    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [August 29, 2001]
    [Pages 1054-1055]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Last Flight of Air Force One Tail Number 27000 in Waco,
    Texas
    August 29, 2001

        Any Air Force plane carrying the President bears the name Air Force
    One. This plane, tail number 27000, wore the name of Air Force One for
    444 missions and more than 1 million miles. Today this plane carried a
    President for the last time, and soon it will be taking its last flight.
    It will carry no more Presidents, but it will carry forever the spirit
    of American democracy.
        Tail number 27000 entered the service of the United States in
    December 1972 and first served President Richard Nixon and then
    President Ford. It flew former President Carter and former President--
    Vice President Mondale to Germany to greet 52 Americans who had been
    held hostage in Iran. My father flew it frequently, but the President
    who used it the most was Ronald Reagan. It was from this plane that
    President Reagan disembarked in Berlin in 1987 and demanded, ``Mr.
    Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''
        And none of those flights would have been possible without the skill
    and commitment of the air crews of old 27000. For almost three decades,
    the pilot and crew of tail number 27000 have performed flawlessly, for
    not only Presidents but Vice Presidents and Cabinet Secretaries and
    Members of Congress. I'm delighted that former crew members can be with
    us today.
        Ralph Albertazzie, President Nixon's
    pilot, is here; Colonel Bob Ruddick, the pilot
    for President Ronald Reagan; Danny Barr, who flew
    my dad; Chief Master Sergeant Joe Chappell, he
    was the chief flight engineer who rode the plane on its original voyage
    from the Boeing factory to Andrews Air Force Base; Chief Master Sergeant
    Charles Palmer; Chief Master Sergeant Denny
    Stump; Chief Master Sergeant Kim
    Johnson; Chief Master Sergeant Tim
    Kerwin; Chief Master Sergeant John Haigh; and of course, the man who flies me, Colonel Mark
    Tillman.
        Between you, you have served seven Presidents, and you have served
    your Nation well. Thanks to you, American history has been a little less
    turbulent than it might have been.
        Tail number 27000 flew two Presidents back home from Washington to
    California. It carried Richard Nixon in 1974 and Ronald Reagan in 1989.
    And today it will follow its distinguished passengers to its own
    retirement in California. A new hangar will be built for 27000 at the
    Reagan Library

    [[Page 1055]]

    in Simi Valley, California. Visitors will soon be able to tour this
    aircraft. It will remind us of Ronald Reagan's achievements for peace
    and international security and permanently symbolize the soaring spirit
    of this great man and our great country. Soon it will take its final
    flight westward into history.
        Thank you all for being here.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:49 p.m. at Texas State Technical College
    Waco. In his remarks, he referred to former General Secretary Mikhail S.
    Gorbachev of the Soviet Union.