Exclusive photos: Air Force One arrives at New Delhi IGI airport

January 26, 2015 5 Comments 447 Views

President Obama is on a visit to India. Our photographer Uday Krishna caught the two VC-25A that transported the President, tail numbers 28000 and 29000 more commonly known as Air Force One on their approach to New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport.

The President is on one aircraft and the other serves as a back-up.

The two aircraft are maintained at the 89th Airlift Wing, Presidential Airlift Group (PAG) based at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland just outside Washington DC.

When the President is not on board, these aircraft normally use the call sign SAM 28000 or SAM 29000. SAM standing for Special Air Mission and then the tail numbers.

Photo by Uday Krishna.
Photo by Uday Krishna.
Photo by Uday Krishna.
Photo by Uday Krishna.

About Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

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5 comments

  1. Yuvraj
    January 26, 2015 at 21:36

    Two air force one aircrafts landed in New Delhi?

    • Vedant Agarwal
      January 27, 2015 at 00:21

      The president will always fly with two aircraft. One will be the one that he actually flies on and the other will serve as a spare in case of any problem with the first.

    • Devesh Agarwal
      January 27, 2015 at 10:07

      Actually the two VC-25’s are tail numbers 28000 and 29000 (as explained in the article). Any plane the President of the United States (POTUS) flies on is automatically given the call sign ‘Air Force One’.

      • Amar
        January 27, 2015 at 10:53

        That is correct. There are times when the President will not use either of these 747s but may choose a military aircraft (ex. many trips to Afghanistan) — then that military plane become AF1.

  2. Nik
    January 27, 2015 at 09:37

    Air Force One are not two. The aircraft that the president occupies get the Air Force One call sign. The other one is called SAM = Special Air Mission.

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