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(More customer reviews)Any student of aviation or U.S. history will enjoy this flight through sixty years of presidential transport. In an attractive package crammed with beautiful portraits of the world's most-recognized airplane, author Robert Dorr turns his encyclopedic knowledge of civil and military aviation to chronicling the evolution of this American flagship of the skies. From the converted military cargo planes used by FDR during World War II, to the gleaming prop-driven Constellation favored by Ike, to the historic Boeing 707 that carried JFK in life and death, Dorr shows how these airplanes came to embody American power and prestige in their global travels. While he covers the technical details of each aircraft and shows how the President's plane evolved with civil and military aviation advances, the book also provides glimpses into presidential character. Nixon, for example, was polite but reserved on his jet, and almost never ventured up to the cockpit. LBJ treated his fleet of aircraft like flying offices, wheeling and dealing with congressmen and politicians as he corralled them into flights to their districts or to his Texas ranch. President Reagan was a favorite of his flight crews, and returned their respect with casual visits to their communications and flight stations. Jimmy Carter, uncomfortable with the imperial aura of Air Force One, removed the "V" (for VIP) prefix from its official VC-137 designation. He also exasperated his radio operators on occasion by discussing classified information "in the clear" (as was his prerogative, of course). The changes in Air Force One parallel many of the advances in air transport technology since the late 1930's, and reflect the changing role of the presidency over six decades. Air Force One has served as private jet and potential doomsday command post. Today it's a global ambassador of American power. Robert Dorr does justice to his subject with clear writing and the behind-the-scenes access that take readers inside this fascinating aircraft. His book is almost as good as a ride on the 747 that now carries President George W. Bush.
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Climb aboard the president's office in the sky - Air Force One, the world's most recognizable airplane. This book features a detailed examination of what makes this airplane so special, including its sophisticated communications, navigation, and defensive systems. Learn about how today's 747 was built, and compare it to presidential aircraft of the past.
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