SwiftVets.com

[Marine4life]

My wife and I watched on T.V. as President Reagan was loaded on The plane and took off from Pt. Mugu. The flight path was directly over our house after the left turn over the ocean. When the plane got over my house it was at approx. 10,000 ft in a clear blue sky. With bino's we could see the distinct markings of Airforce one. We watched as it disappeared on the horizon. It was a tremendous feeling to see that plane fly over carrying the most respected President in modern times. I expect that some will say that it was not designated Airforce one for today, but when the President of the United States is on board it becomes Airforce one, today it carryed the President of the United States back to Washington DC. for the last time. Semper Fi.
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Helicopter Marine Attack Squadron 169 which is now HMLA-169. They added Huey's to compliment the Cobra effectiveness. When I served we just had Snakes.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Glad you got that glimpse of it.

The official name for this flight was "Special Air Mission 28000."

Some trivia for civilian visitors who might not know - and I hope I'm remembering this correctly from my Air Controlman days - 24 years ago.

"Air Force One" is a mission name/call sign and applies to any Air Force aircraft which has the President aboard.

The plane used most by the President is only called "Air Force One" when the President is flying in it. (Did you know that this aircraft has a surgical facility inside it? I just found that out, today - incredible!) For other flights, it takes on other Air Force mission names/call signs.

If the President flies aboard an Army aircraft, it becomes "Army One," a Marine Corps aircraft; "Marine One," and so on.

And if a President's family member boards a Navy aircraft, for instance, that plane takes the mission name, "Navy One Foxtrot."

The Vice-President's flights get the mission names, "Air Force Two," etc.(Even if the VP is flying in the plane that is commonly called "Air Force One.") And his family members are "Two Foxtrot."

Any of them get very special handling by air traffic control.

And I'm sure that controllers across the country paid some silent respects and perhaps conveyed messages to the pilots of SAM28000, today, as the aircraft passed through their airspace.
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~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[BrianC]

If the President flies aboard an Army aircraft, it becomes "Army One," a Marine Corps aircraft; "Marine One," and so on.

.........
Right you are.

When President Bush piloted the S-3 Viking out to the USS Abraham Lincoln last year, the flight was called "Navy One". That aircraft is now on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.

Marine4Life: Thanks for providing your personal perspective on the events of this morning. That must have been a pretty awesome feeling.

[Marine4life]

Yes indeed it was, I know the protocol on the aircraft but this aircraft in my eyes is Airforce One on this event, Semper Fi all.
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Helicopter Marine Attack Squadron 169 which is now HMLA-169. They added Huey's to compliment the Cobra effectiveness. When I served we just had Snakes.