The African schedule

There are two identical Boeing 747-200s to act as decoys and a third chartered jumbo jet for office staff and security personnel Obamas rst visit as US president to sub-Saharan Africa, aside from a 22-hour stopover in Ghana in 2009, will last from June 26 to July 3, beginning in Dakar, Senegal

President Barack Obama will travel in the official presidential plane, Air Force One, on his visit to four cities in three African countries beginning in Dakar, Senegal from June 26 to July 3

Obama, whose grandmother, half-brother and best man all live in Kenya, has decided not to visit this country, a possible snub to President Uhuru Kenyatta

Press section Secret service and security personnel Separate quarters for guests, office staff

The Air Force One call sign was created after a 1953 incident during which a ight carrying President Dwight D Eisenhower entered the same airspace as a commercial airline ight using the same call sign

SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Crew: Capacity: Length: Wingspan: Height: Cruise speed: Range: Service ceiling: Unit cost: Boeing 747-200B 26 (including two pilots) 76 passengers 70.6m 59.6m 19.3m 925km/h 13 000km 13 700m

Since 1990, the presidential eet has consisted of two specically congured, highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft, with tail numbers 28000 and 29000

After Senegal, the president and rst family will y to South Africa, where they will stay for two nights in Johannesburg and one night in Cape Town. He was planning to go on safari in Tanzania, but cancelled to instead go to Robben Island Communications centre, with 386km of wiring shielded from electromagnetic interference caused by nuclear explosions Crew lounge

Maximum weight: 375 000kg

The aircraft has fully equipped office areas with telecommunications systems including 87 telephones and 19 televisions

The aircraft contains a conference room, originally designed as a situation room, with a plasma screen TV that can be used for teleconferencing

The VC-25 can y 12 600km roughly one-third the distance around the world without refuelling

$325 million (R3.3 billion)

Cockpit with two pilots Senior staff The aircraft is selfsufficient and all meals are prepared in two galleys

On the third leg of his African tour, the president will y to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he will stay for one night

Obamas entourage

The trip will use 56 support vehicles, including 14 limousines

Three trucks loaded

A dozen military freight planes, presumably Boeing C-17 Globemasters, will bring a range of vehicles, including a truck, to scramble radio frequencies in the immediate vicinity of the president with bulletproof glass

One navy aircraft carrier/amphibious ship, with a fully staffed medical trauma centre stationed offshore in case of emergency

On board is a medical office, which includes a fold-out operating table, emergency medical supplies and a well-stocked pharmacy. Every ight is staffed by a doctor and nurse

The presidents suite includes sleeping quarters, lavatory and shower, vanity and a double sink His private office, or the Oval Office aboard Air Force One from where the president can address the nation This could be one of the most expensive presidential foreign tours in history Bill Clintons 1998 trip to six African nations cost the US government: $42 million Obamas trip to Africa could cost: $60 to $100 million

Fighter planes will patrol the air space for 24 hours and will be able to act immediately if necessary

At least 445 secret service agents will accompany the president

Sources: The Washington Post, Wikipedia

JACO GROBBELAAR, Graphics24