How Long Can Air Force One Stay In The Air?

The president of the United States is known as the leader of the free world, and with that comes the need to travel frequently, including for continent-spanning appearances domestically and diplomatic summits abroad. There's a long history of presidential aircraft, starting with Franklin Roosevelt, but for those long-distance treks, the president currently flies aboard a specially-modified Boeing 747-200B that's designed to be the Oval Office when he's away from the real deal. There's a medical facility, a bedroom for the president and first lady, and even a section of the plane to accommodate the press pool. 

To accommodate the president's demanding travel itinerary, Boeing designed the 231-foot, 10-inch aircraft to be able to reach any corner of the planet. It's limited to 7,800 miles before it needs a refuel, but it can refuel midair, essentially giving it an unlimited range. Moreover, the plane is built to withstand an electromagnetic pulse in case it, or the United States, is ever victim to such an attack.

The 747-200B would only need to land when those aboard are out of food and water. Otherwise, it has everything a small command center would need to stay operational, including multi-frequency satellite communications and an office that converts into a medical facility.

With Boeing discontinuing the 747, the 747-200B is one of the last 747s in the air, and it's due to be replaced — with another 747. To replace the current Air Force One, the Air Force chose the Boeing 747-8, the fastest, most advanced version of the 747. This newer model will be able to travel over 1,000 miles farther than its predecessor but comes with a caveat: It won't be capable of midair refueling, making it a slightly less reliable command center. Furthermore, it puts the continuity of government at risk if there's ever a coordinated attack on American soil. The Air Force removed this feature from the new Air Force One as a means of cutting costs.

According to The War Zone, a source said removing that ability wasn't an issue since it's not something that a president had ever used. However, a boom operator aboard a KC-135 "Flying Gas Station" told Jalopnik, "I even refueled Air Force One a time or two," once when then-President George H.W. Bush may have been aboard. 

The new 747-8 does have features that outpace the 747-200B, including emitting 16 fewer tons of carbon dioxide per trip and flying as fast as Mach 0.855, compared to its predecessor's Mach 0.84. Other details about the next-generation Air Force One remain scarce, but it will surely remain a self-sufficient flying Oval Office and command center.