Colombian Air Force One (coded as FAC0001) is the official air traffic control-designated call sign for a Colombian Aerospace Force aircraft carrying the president of Colombia. The term is commonly used to refer to Colombian Aerospace Force aircraft modified and used to transport the president, and as a metonym for the main presidential aircraft. [1] [2] [3] [4]
On August 10, 1922, Pedro Nel Ospina became the first Colombian president to have an official agenda abroad. Later, in 1933, Enrique Olaya Herrera acquired the Junkers Ju 52/3mce, then known as FAC625. This German-made aircraft had a capacity for 20 crew members and served as the primary aircraft until 1950. [5] Meanwhile, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain FAC660, previously a secondary aircraft, was used as the primary aircraft by Gustavo Rojas Pinilla in 1953 on a provisional basis. A year later, in 1954, the C-54 Skymaster, registered as FAC613, was acquired as the primary aircraft, relegating the C-47 Skytrain to secondary status. In 1954, the C-54 Skymaster was renamed FAC690 and served as the primary aircraft until 1971. [6]
The third presidential aircraft entered service on February 19, 1971, during the administration of Misael Pastrana. The Fokker F-28, manufactured in the Netherlands, became the primary service aircraft under the aeronautical code FAC0002. In November 1971, it was assigned to repatriate the remains of President Guillermo León Valencia, who had died on November 4 in New York City. Later, in 1983, it became the secondary aircraft, and in 1986 it was assigned to Pope John Paul II during his visit to Colombia. [7]
In April 1983, the Boeing 707, under the flight registration FAC1201, was incorporated as the main service aircraft, replacing the Fokker F-28. The Zeus, the name by which it was known in the Colombian Air Force, represented an advance in long-haul flights, mainly due to its flight range and the performance of its turbines. [8] [9]
Following the evident wear and tear on the Boeing 707, in 2002 the Colombian Air Force received several proposals from Canada, the United States, France, and Brazil. [10] By 2004, the Air Force had two eligible options to replace its main aircraft: the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A319, both commercial versions of the Boeing Business Jet. Ultimately, the Boeing Business Jet was selected as the new Colombian Air Force One, and the purchase was made directly. Originally manufactured in 1999, it had 22 flight hours at the time of purchase. [11] [12]
