Mercedes Mullins
Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. The VC-25A, a military version of the Boeing 747, is the aircraft most commonly associated with the call sign. In 2014, Judicial Watch, a conservative activist group, filed a Freedom of Information Act request to uncover the costs of flying and maintaining Air Force One. The Air Force Headquarters Air Mobility Command responded that the cost per flying hour was $206,337, which included fuel, flight consumables, aircraft overhaul, and engine overhaul. By 2021, the cost of operating Air Force One had decreased to $142,380 per flying hour. While the exact amount of fuel burned per hour is not publicly available, a Boeing 747, the type of aircraft similar to the VC-25A, burns approximately 36,000 gallons of fuel over a 10-hour flight, equating to 3,600 gallons of fuel per hour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cost per flying hour | $142,380 |
| Cost per minute | $2,614 |
| Comparison to a regular Boeing 747 | 10 times more expensive |
| Cost per flying hour (as per Judicial Watch) | $206,337 |
| Cost per hour (as per Jalopnik) | $206,000 |
| Fuel consumption (for a Boeing 747) | 1 gallon/second |
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What You'll Learn
Air Force One is a call sign for any aircraft carrying the US president
"Air Force One" is a call sign for any aircraft carrying the US president. The term is commonly used to denote US Air Force aircraft modified and used to transport the president, and as a metonym for the primary presidential aircraft, VC-25. The idea of designating specific military aircraft to transport the president arose during World War II, when military advisors in the War Department were concerned about the risk of using commercial airlines for presidential travel. The VC-25 is a souped-up, tricked-out military version of the familiar Boeing 747.
The "Air Force One" call sign was created in 1954, after a Lockheed Constellation carrying President Dwight D. Eisenhower entered the same airspace as a commercial airline flight using the same flight number. Since then, the presidential fleet has consisted of two highly customised Boeing 747-200B (VC-25A) aircraft. The cost of operating Air Force One is staggering. In 2014, the cost per flying hour was $206,337, which is nearly a quarter of a million dollars for every hour in the sky. This cost had decreased by 2017, with the most recent data from that year putting the cost at $142,380 per flying hour.
The VC-25 burns a significant amount of fuel per hour, although the exact amount is not publicly available. A Boeing 747, which is the type of aircraft that VC-25 is based on, uses approximately 1 gallon (about 4 litres) of fuel every second. Over a 10-hour flight, this amounts to 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) of fuel. This equates to 5 gallons of fuel per mile (12 litres of fuel per kilometre). While this may seem like a poor miles-per-gallon rating, it is important to consider the number of people a 747 can carry. When taking into account a full passenger load, the plane is getting 100 miles per gallon (42 kilometres per litre) per person.
In addition to Air Force One, there are other call signs designated for US aircraft carrying government officials. Executive One is the call sign for any US civil aircraft when the president is on board. Executive Two is the call sign for any US civil aircraft carrying the vice president. These designations are typically used when the officials are flying on military aircraft, which is usually the case.
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Fuel costs are included in the $142,380 per flying hour
The cost of operating Air Force One, the air traffic control call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the US president, is a significant expense. In 2014, the Judicial Watch activist group filed a Freedom of Information Act request to uncover the costs of presidential travel. The Air Force Headquarters Air Mobility Command revealed that the cost per flying hour was $206,337, which included fuel expenses. This figure is around ten times higher than the hourly cost of a standard Boeing 747.
Subsequent reports have indicated a decrease in the operating costs of Air Force One. As of 2021, the most recent data available shows that the cost per flying hour stands at $142,380. This figure includes fuel costs, which are a significant component of aircraft operations. While the exact amount of fuel burned by Air Force One per hour is not publicly available, it is estimated that a Boeing 747, which is similar to the aircraft used for Air Force One, consumes approximately 1 gallon (about 4 litres) of fuel every second during flight.
The high fuel consumption of Air Force One is not surprising, given the size and performance capabilities of the aircraft. The Air Force One fleet currently consists of two modified Boeing VC-25As, which are military versions of the Boeing 747. These aircraft are larger and more sophisticated than standard commercial planes, requiring substantial fuel to power their engines. The fuel used by Air Force One is likely Jet A or Jet A-1, which are kerosene-based fuels commonly used in turbine engine airplanes.
The fuel costs for Air Force One are included in the overall hourly operating cost of $142,380. This figure takes into account not only the fuel expenses but also other operational and maintenance aspects. The high cost of presidential travel has been a topic of interest and scrutiny, with various groups monitoring the expenses incurred by different administrations. While the fuel costs are a significant contributor to the overall hourly expense, it is important to recognize that the $142,380 per flying hour encompasses a comprehensive range of factors that ensure the safe and secure transportation of the US president. The Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense.
