After nearly a week in office, Donald Trump crossed the East Lawn for the first time to board a “White Top” VH-3D operated by HMX-1, better known by its callsign when the President is aboard—Marine One. He made the quick flight to Andrews AFB where he boarded a VC-25A for the first time, even more famously known by its callsign when the President is aboard—Air Force One. Vice President Mike Pence had a similar set of experiences today as well, taking a VH-3D from his home near the US Naval Observatory to Andrews AFB where he boarded a C-32A, dubbed Air Force Two while he’s aboard. Both were headed to nearby Philadelphia for a retreat with fellow Republican lawmakers.
Although Trump forgot the signature “turn and wave” before entering Air Force’s One’s forward cabin door, he did seem to settle right in on the aircraft. He quickly took up shop in the President’s office, his large leather chair draped in a new custom-tailored Commander In Chief Air Force One jacket.
Aboard the Trump invited pool reporters and photographers into his office for a photo op, where he commented “Beautiful… Great plane… Really beautiful” about his new flying office. When asked how it compared to his personal 757, he said “Well that’s a good one too, but this is a very special plane, for a lot of reasons outside of just being a plane.” Trump seemed more excited about his new jacket than anything else stating “They just gave me that, pretty cool jacket right?” He then turned tables on the reporters asking how flying conditions were on the famous jet and asking “do you like this better than your other plane? I think so, right? You hit the big time right?”
Trump has a long history with large lavish jets and helicopters and probably knows more about the subject than any President before him. He has also very publicly questioned the cost of the USAF’s Air Force One replacement program, taking Boeing to task on the price. We’ll still have to see how that all pans out, but for now he seems more than happy with the aircraft he has inherited from Barack Obama and it is yet to be known how much he plans to travel as the 45th President of the United States. If history tells us anything, each President has taken to the air more than their predecessor. It’s pretty unlikely that will change under the Trump administration.
Contact the author Tyler@thedrive.com