[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 35 (Monday, September 3, 2001)]
[Page 1246]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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. A tape was not available for verification 
of the content of these remarks.