Air Force One is the radio call sign of the US Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two extensively modified Boeing 747-200s designated VC-25A by the USAF. The VC-25A is capable of flying 12,600 km (7,800 miles) without ever refuelling, which is one-third of the total distance required to fly around the world, with a carrying capacity of 70 passengers. Air Force One can be refuelled in flight to extend its range in case of need.
Terrorist attacks or acts of war threaten the safety of the President of the United States of America. In an emergency, Air Force One is used as a mobile office, reducing the risks of an attack on the number one White House.
US Army Air Force Base Andrews (or Joint Base Andrews) is the base near Washington that houses the official aircraft of the President of the United States.
The film is set at this very site in Maryland. Other locations have been used in various places around the world.
Harrison Ford enchants America in the sky
1997 saw the release of the hit film ‘Air Force One’, an action film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Harrison Ford as the US President.
After concluding a press conference in Moscow at which he had told Russian diplomats that he would no longer tolerate human rights violations such as those of General Radek – the recently arrested head of one of the post-Soviet states – US President James Marshall is preparing to return home in the company of his wife and little daughter on board Air Force One.
Shortly after take-off, the plane falls into the hands of a group of Radek loyalists who demand the release of their leader, threatening to kill the passengers one by one if the demand is not met.
Advanced film technologies
The film uses special effects to depict aerial combat sequences, explosions and other action scenes. Digital artists work to create detailed simulations of planes, missiles and explosions that integrate with live footage to make the scenes more realistic and spectacular.
These sequences were achieved using pyrotechnic effects, make-up and computer graphics technology. In some scenes, such as the shooting down of the presidential plane, scale models were used to create realistic effects.
These models were damaged or blown up to capture the action sequences.
High-risk in-flight shooting
The stuntmen and actors involved in the action sequences performed stunts and aerial combat scenes live to make the scenes more authentic.
In the film, we see the president and secret agents using special ladders to descend from the plane in flight. Although such devices exist, their use in real situations is highly unusual and risky.
The film includes scenes of aerial combat and shoot-outs inside the Boeing. These situations are exaggerated for dramatic effect and do not reflect the reality of safety procedures and emergency situations on board the authentic presidential Air Force One.
A duration of 124 minutes for a gross of over 300 million
Air Force One was released in the United States on 25 July 1997 by Sony Pictures. Produced on an $85 million budget, the action film (running time 124 minutes) debuted at the top of the North American box office with a gross of over $37 million in its first weekend. It became a financial success, grossing 173 million in the US alone and 142 million overseas, for a total of 315 million worldwide.
