Air Force Two

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The C-32, a variant of the 757, is the usual transportation for the Vice President of the United States.

Vice President Dick Cheney using a VC-25 presidential aircraft for a visit to the Middle East in 2002.

Air Force Two is the air traffic control callsign used by any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the Vice President of the United States.^[1] The term is often associated with a Boeing C-32, a modified Boeing 757 which is most commonly used as the Vice President's transport. The C-40 Clipper, a version of the Boeing 737, also serves in this role. Although the Marines carry the primary mission for helicopter support of both the President, Marine One, and Vice President, Marine Two, UH-1N Huey helicopters from the United States Air Force's 1st Helicopter Squadron are also used to support the Vice President in the Washington capital area under the call sign Air Force Two .

During the build up to the invasion of Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney made his first overseas trip in office. For the March 2002, 10 day, 12 country whirlwind trip throughout the Middle East, Cheney used the VC-25A, a Boeing 747, that is typically reserved for the President. The aircraft used the call sign Air Force Two. Cheney's last time on the aircraft was over a decade before when he served as the first President Bush's Defense Secretary. ^[2]^[3]

In February 2007 Cheney flew into Sydney, Australia aboard Air Force Two. Throughout the duration of his visit the aircraft was parked on the tarmac near the domestic terminal of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. Upon his Sunday morning departure there were reports, confirmed by John Howard the Prime Minister of Australia that Air Force Two was experiencing mechanical difficulties and would be diverted because of this. Soon afterwards Air Force Two landed at Singapore Paya Lebar Airbase. As yet the reason for the diversion has not been confirmed.

[edit] Trivia

In the 2006 film In Her Line of Fire, the Vice-President (David Keith), his staff and secret service agent Lynn Delanney (Mariel Hemingway) are aboard Air Force Two when it crash lands off the coast of a small Pacific island. The C-32 (or rather a vaguely 757-looking aircraft) is featured throughout the opening scenes of the film.