The United States Air Force Special Air Mission provides air transportation for the president of the United States (POTUS), vice president of the United States (VPOTUS), first lady of the United States (FLOTUS), presidential Cabinet, U.S. congressional delegations (CODELs), and other high-ranking American and foreign dignitaries.
The Special Air Mission is under the cognizance of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and executed by the 89th Airlift Wing (89 AW) based at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
Mission
The 89th Airlift Wing provides the U.S. government's flight service with 17 aircraft dedicated to the SAM and 15 helicopters supporting federal emergency requirements. They use civilian airports almost exclusively.
SAM mission areas may be divided into the following categories: Presidential Mission: A mission directed by the White House to transport the President of the United States or members of the First Family. Special Air Mission: A mission operated by the 89th Airlift Wing by direction of the USAF Vice Chief of Staff (CVAM). Primary passengers are the Vice President, Cabinet secretaries, and senior officials of the Executive Branch, as well as Congressional delegations and foreign senior political leaders. Helicopter Special Mission: The mission of the 1st Helicopter Squadron (1 HS) is to provide emergency helicopter transportation for officials of Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the military Services and the civil departments of the federal government to relocation sites during a national crisis.
Special Air Mission
After a presidential inauguration resulting in a change in office, the outgoing president is provided transport on a VC-25 aircraft to their home destination. The aircraft for this flight does not use the Air Force One call sign because it is not carrying the president in office. For presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush the flight was known as Special Air Mission 28000, where the number represents the aircraft's tail number. For President Barack Obama, the Special Air Mission flight used the call sign SAM 44 (Obama was the 44th President). George H. W. Bush's coffin was transported on a flight using the call sign Special Air Mission 41.
Special Assignment Air Mission
Special Assignment Airlift Mission (SAAM) are aircraft operated by units other than by the 89th Airlift Wing to satisfy a requirement needing special pickup or delivery at locations other than those established within the approved channel structure; or to satisfy a requirement needing special consideration because of the number of passengers, weight, or size of the cargo, urgency, or sensitivity of movement, or other special factors.
These missions are designated:
PHOENIX BANNER – SAAM supporting the President of the United States (POTUS); primary aircraft employs call sign of "Air Force One" when POTUS is aboard. PHOENIX SILVER – SAAM supporting the Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS); primary aircraft employs call sign of "Air Force Two" when VPOTUS is aboard. PHOENIX COPPER – SAAM supporting the United States Secret Service (USSS) when not supporting the President or Vice President, i.e., SAAM for the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS), etc.
Standby force definitions are expanded as follows when constituted in support of PHOENIX BANNER or PHOENIX SILVER missions:
BRAVO Standby. Aircraft and aircrew capable of departing 3+00 hours after notification for C-130 and C-17 and 3+45 hours for C-5. ALFA Standby. Aircraft and aircrew capable of departing 1+00-hour after notification for C-130, and C-17 and 1+45 hours for C-5.