Marine One

July 6, 2005 4:29 PM

President Bush showed up at the G8 in a fancypants "United States of America" helicopter. How did it get to Scotland?

(I mean in the sense of "What are the logistics of getting all the USA merchandise in place for the president when he travels internationally?")

posted by cillit bang to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

The logistics are huge. As for the helicopter, the USA is quite the empire with military bases in other countries all around the world, so it could have been a "local" US helicopter.

I'm thinking the helicopter was probably one of the least daunting of the arrangements :)

Search for "presidential entourage" and "the bubble".
("The Bubble" is what the entourage is called by the people who live in it)

An article is here, but I've seen better ones on the topic.
posted by -harlequin- at 4:41 PM on July 6, 2005

Typically, the helicopter and a couple of armored limousines are flown in by a US Air Force C-5 Galaxy cargo plane that arrives before the big "Air Force 1" 747.
posted by Zonker at 4:42 PM on July 6, 2005

They've got one of those huge transport planes with the hinged noses (the C-5 Galaxy, it's also sometimes used to transport parts of the presidential motorcade.

on preview: what Zonker said
posted by atrazine at 4:47 PM on July 6, 2005

(On post-view, it's unlikely that it was a helicopter from a local U.S. base. Almost always, if the president's in a helicopter, it's from the Executive Flight Detatchment of Marine Helicopter Squadron 1, based near Washington.)
posted by Zonker at 4:49 PM on July 6, 2005

On a related note -- I recall seeing a fascinating National Geographic TV Special: Air Force One. In addition to providing unique footage of the two aircrafts, they show how Presidential advance teams work, the accompanying military aircraft, as well as the provisioning of supplies for each trip. After watching this program you realize -- as -harlequin- says -- "The logistics are huge."

Also - check out: How Air Force One Works and Air Force One.
posted by ericb at 5:17 PM on July 6, 2005

Ironically, however, the new Marine One (not in service yet) is actually going to be a British helicopter, the EH101 (or the "US101" in American service), so, like, that has nothing to do with anything.

But, yes, the logistical tail of a presidential visit is absolutely gigantic. There's typically more than one helicopter in there, as well as Secret Service Suburbans, etc.

Terminology note: Air Force One, Marine One, etc., are not names given to any one aircraft, but are assigned to the vehicle that the President is riding in (if you took him up in a Cessna, you'd probably get the call sign Air Force One).

So, there we go.
posted by socratic at 5:18 PM on July 6, 2005

To follow up on socratic's point:

Presidental Aircraft Callsigns
Air Force One
Army One
Coast Guard One
Marine One
Navy One

and...

Executive One - the call sign designated any civilian aircraft when the President is onboard...hence socratic's Cessna would be dubbed such while 'Dubya was on board.

posted by ericb at 5:24 PM on July 6, 2005

Air Force One: 'The Flying White House'

Accompanying any overseas visit are at least two C-5 Galaxy heavy transport aircraft bringing with them the president's bulletproof limousine, a stand-by limo, a fully fitted ambulance, occasionally his personal helicopter and, for especially sensitive areas, several additional limos for use as decoys.

Along for the ride is a virtual battalion of secret service agents -- uniformed and plain clothed -- as well as their vehicles, and everything else the White House needs when it is on the move.

On top of that there is the press corps, a rotating core of about a dozen travel with the president in the press section on Air Force One -- sustained during the journey by M&Ms provided in custom boxes complete with the presidential seal....Designed to operate as independently as possible from ground services the aircraft can fly half way around the world without refueling.

Both Boeings carry their own automated baggage loaders as well as built-in front and aft stairs enabling them to operate self-sufficiently at airports and airfields around the world.

Capable of taking in-flight refueling systems from airborne tankers the manufacturers say the aircraft has "virtually unlimited range" -- its galleys are capable of storing up to 2,000 meals at a time.

To keep the president in constant contact with staff and military chiefs back in Washington the aircraft are fitted with some 383 kilometers (238 miles) of wires, twice the amount found in a standard 747.

All that wiring and indeed the entire aircraft is shielded against the effects of electromagnetic pulse -- a wave of energy generated by the detonation of a nuclear device that can disable unprotected electronics.

The inside of the aircraft features private accommodation, office space and a workout room for the president, first lady and family; as well as accommodation and offices for support staff and security personnel.

Also on board is a stateroom / conference rooms that can, should it ever be necessary, be converted into a fully functional airborne medical center.

Should the unthinkable happen -- somebody has already thought of it.

Of course, all this doesn't come cheap, although the actual cost of running the presidential fleet and of overseas visits is classified.

But when the president travels the world it is not always money that is the first consideration.

When the president travels it is to assert America's influence as a global superpower -- and there are few more impressive displays of America's prestige than Air Force One.

And, Boeing - the manufacturer of the aircraft - has a website.
posted by ericb at 5:41 PM on July 6, 2005

I'm not sure what the range is for the helos but let's not forget that there are some US airbases in the UK.
posted by Dagobert at 1:21 AM on July 7, 2005

They do indeed come out of the cargo planes that precede the President's arrival. (Or at least they certainly used to; I watched 'em unload the limos and helos the day before a Presidential visit many years ago.)

And incidentally, I believe I read that the VH-3s used by HMX-1 have been in service since the Kennedy Administration.
posted by Vidiot at 9:07 AM on July 7, 2005

Executive One - the call sign designated any civilian aircraft when the President is onboard...hence socratic's Cessna would be dubbed such while 'Dubya was on board.

Even the plane itself may change designations depeending upon its passenger. When Richard Nixon boarded Airforce One for his flight back to California after his resignation, the plane changed its call sign to a civilian designation in midflight. Gerald Ford had just been sworn in as President.
posted by Verdant at 10:56 AM on July 7, 2005