Does AIR FORCE ONE really have an ESCAPE POD?

Question

If you saw Harrison Ford's AIR FORCE ONE, you'd have noticed that in the movie AFO had an escape capsule similar to the one used for manned rockets.

President Clinton saw the movie and insisted afterwards that AFO had no Escape Pod.

Now here's my problem.

Considering how many drills and war games focus around getting the President out of danger, securing the nuclear football and getting the senior staff to safety in the case of a suprise attack, I find it difficult (if not impossible) to believe AFO has no Escape Pod.

I would consider it poor planning by the government in fact to not have a way of getting the President off of a jumbo jet in the event of a surface-to-air assault or jet fighters attacking from a rogue nation.

Furthermore, if I was President of the USA and I had the ability to make EXECUTIVE DECISIONS there is no way in hell I would fly in a plane without an escape pod. I'd simply force Lockheed to build one.

Answer 1

VC-25A is a Highly Modified Boeing 747. The decsion to change to a 747 from the Older 707 of previous Adminastrations was made by the United States Air Force, the White House only Advised. The Air Force had decided that due to that age and high levels of required maintance on the 707's that a new aircraft was Requied both as a Presidental Transport and the Airbourne Emergency Command Post. The Boeing 747 was choosen due to it's Size, Long Range, Safety Record, Ease of Maintance, the number of Fields it could use, and Flight Record. Both Aircraft were Assembled at the Boeing Plant in Renton Washington, then flown to the Boeing Modifaction Center in Wichita KS for the required Mods. Both VC-25A's and the E-4's know as "Nightwatch" has since returned to Wichita mutiple times for futher Modification to upgrade the Aircraft as Technology advances.

Lockheed has had nothing to do with the Airframe other then some of the electronics on board.

In case of a SAM attack the A/C is equipped with the top of the line, State of the art, and even EXPERIMENTAL Electronic Counter Measures, as well as Flare and Chaff Systems.
The Aircraft is Covered by USAF Fighters, whose Rules of Engagement are rather Clear. ANY Aircraft that Approaches AF-1 without Clearance, and will NOT change course, is to be shot down. PERIOD, DOT, END OF SENTENCE

Most of what you saw in the Movie Air Force One, well we who worked the Aircraft LAUGH at. As we do MOST movies that invole Aircraft.
There is no Escape Pod.
The is no Rear Cargo Door.
Don't believe everything you see in the Movies, TV or Video Games.

Answer 2

Suppose for a moment one of the VC-25A is above the ocean, where would the escape pod go? In the ocean? And how is the prez supposed to come back, with a paddle?

The fact is that VC-25A are equipped with all the sensors imaginable, and would most likely be shadowed by AWACS and JSTARS all along, no "rogue nation" fighters would come close before being detected. If the presidential plane was to go through rough area, it would be escorted by whatever military airplane are needed to ensure no one gets close enough to risk harming it. Still, if it was to be disabled with something powerful engouh, there is no way someone could go to an escape pod, open the hatch, sit in it, close the hatch and jettision, while the airplane around is torn to pieces by the blast of a missile. Unless the prez is already sitting in the escape pod, hatch closed, with the finger on the release button. Which pretty much reduces the usefulness of the space and boardroom capability the airplane has to nothing, since the president cannot use it from the confine of the escape pod. And of course, nothing is said about the possibility of the escape pod being targetted by the same airplane (that hit Air Force One) with a second missile.

Another point: VC-25A's are a modified Boeing 747-200B. What does Lockheed have anything to do with it?

Finally, your desire for not being president until such time as an escape pod is fitted to the presidential vehicles is noted. I am sure your constituent will take good note of the absence of your name on the ballot at next election.

Answer 3

In a practical sense, it's quite pointless to have an escape pod. Any emergency that you'd need it for would happen faster than you could get to the pod.

Also, Lockheed did not build Air Force One, it is a modified Boeing 747. And it is only actually called Air Force One while the president is on board. There are four identical planes in the fleet used for VIP service, any one of them could be Air Force One at any time.

Answer 4

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RE:
Does AIR FORCE ONE really have an ESCAPE POD?
If you saw Harrison Ford's AIR FORCE ONE, you'd have noticed that in the movie AFO had an escape capsule similar to the one used for manned rockets.

President Clinton saw the movie and insisted afterwards that AFO had no Escape Pod.

Now here's my problem.

Considering how many...

Answer 5

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Completely fiction. Movies like Air Force One and Escape from New York use them as a plot device for the movie. In reality who having an escape pod for the President be useful just to have him land unprotected and alone in a possibly hostile environment. Air Force One is the safest, most secure, most maintained and has the most highly trained crew of any aircraft in the world.

Answer 6

Is there a material in existence that is both strong enough yet practical enough to build the exterior of AFO with so even a missile won't damage it?

I've always wished they would make a feature with even commercial planes where the internal unit the passengers are in is completely separated from the electrical components so even if a TWA type short circuit happens and it explodes, that would destroy the "outer layer", and then the internal part would fire up it's own emergency electronics and engine, or would just parachute to the sea/ground - of course parachuting to the ocean is bleak, but at least you stand a chance then , and don't get torn to shreds just because of a dumb short circuit - yes I know that TWA Flight 800 had a LOT of things go wrong other than just the short circuit -

I would probably overcome my fear of flying if a plane was built with this feature...and would be HAPPY to pay 10 times the amount of a regular ticket

Answer 7

Download the National Geographic video at amazon.com/unbox titled Air Force One. It's $1.99. It's a great show about the history of Air Force One.

I actually learned that there are two 747's used for AF1.

Answer 8

Visit the USAF Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio They have the past aircraft which have served as AF1 on display. None of them have any signs of an escape pod ever having been installed.

Answer 9

The truth is because there is so much security surrounding the presidents plane you will never know for sure. The U.S government hides a lot of things so it could be possible to have an escape pod and they just deny it for security reasons. Although It is more likely they have parachutes as an easy alternative just incase something goes wrong and they have to abandon the plane!

Answer 10

No, none of the FOUR AFO's have escape pods. Maybe you've been watching too many Hollywood movies?