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Obama Takes First Ride on "Spiffy" Air Force One

by Terri Potratz | February 5, 2009 at 05:39 pm

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President Obama took his first ride on Air Force One today, traveling from Washington to Williamsburg to attend a retreat of House Democreats in an effort to push his stimulus package through Congress. The presidential plane, a blue and white 747, is only called Air Force One when the current president is on board.

Obama showed off his "spiffy jacket," an Air Force crew launch jacket adorned with his name aross the breast, and then asked reporters what they thought of his "spiffy ride" in reference to the plane.

Obama said he had been a guest on the plane with former President George W. Bush — though on which of the two in the Air Force's presidential fleet he could not recall. He also had flown on one of the smaller jets in the fleet from Chicago to Washington in the days before his inauguration. But it wasn't called Air Force One then — the moniker is used only when the president is on board.

President Obama was also impressed with the helicopter ride he got today:

The helicopter ride from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base also got the nod. "Very smooth, very impressive," Obama said, adding that the view is "spectacular."

Any US air craft carrying the President of the United States is referred to by air traffic control as "Air Force One. The presidential fleet now consists of two Boeng 747 planes, which are specially configured to the tastes of the President.

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