The Aircraft of MDT: VC-25

Welcome to the fifteenth and final regular installment of The Aircraft of MDT. In this series we have taken a look at some of the aircraft that you may spot flying to and from Harrisburg International Airport.

SAM 28000 practicing touch-and-goes.
Note the bulge of the aerial refueling port on the
aircraft's nose.

Although the largest aircraft that flies to and from Harrisburg International Airport on a day to day basis is the A300-600F, the runway is capable of handling any plane in the world. That capacity, combined with minimal congestion and proximity to Joint Base Andrews, makes MDT the ideal spot for the president’s pilots to come practice routine maneuvers.

Often referred to as “Air Force One,” the two aircraft that serve as the primary mode of long distance transport for the President of the United States only officially bear that designation when the president is actually aboard, as does any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president. Similarly, a naval aircraft carrying the president takes the call sign “Navy One,” an army aircraft, “Army One,” etc.; a civilian aircraft carrying the president is designated “Executive One.” When the president is not on board, these aircraft are typically referred to by their tail numbers: 28000 and 29000.

Officially known as the VC-25A, the presidential planes are heavily specialized modifications of the Boeing 747-200 airliner. Boeing Commercial Airplanes introduced the 747 in the late 1960s. At the time, air travel was growing in popularity and airport congestion was becoming a problem as more and more flights were added to accommodate passenger demand. To alleviate this congestion and increase their passenger load, airlines sought a jetliner larger than those currently available. Pan American Airlines collaborated heavily with Boeing on the design of the 747 and was the aircraft’s launch customer, placing an order for 25 in 1966 and taking delivery of the first plane in January of 1970. Able to carry more than 350 passengers and crew, the 747-100 was two and a half times the size of the Boeing 707, one of the most popular airliners of the era.

SAM 28000 with Three Mile Island
in the background.

When the 747 was under development, conventional wisdom was that subsonic airliners would soon be replaced by supersonic counterparts. To guard against this eventuality, Boeing designed the 747 to be easily converted into a freighter, supposing that when passenger air travel went supersonic, subsonic aircraft could still thrive in the cargo market. The industry-wide changeover to supersonic never materialized (Boeing canceled plans for its own supersonic transport in 1971) and the 747 has proved to be very successful, with over 1400 aircraft across numerous variants delivered to date. Thirty three years after its maiden flight, production of the 747 continues with the newest variant, the 747-8.

The 747-200, launched in 1971, added more powerful engines and improved on the -100’s maximum takeoff weight. The -200 serves as the basis for the VC-25. In 1985, during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, a Request for Proposal was issued announcing the intention to replace the two 707 derived VC-137s that then served as the presidential aircraft. Both the 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 competed for the contract which ultimately went to Boeing. The VC-25s were completed the following year and first flew in 1987. After some problems with wiring the aircraft for communications, the new jets entered presidential service in 1990.

SAM 28000 takes off again after a touch-and-go.

Both standard 747s and the VC-25s have three decks. As on a 747, the lower deck of the VC-25 is given over primarily to cargo space. The Uppermost deck houses the cockpit and the aircraft’s primary communications center. The president and other passengers ride on the main deck which is divided into several sections. The foremost section is sometimes referred to as “The White House” as it contains the president’s private state room and office. The executive suite includes a toilet, shower, double sink, and couches that convert to beds. “The Oval Office aboard Air Force One” is equipped to allow the president to address the nation while airborne, a capability that was added after President George W. Bush was forced to land in order to give such an address on September 11, 2001. The remainder of the main deck contains a conference room equipped for teleconferencing, quarters for guests, senior staff, and secret service, and seating for news media near the rear of the plane. Protocol dictates that passengers may move about freely aft of their assigned seating, but not forward of it. The aircraft has two galleys capable of serving a total of 100 people at a time. There is a medical annex aboard, complete with operating table, that is staffed by a doctor and a nurse on every flight.

Further modifications not standard on the 747 are the ability to refuel in flight, defensive countermeasures to guard against missile attack, and electronics heavily shielded against interference from the electromagnetic pulse that would result from a nuclear blast. Many of the plane's features are, of course, classified, but there is no indication that the VC-25 carries an emergency escape pod, as depicted in the 1997 film, Air Force One.

When the Request for Proposal for the VC-25 was issued, the two VC-137s were 23 and 13 years old. The VC-25s have now been in service for 22 years. Although no definite plans have been made public, a notice has been issued seeking replacements for the aircraft to enter service in 2017 and 2019. Possible candidates have included the Boeing 747-8 and 787 and the Airbus A380, although as of 2009, Airbus was no longer being considered.

"Smoking the Mains"

As with the C-32, there is no pre-announced schedule for the VC-25’s visits to Harrisburg International Airport, but they generally occur roughly once a month. So, if you’re in our neighborhood, keep a weather eye out; watching what is, in its unique livery, one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world touch and go at MDT is a real treat.