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Access this article and hundreds more like it with a subscription to The New York TImes Upfront magazine.
"Air Force One" is a call sign, not a name. Any plane the president is aboard is referred to as Air Force One—but only while he's on it.
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The President’s Jet
A few weeks before taking office, President Donald Trump tweeted that “costs are out of control” for a new Air Force One. “Cancel order!” he demanded. Air Force One is a flying White House equipped with everything the president needs while traveling. The current model, in use since 1990, is increasingly hard to repair. The estimated price tag of a new model, now in the early planning stages, is $3.2 billion over 10 years. (The soonest it could be ready is 2024.) Most of the cost is due to the military craft’s special security features, which help ensure the president’s safety. These include radar-signal jammers, flares to deflect heat-seeking missiles, and shields to protect the plane from the effects of a nuclear blast. After meeting with Trump in December, the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, promised to bring down costs. In the meantime, Trump, like the previous four presidents, will fly aboard the current Air Force One. Here’s a peek at what’s inside.
The upper deck includes a control room for three pilots, a lounge for the crew, and a communications center.
The presidential suite includes a bedroom, a bathroom and shower, and a fully equiped private office.
The medical office can be used as an operating room. A doctor and a nurse are aboard every flight.
The two galleys (kitchens) can feed up to 100 people at a time.
The rear of the plane includes areas for guests, Secret Service agents and other security and support staff, and the news media.
Old vs. New Air Force One
How the current presidential jet compares with its likely replacement