The President of the United States will be landing on The USS Abraham Lincoln where he will address the nation tonight. Can you imagine being this Navy Pilot!! That is some serious "precious" cargo to carry.


President Bush was being ferried to the ship, still hundreds of miles off the California coast, by a tiny Navy plane. The S-3B "Viking" - to be called Navy One because of its presidential passenger - has room only for Bush, riding in the front seat next to the pilot, and two or three more passengers.

The president was to be treated with an exciting - though, according to administration officials, not considered risky - landing. As the plane lands on the Lincoln, cables stretched across the deck are to catch it and wrench it to a stop in less than 300 feet.

"Never can tell what's going to kick in," the president, a former pilot, joked to reporters before an Oval Office meeting Wednesday with the president of Colombia. "Let me just say, stay clear of the landing pattern."

Rear Adm. John Kelly, commander of the Lincoln battle group, said Thursday on CBS'"The Early Show" that the pilot slated to land Bush on the carrier "has flown through extraordinary pressure in support of combat operations for months now. I am very confident that he'll do a great job."

White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett said Thursday on NBC's "Today" that flying the jet to the carrier "is actually safer that a helicopter because you have the ability to eject. In a helicopter, if something goes wrong, you're stuck."



Should be interseting!!

Dave

Hmmm. Interesting to say the least...........

When Mr Bush became el-presidente, he didnt have a clue where alot of the worlds countries are........that pilot better make sure that Bush doesnt want to fly the thing, he'll never find the boat.......

From Hazzard County to Naval aviator.....lol

There he goes.....on his way to meet up with his S-3B

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Great Pic Trev... I used to watch them there boys when I was a little kid. I even painted an 01 on my bike reflector and jumped everything I could.........even the neighborhood girls!!! LOL

Dave

from what i have read, apparently bush flew for the reserves and went AWOL, and from what i have heard he is still officially AWOL, but got off of any charges because of his contacts?

I second Oso...not funny at all.

Please lighten up guys. You should know by now that most of us around here don't take these things too seriously. I don't do it here but one of my favourite pastimes is taking the rise out of our "esteemed" leaders. They're all fair game as far as I'm concerned. Comes with the job.

I'm glad most of the heavy fighting is now over

Yep it was a great landing!

(Bush flew 1/3 of the way out)

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Dave, please forgive me. I acted out of frustration, which is no excuse so I've edited my post.

I didn't mean anything, but should have realized that I would start another political flame war.

once again, sorry about that....

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LOL Andrew....you did not have to do that!

Dave

  Since GWB flew 1/3 of the way to the carrier do you think he can add that to his flight log?

  AS for the word "nuclear" I think most of the U.S. pronounces it wrong.

he wanted a F-18 but he got a S-3

The secret service kept him from having been catapult-launched, and he was angry about that...

still he has a reason to be jealous: Putin flew a Su-30, which is a fighter-bomber, not a ASW aircraft

Right then.........For all of those out there that seem to think that i was bashing Mr Bush jnr, i would like to offer my apologies.
I personally think he is ok as a president and he is doing a pretty impressive job.

The comments were meant 100% as a joke.
Obviously some people didnt take it the way it was meant, i'm sorry.
On British TV, when he was 'elected', they made quite a thing of an interview where he was asked to name countries and other world leaders, nearly every answer was 'er, dont know'.
He may be the 1st President to 'trap' a landing, but his old man i believe used to do it all the time in an TB-5M Avenger.

Once again for the benefit of Oso, Jaffa, Blade and any others that i may have offended, I'm sorry.

Actualy.... The S-3B has 4 ejection seats. 2 up front for the pilot and Tactical officer and 2 in back for the sensor operators. I can see why they picked the S-3 because of the aformentioned USSS officer that must be with the president at all times. if he flew in on the COD (C-3 Greyhound, freighter version of the hawkeye) there is no provision for bailout.

As to the saying that he was AWOL... I think that roumor came out of someone (political oppenent) saying his connections got him out of Vietnam duty. Actualy the Texas Air Guard at that time was an Air Defence unit flying interceptors. The F-102 was tasked to provide continental air defence so I doubt that he missed vietnam duty since only one squadron of F-102's was ever posted to vietnam and it was a regular air force unit. Durring Vietnam most of the air defence duties were shifted to the air guard to free up regular air force planes and personel for combat in SE Asia.

Brian

thanks for info brian
hey blade, at $35 million a pop.
your gonna land that hornet if it means reading all 3000 pages of the instruction manual