Amazing Air Force One Facts That Only A Few Presidents Have Been Willing To Confess

Rules To Follow

Although it is in the POTUS privy of power to order new aircraft to serve as Air Force One, there are specific rules that must be followed.  The purchase must be made within the second term of the sitting president.  The reason for this is so that the aircraft will not be delivered within that president’s term of office, thusly preventing the ordering president to actually use the plane.  The president, in reality, is purchasing the plane for the use of future presidents, not for his own use.   Along with Reagan and Eisenhower, Obama set aside money in his second term to purchase a new Air Force One.

Clinton’s Haircut

The president Bill Clinton received severe criticism when he decided to get a haircut aboard Air Force One.  Not so much he cut his hair, but more because the aircraft was sitting on the runway at the time.  The thing was that the aircraft’s engines were still running, but it was stationary.  In doing this, it caused a problem with outgoing and incoming aircraft.  The event occurred at LAX, one of the countries busiest airports, and the air traffic controllers were scrambling to make sure that no additional aircraft took off or landed during this time.  What resulted was a lot of LAX passengers waiting, and getting very frustrated at the same time.

Assigned Seating

Much like a classroom, the seating on Air Force One is not only limited, but it is also very much assigned.  The assigned seating rule is nothing new, as each administration has had its own rules on who can and cannot set where.  The reasoning for this is not really known, but it is something that every sitting president, that has had Air Force One, has participated in.  The seating on Air Force One, which makes up over half of what is available, is reserved for mostly the press pool passengers as well as the Secret Service.  There is a seat for everyone, and everyone has a specific seat.