his crew!

[democracy1st]

43. K & R

[AspenRose]

55. "GET OFF MY PLANE!!!"

(Um, sorry. :-) )


Sending :loveya: to you Jackeens! Slan mo chara!

[skeewee08]

57. Is that his pilot in the 1st picture?

[demokatgurrl]

62. He looks Secret Service to me. n/t

[RamboLiberal]

67. The guy in the AF Blues - I don't know

This article has video of Obama and pilot. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/22/obamas-first-air-force-on_n_159977.html

[City Lights]

58. As usual, great pics, Jackeens!

:patriot:

Thanks for posting them! :yourock:

[azmouse]

59. There is something about the way the 3rd pic was taken that

makes the man in the gold tie look like a cardboard cut-out. :)

[DevonRex]

61. It made me a little bit dizzy. nt

[Eurobabe]

68. Hope they fumigated Bush outta there...

[HOLOS]

70. Heart Expanding Photos...Thanks So Much!!