Following his landing at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, Wisconsin, JD Vance, the new running mate for Donald Trump, sauntered across the tarmac to take a dekko at Kamala Harris’ Air Force Two in her absence. On Wednesday, after Kamala Harris touched down at the airport, she met a group of Girl Scouts before driving off in her motorcade to a packed rally in Eau Claire, where she was joined by her running mate Tim Walz.
After taking a close look at Air Force Two, Vance turned to reporters and said, “I figured I’d come by and, one, just get a good look at the plane because hopefully, it’s going to be my plane in a few months, but I also thought you guys might get lonely because the vice president doesn’t answer questions from reporters and hasn’t for 17 days.”
Vance’s comment has sparked discussion online and made headlines. Against this backdrop, let’s take an inside look at Air Force Two- the 155-foot jet plane that carries Vice Presidents around the world.
Air Force Two in 2019
“Air Force Two” is the designated call sign used by the United States Air Force for any aircraft that carries the Vice President. The most common Air Force Two plane is the Boieng C-32, which is a customized commercial Boeing 757-200 employed primarily for a Vice President’s travel. Other aircraft from the 89th Airlift Wing, like the Boeing C-40 Clipper, C-20B, C-37A, and C-37B, have also been used to serve this role.
The president’s designated plane “Air Force One” does not allow the Vice President to travel in it for several security reasons. According to protocol, the President and Vice President should be travelling separately, as reported by the New York Times.
Saluting the service members while boarding and landing from the aircraft is considered a customary practice for both the President and the Vice president. According to the Associated Press, while the service members are required to salute the President as commander-in-chief, they are not obligated to do so for the Vice president. However, as per tradition, they also salute the Vice President.
In 1959, under Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency, Richard Nixon became the first US Vice President to travel internationally via jet. His destination was the USSR and his journey was aboard a Boeing VC-137A Stratoliner.
Vice President Richard Nixon flies to the USSR in 1959
Under Gerald Foder’s presidency, a DC-9 Jet started operating as Air Force Two until 2005. Initially used by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, the aircraft was equipped with a main cabin with 32 first-class seats and a VIP cabin with 10 seats. The plane took retirement from service under George W. Bush’s presidency. According to USA TODAY, in 2013, the aircraft was auctioned by the General Services Administration.
The Legacy of a Retired DC-9 in the Presidential Fleet
When Vice President Al Gore was serving his tenure, he added certain customisations and personal touches to the interior of the VP cabin, including his family photos. Did you know, that the VP prepared for his acceptance speech for the 2000 Democratic National Convention while on board? The cabin also had a clock which displayed the plane’s destination and the times for Washington DC.
Vice President Al Gore on Air Force Two
When Joe Biden was the Vice President, he travelled over one million miles aboard the Air Force Two. It included an upgraded C-32 plane that had a communications centre and a private stateroom with a fold-out bed. He added a personal touch to the VP cabin by hanging a huge world map in his work area.
Vice President aboard Air Force Two
While Vice President Mike Pence was serving his tenure, the service and staff members of Air Force Two decorated his cabin with steamers and balloons to surprise him with a jolly birthday celebration. Vice President Kamala Harris has also celebrated several birthdays inside Air Force Two, including one in 2021 when she brought cupcakes and sang “Happy Birthday” to Kate Childs Graham, her domestic policy advisor.
Staff Celebrate Mike Pence’s Birthday Aboard Air Force Two
Vice President Kamala Harris joins staff in celebrating a staff member's birthday in 2021
In addition to this, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoof also travels aboard Air Force Two.
The rear section of Air Force Two is furnished with 32 business-class seats reserved for the press. In this area, the Vice Presidents and their staff conduct informal briefings with reporters, which is also known as “press gaggles.” The press area is equipped with TV screens for viewing cable news, a galley, two restrooms and storage closets.
In 2012, while Joe Biden was flying over California, he had to switch to a different aircraft following a bird strike. Similarly, in 20224, Air Force Two while carrying Mike Pence, suffered a bird strike takeoff, causing it to return to a nearby airport located in New Hampshire. In June 2021, when Kamala Harris was aboard, Air Force Two had to return to Joint Base Andrews following a technical issue. Harris was traveling to Guatemala. She had to resume her flight on a different aircraft after about one and a half hours.
