Watch CBS News

Rich Zeoli Talks To Author About Air Force One

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, Rich Zeoli talked with Author Kenneth Walsh about his book, Air Force One: A History of the Presidents and Their Planes, and the recent proposal to replace the current planes being used to fly the President.

 

Walsh said, traditionally, it is about time for new planes but the process is very costly.

"The 747 has about a 25 year life and this plane now was brought into service in about 1991, so it's approaching the end of its natural life. It's not used nearly as much as a commercial 747 but the Air Force feels that it's time. It needs so much updating and maintenance. It's best in their minds to just bring in entirely new planes rather than keep updating the existing ones. They're staying with the 747, it's just going to be an updated model. The controversy is how much it costs and the estimate is $3 billion for three planes," said Walsh.

He addressed critiques of President Obama from opponents that say he travels too much.

"I've covered the White House since '86. The five Presidents I've covered, they've all done it this way. It's not different with President Obama. The criticism of President Obama is that he's going on more overtly personal trips that cost a lot of money and just running the plane costs about $240,000 an hour," said Walsh.

Walsh also explained the President Franklin Roosevelt was the first to use an airplane and the amount of air travel increased from there.

"He flew for the first time in 1943 to meet Winston Churchill in Casablanca. That's the start of it. Ever since then, the Presidents have flown more and more on the plane over time and different planes have been used. The jet service was brought in by President Eisenhower because they were using prop planes and it was a slower way of traveling, but also, it looked bad because the Russians were showing up in jets," said Walsh.

 

 

 

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.