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Home  >  Los Angeles LAX  >  Chasing Air Force One At LAX
Los Angeles LAX

Chasing Air Force One At LAX

Matthew Klint Posted onApril 8, 2019 22 Comments

Whatever your partisan affiliation, there’s no harm in loving the president’s aircraft. That led me to Los Angeles International Airport on Friday evening.

President Trump was in town on Friday and flew into LAX. I don’t follow that sort of news very closely and wasn’t aware of it (or else I would have gone earlier on Friday to watch it land). But my business partner and I had an evening meeting in Redondo Beach, which is a little seaside city near the airport. While checking traffic, I noticed road closure reports due to the president’s visit.

My mind started racing. I think Air Force One, the Boeing 747-200 (VC-25) which has carried U.S. presidents since 1990, is one of the most beautiful aircraft in the skies. Not only is the Queen always a welcome sight, but I love the simple blue and white livery with “United States of America” on the sign in that simple typeface.

Although I worked in the White House and saw Marine One depart and land several times, I had never seen Air Force One in person. Would today be the day?

The Chase

So off we went to the airport. I wasn’t sure where it was parked, but by based on news reports of the president’s arrival, it appeared Air Force One would be parked in either the southwest or northwest corner of the airport.

As we entered the airport via Sepulveda Boulevard off of I-105, the plane was not parked where the usual VIP aircraft are parked.

First stop: In-N-Out. Not for dinner, but to go upstairs to the roof the Parking Spot (parking garage) to see if we could see anything from there.

Nope.

So we started driving down Westchester Parkway. Suddenly, we sighted the plane through the fence. We pulled over and darted out.

Against my better judgment, I trampled across the planter to get a closer shot, hoping not to be met with a black van and helicopters.

Back in the car, we drove around the corner and down Pershing Drive, which runs along the west side of the airport.

We noticed the tail of the plane next to a gate with Airport Police and Secret Service officers. Was it worth approaching them?

Sure, why not.

We parked and approached them, asking them if we could get a closer look at the plane. We knew the answer would be no, but that was a negotiating tactic. Our true goal was for them to take my phone and get some close-up pictures. The guys were polite, but they refused that request too.

Oh well.

As we drove toward our meeting, Marine One suddenly appeared directly over our heads. The President had been in Beverly Hills for a fundraiser and was on his way to Trump National Golf Course in Ranchos Palos Verdes via Santa Monica Airport.

CONCLUSION

I don’t know about you, but I love the thrill of the chase…even if we only ended up with a low-quality cell phone photo of Air Force One. It was a fun way to spend part of my Friday evening.

I’m bummed I missed this, though:

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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22 Comments

  1. Garrett Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 2:54 pm

    It’s gonna be so cool to see the new ones too. I was showing Parisian friends the White House when we had a similar experience with Marine One (plus two more)… they came screaming over our heads. We all thought it was pretty impressive.

  2. Gene Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 2:57 pm

    @ Matthew — Shocked to see Dumbo in CA fundraising.

    • Greg Reply
      April 8, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      @Gene He was in Calexico and then dinner at the Trump National in Rancho Palos Verdes

      • surfer Reply
        April 8, 2019 at 4:37 pm

        @Greg – he was also in Beverly Hills for a fundraiser in between Calexico and dinner….

    • The silent Majority Reply
      April 8, 2019 at 9:47 pm

      Stfu a-hole!

  3. JohnC Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    It is impressive the amount of hardware that comes with the President. I saw AF1 the last time Obama landed and saw Marine 1, 2 and 3 takeoff on a similar flight plan.

  4. Heather Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 5:35 pm

    Count me in the camp of being thrilled to see Air Force One. Because I live close to one of airports used for practice and training, I get to see it flying on occasion. The pilots put on quite a show and it always stops traffic.

  5. Joan Shattuck Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 5:41 pm

    Live in Tampa Florida not to far from TPA seen Air force one fly over really low! It was a neat sight to see!!

  6. derek Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Around 1999, I was in Louisville, KY when Air Force One was in town. It was backed up close to the fence, maybe 200 feet from an airport road. I think they park farther nowadays.

    A few years later, I was in a plane at LAX on a taxiway. There was a ground stop and Air Force One took off maybe 1000 feet from my window seat.

  7. Constance Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    Love it. We are patriots and love ou r country and flag.

  8. David R Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    curious – why is the bottom of the plane metallic/whateveritis?

  9. Robert Gullotto Reply
    April 8, 2019 at 9:43 pm

    Don’t know why people bring there feeling about president Trump in a conversation about air Force One. People need to keep there feeling about our president to themselves sometimes. He is our president have some respect, Even if you dislike him, you should have some respect.

    • Paolo Reply
      April 9, 2019 at 1:00 am

      The reason is simple: Trump has demeaned the office so much, by his vicious, loathsome, vindictive, replulsive, divisive policies ,not to mention his vulgarity and generalised hideousness, that people are no longer as respectful of it.
      The respect should be restored when Biden/Warren/ O’Rourke takes office, and would not have been lessened with Rubio, Romney, McCain.
      We know that Matthew is very patriotic/ plane obsessed: so we forgive him for bounding through the paddocks, like an enthusiastic puppy, in pursuit of the photo .

    • Debit Reply
      April 9, 2019 at 8:51 am

      Wow. Do you live in an echo chamber?

      Ok fine. Trump is an @@@hole, a piece of !@#$ and hope he gets a heart attack and lives rest of his life like a vegetable. %$#% him and his supporters.

    • Michael Reply
      April 9, 2019 at 12:07 pm

      It’s difficult to be admonished to respect the office of the President, when Trump never did so himself. As one of the most prominent birthers, he showed zero respect for the office. And he continually demeans his position to this day with childish tweets and insults.

  10. Nate Reply
    April 11, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    A few months ago, Trump visited my community; I only live a few miles from our commercial airport, but I’ve never seen the current Air Force One 747’s (there are two of them), which have been in use since 1990. However, the next morning, after Trump left, I was taking a walk in my neighborhood, when I saw this monstrous, gigantic plane, which was no more than 500 feet over my home. I immediately recognized that plane, as the U.S. Air Force C-5A cargo plane; it is the largest cargo plane, ever produced for the U.S. military. When Trump flies, the C-5A also goes to his destination, and brings several of “The Beasts”, along with other support vehicles. Evidently, the C-5A plane which I saw, was returning to Andrews AFB, with the equipment. Although I’ve not seen the current Air Force One (Boeing 747), I not only saw, but was on the Air Force One 707, which Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan used; the latter plane is at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. I also saw and went on the planes which Eisenhower, and Truman used.

    • Matthew Reply
      April 11, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      Great comment Nate. The second 707 is at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. I’ve stepped onboard that and need to return because pictures are now permitted onboard.

  11. Nate Reply
    April 11, 2019 at 8:58 pm

    Matthew, I went on Air Force One (the 707) at the Air Force Museum, at Wright Patterson AFB, in 1998. The seats were very large and comfortable (all leather). The public was prevented from going near the seats, as we had to pass through a narrow glass partition, while entering the cabin of that plane. We saw the area, on Air Force One, where LBJ was sworn in, after JFK was assassinated.

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