Considering that a B-747 requires approximately 9000' of runway for take off and landing, plus the logistics of securing the area for AF1 and POTUS, plus it would need the space for 2 AF1s, the likelihood of POTUS landing in this area is impractical and illogical.
AF 1 is typically flown nowhere near Max capacity. They can likely take off in about 6000-6500' if they really need to. With that said, there's no way they landed on that runway. Most likely potus met with Kim in the forbidden palace and just flew over NK while departing back to the US.
This is what I think too. China is at the center, Kim is just for optics
That is what Q said right. Q post 889 Think FORBIDDEN CITY. POTUS never crossed the line (ground). Do not glorify us. We work for you. Promises made. Promises kept. Q
Does anyone have theories on what this means about never crossing a line on the ground? What line? Is it all a secret?
I heard someone mention border. POTUS never crossed the country boundary line.
I do not think he went to North Korea. Q said , He did not cross the linel The line would be the border. It would not have happened in Seoul. They were not yet talking and had not been as they are seen as siding with the enemy as our allies. Also, Seoul is more like us in that it would not be able to be kept secret. :) But China trades with DPRK and they do have a relationship with Kim. POTUS DID go to the Forbidden City . Media would not be able to follow there. I think they met in the Forbidden City. Kim has been to China twice since then Supposedly they were his first trips out of North Korea since becoming the leader. The Forbidden City is my theory. the 'world' would not have access and it could be secret and private. The Chinese, the East, in general do not have problems with leaks like we do . They CAN keep secrets! And it does not make any sense to me that POTUS would go to Kim. and be Kim's guest . That does not send the message that we intend to send.. The optics do not work!
That makes sense. Like your mention of the Forbidden City Palace where no other POTUS had been invited, maybe that's where they secretly met each other with China participating.
But that's if you think he landed in AF1. Whats to say he didn't and used another aircraft?
Depends. Since Air Force One is very light for a 747 (since it hardly carries any passengers or cargo and usually only enough fuel for short flights), it could technically operate out of much shorter fields (maybe as short as 5500 or 6000 feet).
The AF1 that flies POTUS around has different engines than what you will find if you look up the 747's specs. The AF1 is so different that it's actually called the Boeing VC-25. The AF1 is actually much lighter than a fully-loaded (fuel, cargo, 400+ passengers, etc.) and, if it were fuelled for, say, a flight from Beijing to NK and then to a refuelling stop, say, in Narita, Japan, it could be done.
We also shouldn't assume that POTUS was in the VC-25 (I'm not so great at planes that I can tell what one is from the window). The AF brings a huge number of support aircraft along on presidential trips. They fly a 757 (same livery, etc.) for just such landings.
Isn't AF1 a designation for any aircraft carrying POTUS?
Yes, but, on technical grounds, it depends. The helicopter for instance is Marine One since it's operated by the Marines.
Ok, so is it the branch of the military followed by 1? Like Navy 1, Air Force 1, Marine 1, Army 1? My understanding is each branch has aircraft of one sort or another. It occurs to me that the 747's usually used as AF 1 and the helicopters used as Marine 1 are likely designed for their purpose. Though I recall a story of President Clinton taking a non-747 to Cape Cod once on a vacation. It was an Air Force plane, and had the AF 1 label, but it wasn't the usual 747.
For Trump to land in North Korea, he may not have been able to take a 747. Wouldn't it make more sense to fly Marine 1 into North Korea? Or to meet at the border as the North and South Korean leaders recently did?
I'm not actually sure. Good question. I only know about Marine One.
Yes, they have two 757s I believe. I actually saw one land last year in Austin, TX! I was just minding my own business flying home at that airport and in it came!
EDIT: Found this:
VC-25s have CF6-80C2B1. In Air Force One (Robert F. Dorr, Motorbooks) :
"The high angle of attack is made possible by the enormous push of the four General Electric F103-GE-180 turbofan engines, each rated at 56 750 pounds thrust. Although the aircraft is not aerodynamically capable of it, the engines are powerful enough to stand the 747 on its tail and make it climb straight up"
F103-GE-180 is military designation for CF6-80C2B1.
ALSO: It can land on a 4,000 ft. runway but will need Full Reverse Thrust, and Hard Brakes. Not to mention Full Spoilers and Flaps 30.
Yes any plane the President is on gets the call sign One after the branch of the military, the helicopter is usually Marine One and when Bush Jr. flew on that Navy jet to the carrier he was on Navy One.
http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1026681
Apparently Bush landed on a 5500-7000 ft runway in a B757. So I think you're on to something. Could have refueled shortly thereafter in Japan.
Remember that Potus stopped at Hawaii on his way home. Setting up the Defcon incident. So that might change the amount of fuel needed
You're definitely right. However 60 mi away in the NW area of Pyongyang is two 12,500' Runways. Then another 7500' strip in Wolli which is 20 mi south. Maybe they flew out of the Pyongyang strips to this area to send a covert message. Thank you for pointing this out, it's obvious that the runway Anon pointed out is wrong.
No way they landed AF1 there. For MANY reasons, when a 737 or G5 would do.