doesn't have time for a typical travel nuisances,

like baggage fees and shoe removal and security lines.

But Air Force One makes all that moot.

Technically, Air Force One is a call sign given to whatever

plane the president is flying on, but it usually refers

to one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200 B's.

But the way the commander in chief gets to travel by air

is especially different from your average Joe.

Today, we're going to take a look

at all of the weirdest features of Air Force One.

But before we get started, be sure I subscribe to the Weird

History Channel and let us know in the comments

below what other aspect of presidential life

you would like to hear about.

OK, if at the bottom of your screen for this helpful Air

Force One in-flight video.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Imagine you have to fly somewhere

for a big business meeting, but a nuclear war breaks out.

Curse you, Spirit Airlines.

Well, if you were an average citizen,

you'd be pretty much screwed.

But if you were the President of the United States,

you might be able to proceed as planned.

How so?

Well, Air Force One is more than just a plane.

It's also a flying nuclear bunker.

The aircraft actually has such heavily reinforced armor

that it's theoretically capable of withstanding

a nuclear blast.

And just to add some other protections,

the windows are bulletproof, and its defense system

can jam enemy radar, as well as deflect missiles

and electromagnetic pulses.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

As one of the most powerful leaders in the world,

the president is constantly subject to threats on his life.

As such, the designers of Air Force One

paid special attention to security risks

created by the plane's interaction

with airport equipment that isn't under federal government

control.

For example, getting off most jets

means climbing down a set of stairs or ramp

that's attached to the plane from the outside.

But to mitigate any security risks with airport staircases,

Air Force One is equipped with a uniquely retractable set

of stairs that extends outward from the body of the plane.

For the same reasons, the plane is

also equipped with its own baggage loader that

allows staff to closely monitor what goes

in and out of the cargo hold.

These precautions make trying to topple the president by placing

a bomb in a set of airport stairs

or sneaking one into the baggage loader a non-issue.

Anyone who has seen the 1997 film Air Force One

knows that the president's plane needs

to be prepared for anything, including

a midair terrorist attack by Gary Oldman that results

in fistfights and shootouts.

When is America going to stand up to Gary Oldman?

Should something like that or a less fantastical

medical situation occur on the president's plane,

they'll be prepared to deal with it.

That's because Air Force One is equipped with far more

than just a first aid kit.

The plane has a medical annex that

includes a pharmacy and operating

table with surgical lights along with equipment

like a defibrillator, IV pumps, and suction devices.

Moreover, a nurse is also on board

to handle any potential health emergencies.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

On your average commercial jetliner,

running out of gas mid-flight would be a fairly significant

problem.

But on most planes that have been called Air Force

One, running out of gas wasn't really a concern at all,

why not?

Well, as with military combat aircraft,

the president's ride in the sky was traditionally

designed to be able to keep flying

in the event of an emergency or if unsafe conditions exist

on the ground.

That being the case, these planes

had the capability to refuel while in midair.

The procedure for midair refueling wasn't exactly easy,

but it wasn't terribly complicated either.

The way it worked was that a fuel plane would

fly into the proximity of Air Force One, match its speed,

then connect to provide enough fuel to top off its tanks.

While the procedure was well tested,

it wasn't completely risk free, so it was only

meant to be used in truly dire situations.

Why the past tense here?

Well, in a move that stunned politicians from both parties

on Capitol Hill, President Donald Trump

had the new Air Force Ones designed

without this capability.

Why?

Well, it was part of an effort to cut millions of dollars

from the multibillion dollar budget that

pays for the planes.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Everyone loves talking on the phone and watching television.

And the President of the United States is no exception.

That's why the designers of the Commander in Chief's plane

spared no expense in making sure the phone lines never

go down on Air Force One.

OK, that's not exactly true.

In fact, the reason they did it is because the plane doubles

as a mobile command center.

And at any time, it could be required

to help the president run operations all over the world.

To this end, Air Force One features nearly 240 miles

of electronic wiring with 85 phones and dozens

of TV screens installed.

Sure, sure, it's a command center, and a sweet spot

to watch Sunday football.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

For most people eating while in flight usually boils down

to a choice between the regular or kosher meals,

that is assuming they're even offered a meal.

