VIP aircraft

Quote: Pacomartin

According to Wikipedia the base model for the Russian President's plane cost $40-$50 million. That makes no sense as even plane old narrowbody B737s and A320s cost more than that.

The type was hard to make out. At first glance it makes no sense. Frankly it looks like an A340 got into it with a B737. So I just looked it up online. it's a Ilyushin something or other. Russia isn't precisely known for making good passenger aircraft. The Superjet might make a splash in the regional jet market, but let's remember Russia's most famous airplane was the SST that crashed in the Paris air show.

So maybe that hunk of metal is worth less than the sum of its parts? :)

Seriously, I wouldn't trust any figures coming from Russia. It may not be the Soviet era any longer, but it's the Soviet-light era for sure.

Quote: 18 MIND BLOWING FACTS ABOUT AIRFORCE ONE, THE FLYING WHITE HOUSE. by RESHMANTH JANUARY 21, 2015

Unlimited Range of Travel and Refueling in Air. Is that Like super Awesome.?!
The Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel without a stop. So, you might be wondering how is the plane refueled?? Its done on air. A fuel plane arrives when needed and refuels Airforce one in its flight so that it doesn’t need to stop for a refueling session.

Every Detail of AirForce One is a Top Secret.
Many people even from the higher political sect doesn’t have the permission to even visit the plane. Even the smallest details of the plane are kept a secret from everyone.

Every website that I read about AF1 says that it can fly forever. The site above does remind one that all details are TOP SECRET.

I could have sworn that references used to say numbers longer than 7800 sm, but this funeral in Johannesburg was the first time I read about a refueling stop for the VC-25.
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/high-powered-traveling-companions-air-force-one


I did see this comment in San Diego Reader

Quote: San Diego Reader

Mexico’s President Will Fly in the Most Expensive Plane in the WorldMore luxurious than most developed countries’ presidential planes
If we put the future Mexican executive plane side by side with the U.S.’s Air Force One, there is little comparison. The Dreamliner can travel close to ten thousand miles without refueling versus the Air Force One that must refuel at around the 8,000 mile mark.

But probably because it is TOP SECRET, I have never seen mention about how they actually do refueling, and how do they assure that the fuel is not tainted. Perhaps you are correct. After they drop the POTUS off, they fly to the nearest AFB and refuel.

Quote: Pacomartin

Every website that I read about AF1 says that it can fly forever. The site above does remind one that all details are TOP SECRET.

Well, it's not top secret, so maybe not everyone knows this: calling in a tanker airplane isn't like paging an Uber ride.

I wouldn't be surprised if a tanker follows AF1 at all times, just in case it's needed. Now, by "follow" I don't mean necessarily an actual KC-10 or KC-135 is always flying near AF1. Over the US this can be accomplished by having tankers on alert at AF bases, for example. This can also work in Europe. But over the ocean or over Africa or Asia, probably one plane is literally flying a few miles behind AF1 just in case.

Ok, so just in case what exactly? Oh, the paranoid mind of security can contemplate infinite possibilities. In case of a fuel leak, or even a Gimli Glider--like blunder. In case the plane needs to divert to a safe place. In case WWIII breaks out and the President needs to stay aloft where it's safe (seriously). And those are only the more obvious.

I'm sure, too, at least one full-fledged military physician always flies with the President. Further, that there is a far deal of medical gear on board at all times, up to what is needed for emergency surgery. It would fit in with notions of security and the extremely high value placed on all presidents.

Quote:

I have never seen mention about how they actually do refueling, and how do they assure that the fuel is not tainted. Perhaps you are correct. After they drop the POTUS off, they fly to the nearest AFB and refuel.

Fuel could also be brought along by the advance team(s). Those that bring the limo, the Secret Service agents, etc. At some locations, fuel may be secured in advance.

Refueling at the nearest SFB isn't as easy as it sounds. A load of fuel makes the plane heavy, which makes demands on the landing gear, brakes, etc, and requires a longer runway. But it would be relatively simple to drive a fuel truck or two from the nearest AFB. Better yet, to divert fuel going to the AFB to the airport AF1 will be in.

