Presidented access: Inside the development of the next Air Force One

It is possibly the world’s most famous aircraft, but relatively little is known about it. A new documentary with rare access to Air Force One changes all that. Tom Batchelor spoke to professional pilot and documentary producer Scott Bateman to learn more...

Air Force One is an aeroplane of superlatives. The most secure, the best maintained, the most recognisable, and, with a US$5.3bn price tag and current running costs exceeding US$250,000 an hour, one which demands the most generous of presidential budgets to keep it in the air.

Technically speaking, Air Force One is the callsign used for any US Air Force (USAF) aircraft which is carrying the president – also known as commander-in-chief – although the term is widely used to refer to the two customised Boeing 747-200Bs, officially Boeing VC-25s, regardless of whether or not the president is on board.

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