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The Boeing 747 burns 1 gallon of fuel per second
Air Force One is a call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the President, and two such aircraft are Boeing 747s. These planes burn approximately 1 gallon of fuel per second, or 18,000 gallons in a 5-hour flight. Over a 10-hour flight, this figure can rise to 36,000 gallons.
The Boeing 747 is a quadjet that can carry up to 568 passengers. Its fuel efficiency is approximately 5 gallons of fuel per mile (or 12 liters per kilometer). This equates to 0.01 gallons per person per mile, or 100 miles per gallon per person.
The fuel efficiency of the 747 is not as good as that of the Airbus A380, which carries more than 800 passengers and burns 4,600 gallons of fuel per hour. This is a 20% increase in per-passenger fuel efficiency over the 747.
The cost of operating Air Force One in 2014 was $206,337 per flying hour, according to Judicial Watch. This figure had fallen to $142,380 per flying hour by 2017, the most recent data available.
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The VC-25A is a military version of the Boeing 747
Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the US president. The VC-25A is a military version of the Boeing 747 and is the aircraft most commonly associated with Air Force One.
The VC-25A replaced the VC-137C (a military version of the Boeing 707) as the mainstay of the Air Force One fleet starting in 1987. The VC-25A aircraft are maintained and operated as military operations by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of Air Mobility Command's 89th Airlift Wing, based at Joint Base Andrews in Camp Springs, Maryland.
The VC-25A is capable of flying 7,800 miles (12,600 km) without refuelling—roughly one-third of the distance around the world. The aircraft can also be refuelled during flight from a tanker aircraft. The VC-25A can accommodate over 70 passengers and cost approximately $325 million each. The VC-25 has two main decks and a cargo area, like a regular Boeing 747, but its 4,000 square feet (370 square metres) of floor space has been reconfigured for presidential duties. The main passenger area is on the second floor or main deck, with the upper deck containing the cockpit and communications centre.
The VC-25A is equipped with operational modifications including aerial refuelling capability and countermeasures against anti-aircraft missiles. The electronics on board are connected with approximately 238 miles (383 km) of wiring, twice that of a regular 747. All wiring is covered with heavy shielding for protection from a nuclear electromagnetic pulse in the event of a nuclear attack. The aircraft also has electronic countermeasures (ECMs) to jam enemy radar, flares to avoid heat-seeking missiles, and chaff to avoid radar-guided missiles.
The VC-25As are aging and have become less cost-effective to operate. The USAF Air Mobility Command investigated possible replacements, with Boeing's 747-8 ultimately chosen to replace the VC-25A. The final price of the two new 747s is set to be $3.9 billion.
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The Air Force is the largest fuel consumer in the Department of Defense
The US Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense, accounting for 52% of its fuel consumption. In 2011, the Air Force spent $8.3 billion on fuel, with jet propellant 8 (JP-8) accounting for nearly 90% of its fuel usage.
The Air Force uses 10% of the nation's aviation fuel. To put that into perspective, a Boeing 747, which is similar to Air Force One, uses approximately 1 gallon (about 4 litres) of fuel every second. Over a 10-hour flight, it would burn 36,000 gallons (150,000 litres) of fuel. The cost of operating Air Force One, which is the air traffic control call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the US president, was estimated at $206,337 per flying hour in 2014. This figure had decreased to $142,380 per flying hour by 2017.
The Air Force's heavy reliance on jet fuel has made it particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in fuel prices. In recent years, the price of fuel has consistently increased, impacting the Air Force's budget. To address this challenge, the Air Force has explored alternative energy sources and renewable energy options. The Air Force Energy Plan, published in 2010, outlined strategies to reduce demand, increase supply, and foster a culture of energy awareness.
The Air Force has also set renewable energy goals, aiming to certify its entire fleet on coal-to-liquid synthetic fuel blends by 2011 and fuel half of its domestic transportation with US-produced synthetic blends by 2016. Additionally, the Department of Defense established the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Operational Energy Plans and Programs in 2010 to coordinate energy issues and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Department of Energy to accelerate the development and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
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Frequently asked questions
While I cannot find the exact amount of fuel burned per hour, we can estimate the fuel cost per hour. In 2014, the cost per flying hour was $206,337, which fell to $142,380 in 2021.
Air Force One is the air traffic control call sign for any Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. The two planes that are generally used are modified Boeing 747s, specifically VC-25As, which are set to be replaced by VC-25Bs in 2024.
A Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon of fuel per second, or 36,000 gallons over a 10-hour flight. This equates to 5 gallons of fuel per mile. In comparison, the Airbus A380 burns 4,600 gallons per hour, making it slightly more efficient than the 747.
