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Obama’s First Ride on Marine One
2:08 pm in Old Stuff by Brian aka Bear
The Marine One helicopter took President Obama from the White House’s South Lawn to Williamsburg, Va., on Thursday. (Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times)President Obama stepped aboard Marine One for his maiden flight Thursday evening as he traveled from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base where a ride on Air Force One awaited.
It was another chance for the president to demonstrate his salute, which he did in crisp fashion as he walked toward the presidential helicopter. But when he approached the Marine who was standing at attention at the base of the steps, Mr. Obama leaned in and offered his hand. The young Marine quickly returned the handshake from his commander in chief before snapping back to his salute.
The moment, which is almost certainly not scripted in any protocol manuals, offered a window into the new trappings of office. Presidents typically give a salute and ascend the stairs without barely even making eye contact with the waiting Marine.
Mr. Obama was headed to Williamsburg, Va., where he was set to deliver an evening speech to a Democratic members of the House who are holding a retreat. The trip marked the first time the president has left Washington since taking office.
(Photos: Doug Mills/The New York Times)Joining the president for the ride were Rahm Emanuel, the chief of staff, Robert Gibbs, the press secretary, and a handful of advisers. A dozen or so young White House aides were on hand to watch the presidential departure. They waved, snapped pictures and cheered as Marine One lifted up into the darkening sky.
Mr. Obama has flown on Air Force One before, catching a ride with President Bush in 2005 coming back from Springfield, Ill., where the Abraham Lincoln presidential library was dedicated. At the time, when he was a freshman senator, he told a reporter that the presidential plane was cool.
But it was his first ride on Marine One.
“The helicopter was very smooth, very impressive,” Mr. Obama told reporters, dropped by the back cabin of the plane for a moment. “You go right over the Washington Monument and then you know – kind of curve in by the Capitol. It was spectacular.”
He had already traded his suit coat for an Air Force One jacket, which was waiting for him in his in-flight office. The presidential seal was on the right side, with “Barack Obama” stitched on the left.
“I’ve got my spiffy jacket,” he said, “so I thought I’d come and show it off.”
Raw Video: Passenger Lands Plane, Pilot Dies
2:00 pm in Old Stuff by Brian aka Bear
A passenger has landed a twin-engine King Air plane in Florida after its pilot died during the flight.
Doug White was guided by air traffic controllers, landing the plane which was carrying his family some 30 minutes after the pilot lost consciousness.
Mr White, 56, has a pilot’s license, but had only recently resumed flying and had no experience with a King Air.
As he took over the controls, he told his wife and two children to pray, the Associated Press news agency reported.
He was unable to use the autopilot, which had been programmed for landing in Mississippi.
“I’m in the good Lord’s hands flying this Niner Delta Whiskey,” he told air traffic controllers, referring to the aircraft’s code.
One of the controllers called a friend who was certified to fly a King Air, and the friend issued instructions which were then relayed to Mr White.
Mr White gained his pilot’s license in 1990, but had not used it for 18 years until starting to fly again recently.
He had spent about 150 hours piloting a single-engine Cessna 172, but had not flown a King Air, which is larger and faster.
He had not flown the Cessna higher than 7,000ft (2,130m), while the King Air climbed well above 10,000ft.
“It was a focused fear,” he said after landing the plane. “And I was in some kind of a zone that I can’t explain.”
