President Obama foreign travel very different from Bush

US, Canada, and Mexico are the only countries in the Western Hemisphere to operate widebodies as Head of State aircraft. The other countries must refuel even to get to Europe.

Quote: Pacomartin

I doubt that they even do it for practice. Why risk damaging the plane? It's just a hypothetical in case of nuclear war.

If they never train to do it, then they won't be able to do it safely and reliably, especially in an emergency when the president is on board.



That's actually a picture of an E4-B.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_E-4

They are also based on the 747-200, and preceded the VC-25 into service.

It is possible that they never practice the mid air refueling in the two VC-25s, and restrict their training to the E-4s. I coudn't find a picture of a VC-25 being refueled mid-air.

You can really see how big the 747 is compared to the 707-based KC-135. You can also see that it is an old picture - the KC-135 has not been re-engined.

Quote: Dalex64

You can really see how big the 747 is compared to the 707-based KC-135.

The 747 is bigger than all airplanes except the A380, the C-5 and whatever the Russian Antonov is called. the KC-135 is a modified B-707. The 747 was conceived to be as big as at least two 707s. So...

Does the USAF still operate the KC-10? It must be fun extending the refueling probe right below an active engine :)

The next generation tanker will be based on the 767

Quote: Dalex64

If they never train to do it, then they won't be able to do it safely and reliably, especially in an emergency when the president is on board.

I think they have done the procedure several time on the E4-B. (Number built 4 | Unit cost US$223 million in 1998 dollars). I just don't think they do it on one of the two VC-25s. It is my personal feeling that risking an accident with a VC-25 is not worth it, both in terms of cost and in terms of exposure to the public. Both the E4-B and the VC-25 were derived from the Boeing 747-200 and I think that the procedures can be considered similar enough for practical purposes.

The definitive answer to this question is almost certainly classified. Even the budget of the Secret Service is classified.

When the GAO analyzed the cost of foreign travel in the Clinton administration, they could essentially only count the cost of the jets in the air.

PRESIDENTIAL TRAVEL Costs and Accounting For the President’s 1998 Trips to Africa, Chile, and China
http://www.gao.gov/archive/1999/ns99164.pdf

Quote: Nareed

The 747 is bigger than all airplanes except the A380, the C-5 and whatever the Russian Antonov is called. the KC-135 is a modified B-707. The 747 was conceived to be as big as at least two 707s. So...

Does the USAF still operate the KC-10? It must be fun extending the refueling probe right below an active engine :)

The next generation tanker will be based on the 767

Looks like the kc10 is still flying, but they only made about 60 of them, vs about 800 kc135s (worldwide)

The President and First Lady holding hands while landing in Sicily on the final leg.

Quote: Pacomartin

The President and First Lady holding hands while landing in Sicily on the final leg.

Wonder how much he had to pay her to get her to hold his hand?

After the two instances on this trip where she got caught on camera swatting his hand away when he reached for hers, I'm sure negotiations were tough...

Again with the white-knuckle grip on the railing.

Quote: Dalex64

Again with the white-knuckle grip on the railing.

I am surprised Trump isn't demanding an escalator upon landing and departure

Quote: ams288

Wonder how much he had to pay her to get her to hold his hand?

I think the technical term is "paying through the nose."

Makes sense. Don't you think she knows what those hands have been grabbing?