Frequent flyers will attest that often the menu

is limited to a bag of pretzels and a bottle of water,

if anything at all.

But the Air Force One kitchen is operating

at a whole other level.

It actually has two food preparation galleys

stocked with stoves, ovens, microwaves, and refrigerators.

And each flight is capable of feeding over 100 people.

On top of that, the chefs who work on Air Force One

can make nearly anything the president requests,

whether or not it's on the prepared menu.

And while most of us eat our airplane food

off a plastic tray, the president

gets his meals served on China adorned

with the presidential seal.

Ever wonder if that person standing in line behind you

at the grocery store is actually a top secret government

chef surreptitiously buying ingredients

for the president's meals?

No.

Well, they might be.

Yeah, for security reasons the Air Force One chefs

who prepare on-board meals do in fact

go undercover to local grocery stores to purchase ingredients.

As an added safety step, they visit stores randomly.

Staff also do not purchase any food from overseas.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

For reasons of security and safety and possibly also

for bragging rights, the president's plane is capable

of doing some things that most similar jets simply cannot pull

off.

For example, while commercial airlines typically

fly at around 30,000 feet, Air Force One

is capable of getting all the way up to 45,100 feet.

Along with its ability to reach great heights,

Air Force One is also incredibly fast,

even for essentially a passenger plane.

In fact, it's able to go more than 600 miles an hour,

almost the speed of sound.

With 4,000 square feet of space on three levels

at its disposal, Air Force One provides a lot

more than just a luxury ride in the sky.

As previously mentioned, the plane

doubles as mobile command center with state

of the art electronics capable of communicating

with military operations around the world.

In the event of an emergency, the president

can issue commands as needed all from the safety of this flying

fortress.

But even with all of that, there is a ton of space left over.

The plane can also carry the president's entire staff,

his guests, and various members of the White House press pool

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Getting any plane off the ground is an intricate operation.

But getting the president's plane off the ground

is a full fledged military operation.

The process for getting Air Force One airborne

is literally carried out with military precision.

This is to ensure that everything

is prepared for the commander in chief to board.

How does it work?

Well, first the president is transported via helicopter

from the White House to Maryland's Andrews Air Force

base.

Next, the plane and runway are inspected by members of the Air

Force to ensure their safety.

Finally, the Air Force transports the president's

motorcade to the waiting plane.

It's a lot to go through.

But when your passenger is the most powerful politician

in the world, the precautions are all necessary.

When flying, the president never flies alone.

In fact Air Force One has a hefty wingman

with a Super bad ass name, the Doomsday Plane.

The president's ride is typically

accompanied by a Boeing E4B that can stay in the air for days

and remains on constant alert in case of a nuclear threat

or national emergency.

Staffed by military analysts and strategists,

the Doomsday Plane is a flying strategy room

where military analysts and strategists

can execute orders and coordinate actions

on the ground.

According to the Air Force, the E4B,

known as the National airborne operations center,

is protected against the effects of electromagnetic pulse

and includes nuclear and thermal effect shielding.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

So you might be wondering, hey, if I could manage

to get a ride on Air Force One, would I

be able to snag a seat next to the president?

No, you can't, you definitely can't, Air Force One

has assigned seating for everyone aboard.

To ensure the safety of the president,

it's understandably best to know who's who

and where they are at all times.

In fact, along with the president's staff,

nearly half the seats on board are already

reserved for Secret Service agents

and members of the press.

Guests of the president do get to sit-in a VIP area close

to the front of the plane.

But for security reasons, others can't walk forward

beyond their own seat.

As you might imagine, a flight on Air Force One

is not a budget travel experience, not even close.

According to some estimates it costs at least $206,000 an hour

to operate the plane.

What does all that money pay for?

Well, expenses include fuel, state of the air communications

equipment, maintenance and upkeep, gourmet food,

and salaries, not only for on board staff and pilots

but also wages for Secret Service members

and other presidential employees who are on the clock while

aboard.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

In truth, Air Force One isn't a plane.

It's actually two planes.

This is because all modes of transportation

go out of commission sometimes for maintenance or repairs.

And one of the most important vehicles in the entire country

is no exception.

So when Air Force One is down for repairs,

its twin is always available to get the president

where he needs to go.

The president is unlikely to notice the difference, though,