Former President George W. Bush is back on an Air Force One plane to accompany his father's remains to Washington DC for the 41st president's state funeral
- The Bushes boarded a presidential plane to accompany the remains of George H.W. Bush to D.C.
- When the president is on board the VC-25 - a military Boeing 747 - is known as Air Force One
- The flight was called Special Air Mission 41 in honor of the late 41st president
- The Bushes' last flight in office was on January 10 2009; they have twice been on the planes since, once after leaving office to return to Midland, Texas and then to attend Nelson Mandela's funeral
George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, and the former first lady, Laura Bush boarded an Air Force One plane Monday, a decade since it was their official mode of travel , for a somber flight to accompany Bush's father's remains to Washington DC.
The couple waved from the doors of the presidential plane, designated Special Air Mission 41, at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Monday.
The Bushes watched as the flag-covered casket of George's father, former president George H.W. Bush, was carried to the plane by a military guard to be transported to Washington DC for his state funeral. The 41st president will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda starting Monday evening.
The VC-25 is known as Air Force One when the president is on board. The Bushes' last flight as first couple was on January 10 2009, when they went to to Virginia for a ceremony to place a warship named after his father into active duty.
Ten days before leaving office, Bush took the plane to the commissioning of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS George H.W. Bush, calling the vessel 'an awesome ship' that honored 'an awesome man.'
He and his father arrived on deck on Marine One and the 43rd president's return flight to Andrews Air Force Base was the last time the plane flew as Air Force One for the Bushes.
Since then they have twice flown on a VC-25 - the first time as Executive One when it took them to Midland, Texas, after Barack Obama's inauguration.
And the couple returned to Marine One in December 2013, when Barack Obama took the Bushes to Nelson Mandela's funeral in South Africa. Also on board were the Clintons, making the trip a unique moment in history.
Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura boarded one the presidential planes on Monday (right) for the first time since 2009 when the couple, then president and first lady, climbed the stairs for Bush's last trip in office (left), to commission the airfcraft carrier named for his father
Photos of them boarding the plane for the final trip in office show the couple giving an almost identical wave to the crowd below. Even Laura's black, high necked coat and George W. Bush's dark suit and blue tie look the similar. If not for a few extra grey hairs, and more windswept appearance, it could be the same photo.
Trump announced Saturday he was sending the plane to pick up George H.W. Bush's body.
'They're taking all of the seats out. We're sending the plane, this plane, to Houston. And it picks up the casket,' he said.
President Trump will pay respects to Bush family at Blair House, according to CNN.
With the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush aboard at Ellington Field, Special Air Mission 41 prepares to depart Houston for Joint Base Andrews
President George H.W. Bush is to lay in state and be given a funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral after flying to D.C.
The younger Bush will be eulogizing his father at the national funeral rather than the sitting President Trump.
The move is unusual, but the 43rd president has been preparing to deliver the eulogy since the Obama presidency in an acknowledgment of the unusual situation of the dead president's senior family member also being a former president.
The Bushes left Ellington Air Force Base after a brief departure ceremony for the former president's remains.
An arrival ceremony is scheduled for when they arrive at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.
Another ceremony Monday will mark the body's arrival at the Capitol before the public can begin paying their respects at 7.30pm.
George H.W. Bush's state funeral will be held at Washington National Cathedral, with Trump in attendance, before his remains are flown back to Texas to be buried beside Barbara Bush, his wife of 73 years, who died last year, and daughter Robin, who died of leukemia aged three, in 1953.
Former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush waved boarding the presidential plane to accompany the remains of George's father back to Washington
Then President George W. Bush and wife Laura wave from outside the doors of Air Force One on his last trip while still in office on January 10, 2009
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This article is wrong. Bush flew on Air Force One...
by YoungTownie 134