A flight with head of state!

[Myk Hunt]

Does anybody (maybe heathrow director)whether you get any VIP service from ATC when you have people like heads of state, ministers, royal people or presidents (when not on a private jet) Because I heard that in case I had such people as pax I would get a special squawk code and therefore no holdings and vectors directly to approach?
anyone? anyone?

[Max Angle]

I heard a story years ago which may or may not be true but what the hell....

Midland and Speedbird inbound LHR. Both told to expect a hold. Speedbird comes back and says he has royalty onboard today, are ATC aware?. He is now given a heading to leave the beacon. Midland responds that in that case he assumes it's no delay for them either. ATC reply that unless he has royalty onboard it's still 15 minutes. Quick as flash he responds "Well I've got a couple of queens down the back, does that count!"

(No offence to our collegues in the cabin)

[15/15 flex]

Should be in your fliht plan (RMK/head of state), which should give ATC the heads-up.

[Corporate Yank]

Why the hell should heads of state receive special consideration or relief from airspace constraints??? Dammit, we taxpayers support these people. Maybe if they experienced our problems, thay might gain an understanding of what we experience every day. We colonists respect our elected leaders, but not all of us hold them in regal regard. Semi-rant over...CY

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*deep inhale* I LOVE the smell of jet-a in the morning..

[This message has been edited by Corporate Yank (edited 04 May 2001).]

[Bagheera]

ATC point of view,
flights carrying certain members of the royal family or heads of state are aforded a certain amount of priority within the airspace system. However the flight must have been pre-notified as such and carrying a cat c or cat d tag on the flight plan. Whilst every effort is made to allow these flights a uninhibited passage,they will not inhibit the normal flow of air traffic and will never be given priority over aircraft with a higher priority status.

[Iz]

Not sure if you want to be the controller that sends George W. Bush into the holding for 30 minutes. He'll probably do a test run of his laser shield on your house! :)

[Daifly]

I don't think the US President actually holds in the air. I thought it was only on the ground while he had a haircut...?!

[Airbubba]

>>I don't think the US President actually holds in the air.<<

Nope, and Air Force One tools around at mach .92

Sometimes speed will be reduced a little enroute to meet an exact arrival time for protocol reasons.

Because AF1 has a military registration, diplomatic clearance must often be obtained by local U.S. embassies for oveflight of other countries even on regular airways. Also, AF1 sometimes can transit an FIR uncontrolled over the water by remaining outside territorial limits, the same principle used by VQ-1 and their EP-3's, and other military aircraft.

With heads of state in the third world, often a long, flowery, pro forma message of greetings is read on an ATC frequency when overflying friendly nations. "The Emir sends his greetings..." etc.

[scanscanscan]

Yes! They are also on cfp fuel and the engies will quit 15 mins after landing due lack of fuel.

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We will do the drill according to the amendments to the amendments I er think?

[Stratocaster]

By the way...

I've read somewhere on the internet that his Lowness George "W" has decided that movies played in AF1 will be censored if they contain sex and/or violence (it was not the case with Clinton). It simply means that some scenes will be cut, just like in any other airliner of the world, and particulary those with a majority of Muslims on board.
;)


(Personally, I don't really care about that since I'll never fly on AF1, but it adds another piece of the "W" jigsaw. Americans, you got what you voted for.)