[LonePalm]

The plane is ONLY AF1 or AF2 when the boss is aboard.

There are two identical Boeing 747 aircraft that serve as Air Force One. Their tail numbers are 28000 and 29000. If they are flying a mission when the President, Vice President or the President's family is not aboard, the callsign would be "SAM 28000" or "SAM 29000" (SAM=Special Air Mission).

WWG1WGA

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[yesthatjallen]

The plane is ONLY AF1 or AF2 when the boss is aboard.

Thanks for responding but that wasn't my question.

My questions were:

"Does AF1 usually return to Washington without the President?

Does AF1 always stay where the President is?"

Regardless as to how you refer to the planes, is it common practice to drop off the president and vp and then fly back to Washington without them and then come back to pick them up later?

Does this happen all the time or is this unique?

[drdirt333]

There are also two, or more, 757-400 denominated C-32 models that Trump and Pence have available. Trump used one for all his rallys this fall. Find a video of one at some airport and look at the plane. On the trip south to WPB the plane squaked as AF1, and on the return it squaked SAM 412. Pence’s westward trip his 757-400 squaked AF2. On its return it didn’t squak., they do that occasionally.
Trump has mentioned a few times the smaller versions are cheaper to operate. Im no campaign finance expert but the campaign might be required to pay.for those planes to a rally event.
This is the great USof A Air Force, we have lts of air craft.