Air Force One plane returns to Pease in Portsmouth: Here's what to know

PORTSMOUTH — The nation’s most prestigious aircraft was spotted in the Seacoast on Wednesday, without the leader of the free world.

President Joe Biden’s “office in the sky,” a term used by the White House, was seen rehearsing “touch and go’s” at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease on Wednesday, according to Pease Development Authority spokesperson Tiffany Eddy. The nearly 232-foot-long Boeing aircraft, with the tail number 29000, is more famously called Air Force One, though only when the plane is carrying the commander in chief.

The aircraft was seen similarly practicing at Portsmouth International Airport in 2021, also in early August.

Two Boeing 747-200B's are used to transport the president of the United States, the other one having the number 28000, according to the Air Force. The military branch’s designation for either aircraft is VC-25.

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“Principal differences between the VC-25 and the standard Boeing 747, other than the number of passengers carried, are the electronic and communications equipment, self-contained baggage loader, front and aft air-stairs, and the capability for in-flight refueling,” the Air Force states. “Accommodations for the president include an executive suite consisting of a stateroom (with dressing room, lavatory and shower) and the president's office. A conference/dining room is also available for the president, his family and staff. Other separate accommodations are provided for guests, senior staff, Secret Service and security personnel and the news media.”

Air transport for the president of the United States dates back to 1944 during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration.

The plane is able to refuel midair, can top out at 630 mph and is emblazoned with the presidential seal and a depiction of the American flag. It is operated and maintained by the Presidential Airlift Group, founded in 1944 by Truman, within the White House’ Military Office.

“Inside, the President and his or her travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room,” a White House description of the aircrafts reads. “Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time.”

The president’s planes are operated by the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Air Force One plane returns to Pease in Portsmouth: Here's what to know