Style and colour awaits him (page 17)

LIKE the two previous visits by US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in 1998 and 2008 respectively, the pending visit of the current President Barack Hussien Obama is generating great excitement among Ghanaians.
What has helped to make the historic visit more significant is the fact that Ghana, a small country of about 23 million people, which covers an area of about 238,538 sq. km. (92,100 sq. mi.); has been chosen over and above other African countries who consider themselves more powerful in terms of population and geographical size.
With Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $15.2 billion (2007): Real GDP growth rate at 6.3 per cent (2007) and Per capita GDP of $690 (2007), Ghanaians cannot boast of being rich. But who says it is only wealth and population size that matter when it comes to international relations?
President Obama is coming to Ghana with his wife, Michelle and Ghanaians will welcome them in grand style. In fact there are signs to that effect.
In a June 22 interview with America.gov, Aaron H. Sherinian, a senior official with the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), who returned to the US from Ghana, said messages such as “President Barack Obama Welcome Home,” or “You Are Welcome in Ghana” can be spotted throughout the country, adding “ African cloth printed with Obama’s image and sporting a welcome greeting in the local languages is also available in local markets.”
When US President Barrack Obama lands in Ghana on Friday, July 10, it would be the third time in 11 years that a sitting American President is visiting the country, and like his predecessors, Obama is coming on board “Air Force One”.
Information provided on the US government website (www.state.gov) stated that no matter where in the world the President travels, if he flies in an Air Force jet, the plane is called Air Force One.
Technically, Air Force One is the call sign of any Air Force aircraft carrying the President. In practice, however, Air Force One is used to refer to one of two highly customised Boeing 747-200B series aircraft, which carry the tail codes 28000 and 29000.
The Air Force designation for the aircraft is VC-25A.
Air Force One is one of the most recognisable symbols of the presidency, spawning countless references not just in American culture but across the world. Emblazoned with the words “United States of America,” the American flag, and the Seal of the President of the United States, it is an undeniable presence wherever it flies or docks.
Capable of refuelling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel. The onboard electronics are hardened to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, and Air Force One is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, allowing the aircraft to function as a mobile command centre in the event of an attack on the United States.
Inside, the President and his travelling companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two-food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time.
Air Force One also has quarters for those who accompany the President, including senior advisors, Secret Service officers, press, and other guests. Several cargo planes typically fly ahead of Air Force One to provide the President with services needed in remote locations.
Air Force One is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The Airlift Group was founded in 1944 as the Presidential Pilot Office under the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. For the next 20 years, various propeller-driven aircraft served the President.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy became the first President to fly in his own jet aircraft, a modified Boeing 707.
Over the years, several other jet aircraft are reported to have been used, with the first of the current aircraft being delivered in 1990 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.
So God willing, the First Family of the US would visit Ghana, the land of gold and beautiful people and of course, in an Air Force One jet. We can’t wait to welcome it.