Unique Features Of US First Lady Jill Biden's Aircraft In Kenya [PHOTOS]

First Lady of the United States (US), Dr Jill Biden, landed in Kenya on Friday, February 24 aboard an Executive One Foxtrot (EXEC1F) aeroplane which touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at around 4:30 pm.

Dr Biden's plane landed in Nairobi ahead of her three-day tour of Kenya, having come from Namibia where she previously was for a two-day state visit.

This is her first visit to Africa as the First Lady, but she has visited Africa five times in her own capacity, including when her husband was Vice-President in the Obama administration. This is now her third visit to Kenya and her visit to Namibia was her first.

She was welcomed by tight security and rousingly by traditional dancers and government officials, including her Kenyan counterpart Rachel Ruto, ahead of an event-packed first visit to the country as FLOTUS.

Plane carrying US First Lady Jill Biden arrives in Kenya on February 24, 2023. /VIRALTEAKE

Viral Tea takes a look at the features of the Executive One Foxtrot jet that carried Dr Biden, which touched down at JKIA:

Features Of Jill Biden's Aircraft

The aircraft is also referred to as Air Force Two (2), derived from its big brother, Air Force One (1), which is synonymous with the President of the United States (POTUS). 

It is a Boeing C-32, a modified version of the commercially available Boeing 757-200 commercial passenger plane. It is used to transport the Vice President, First Lady, their families and other national political executives.

The aircraft which was assembled by Boeing in the US, specifically at its Company Services: US Air Force Power Plant features two Pratt and Whitney 2040 engines with a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,186 kilometres) unrefueled.

It has a maximum altitude of 42,000 feet (12,727 meters) and can fly at speeds of up to 530 miles per hour (852.95km/hr) or Mach 0.8 and features a crew of 16, depending on the mission.

According to Military.com, the aircraft has been modified to comfortably accommodate the Vice President, First Lady, their staff and other travelling dignitaries.

The C-32 has been divided into four sections; the forward area has a communications centre, galley, lavatory and 10 business class seats.

The second section is a fully-enclosed stateroom for the use of the primary passenger. It includes a changing area, private lavatory, separate entertainment system, two first-class swivel seats and a convertible divan that seats three and folds out to a bed.

The third section contains the conference and staff facility with eight business class seats. The rear section of the cabin contains general seating with 32 business-class seats, a galley, two lavatories and closets.

As with any transportation for the national executive, Air Force Two features an advanced communication suite, including improved telephones, satellites, television monitors, facsimiles and copy machines. The C-32 has state-of-the-art avionics equipment.

The C-32 fleet, primarily based at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, was selected along with the C-37A to replace the now-retired Boeing C-137 Stratoliner. Additionally, several other aircraft have served the Vice President over the years, such as the Boeing C-40 Clipper, Gulfstream III, Gulfstream V, and Gulfstream G550. Active-duty aircrews from the 1st Airlift Squadron, 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews fly the aircraft.

US Vice President Kamala Harris inside Air Force 2 during a past trip. /INSIDER

The contract was awarded for the C-32 in August 1996. By using commercial, off-the-shelf acquisition practices, a new record was set from contract award to aircraft delivery, in less than two years.

The C-32 is the first military aircraft ever to be acquired in this manner. The 89th AW acquired the first of four aircraft in June 1998.

What Is Executive One?

Executive One is the call sign designated for any United States civil aircraft when the president of the United States is on board. Typically, the president flies in military aircraft that are under the command of the Presidential Airlift Group, which includes Air Force One, Marine One, Army One, and Navy One.

The Presidential Airlift group is part of Air Mobility Command's 89th Airlift Wing, based at Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews Air Force Base) near Camp Springs, Maryland in Prince George's County.

On December 26, 1973, to "set an example for the rest of the nation during the current energy crisis" and to "demonstrate his confidence in the airlines", then-President Richard Nixon became the only sitting president to travel on a regularly scheduled commercial airline flight when he flew on a United Airlines DC-10 from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport.

A Nixon aide carried a suitcase-sized secure communication device on board the plane so that the President could remain in contact with Washington in the event of an emergency.

Executive One Foxtrot

If the president's family members are aboard, but not the president himself, the flight can, at the discretion of the White House staff or Secret Service, use the callsign Executive One Foxtrot (EXEC1F).

"Foxtrot" is the phonetic alphabet designation for the letter "F", with that being the first letter of "family". The military helicopter that normally has the call sign "Marine One" is assigned the "Executive One" call sign when it transports the outgoing president on their final flight from the Capitol, after the inauguration of their successor.

This was done on January 20, 2009, for George W. Bush and on January 20, 2017, for Barack Obama.