Nareed
The Secretary of State did another two day trip to Chile and Haiti a few weeks ago. The plane refueled in Panama on southbound leg.

4970 miles Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, MD (ADW) to Valparaiso Airport, Valparaiso, CL (VAL)
3640 miles Valparaiso Airport, Valparaiso, CL (VAL) to Cap Haitien Numicipal, Cap Haitien, HT (CAP)
1350 miles Cap Haitien Numicipal, Cap Haitien, HT (CAP) to Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, MD (ADW)
9960 miles total
10056 miles listed by State Department historian because refueling stop in Panama on southbound leg (2060 miles from ADW to PTY| Panama City)

Once again if the plane really had a 6900 mile range it should have easily been able to fly down to Chile as distance is less than 5000 miles
So theories for the motivation for the refueling stop in Panama
(1)The plane actually has a limited range of about 4500 miles and they want to keep it secret
(2) He was actually making a SECRET stop in Panama disguised as refueling
(3) He is afraid to take on fuel in Chile. Presumably he would also be nervous about Haiti, but they can easily fly a tanker over from AFB in Puerto Rico.

Problems with theories
(1) If the plane is really under-performing, then why advertise it on an UNCLASS website.
(2) Always a possibility, but even the Secretary of State has trouble conducting clandestine meetings.
(3) This was the theory before. However, the flight distance from Panama to Chile and back to Haiti would be close to 6500 miles.

Personally, I am going back to my original theory. The plane is seriously underperforming. It had two major malfunctions this year, the highest profile one was the plane completely broke down in Hawaii in August forcing the Secretary to take a commercial flight home. Perhaps the refueling stop in Panama so close to the breakdown was just precautionary. As to revealing that information on an UNCLASS website, the historian's staff is too dumb.

John Kerry is married to Teresa Heinz of the ketchup family.Her Gulfstream V has a range of over 7000 miles (but can only carry 14–19 passengers).

Quote: Pacomartin

So theories for the motivation for the refueling stop in Panama

4) Strong headwinds and the wrong conversion factor had the airplane barely making it to Chile. So they stopped in Panama to refuel
5) Kerry had to get something at the Panama City Duty Free Shop.

Quote:

John Kerry is married to Teresa Heinz of the ketchup family.Her Gulfstream V has a range of over 7000 miles (but can only carry 14–19 passengers).

That's what I called Pittsburgh's stadium Hines' Field :)

Quote: Nareed

4) Strong headwinds and the wrong conversion factor had the airplane barely making it to Chile. So they stopped in Panama to refuel

US Air Force Fact sheet says the range of the C-32 is 5500 nautical miles (=6300 statute miles). While that is a little smaller than the 5650 nm in wikipedia, it is still 20% more than the 4970 sm trip.
Strong headwinds are normally not a problem going north-south. They tend to be more of an issue when travelling in the jet stream.

Maybe the policy is to always have large amounts of fuel with VIPs on board. It seems overly conservative, but perhaps they must figure on airline bandits.

We need point to point suborbital

Quote: Pacomartin

Maybe the policy is to always have large amounts of fuel with VIPs on board. It seems overly conservative, but perhaps they must figure on airline bandits.

This actually makes sense.

Quote:

We need point to point suborbital

Good luck. With all the hype around Spaceship Two, Virgin Galactic, a raft of imitators and "space tourism," the average person has no idea that a sub-orbital flight could cover great distances in a very short time.

And calling it "ballistic travel" won't go over well...

Quote: Nareed

With all the hype around Spaceship Two, Virgin Galactic, a raft of imitators and "space tourism," the average person has no idea that a sub-orbital flight could cover great distances in a very short time.

http://www.forceindiaf1.com/
Before the accident Virgin Galactic used to talk about p2p sub orbital flights to Australia. Plus the owner of Force India is in discussions with KLM.

Combining transportation and tourism may make it easier to find those people who will shell out over $100K each way.