Presidential plane practices at ILM

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — If you thought you saw Air Force One in the skies over Wilmington today, you did. Well, kinda.

Technically, Air Force One is the call sign given to any Air Force plane carrying the President. One of the two 747-200B aircrafts used to fly the President did touch-and-go exercises today at Wilmington International Airport. That’s when the pilot lands and takes off again without making a complete stop.

This particular plane is new to the fleet. You can tell by the silver underbelly instead of the usual light blue.

The Presidential Airlift Group, which is responsible for the President’s air travel, takes advantage of ILM’s limited traffic to practice here several times a year.