Mar-a-Lago prepared for Marine One
They can cruise at speeds of 150 mph to get the commander in chief to safety.
These helicopters fly so smoothly, they pull off the feat of staying quiet enough inside to let the president carry on a conversation in a normal tone of voice.
And of course, they’re stocked with the president’s favorite snacks, whether it’s Starburst candy or granola bars.
Now, the Marine One fleet is poised to make regular appearances across South Florida’s skies. Getting to Mar-a-Lago by chopper is an option with the completion of a landing pad just steps away from Trump’s Winter White House, though it’s not yet clear how often that will happen.
Marine One is at the president’s disposal at all times — whether he is traveling overseas in Europe or giving a speech about a new policy.
“It’s a mobile Oval Office,” said retired Col. Ray L’Heureux, a former Marine One pilot and commander who has flown four presidents. “It is probably the most impeccably maintained aircraft on the planet.”
How efficient is presidential travel compared with standing in the security line at the airport? Using Marine One and the presidential jet Air Force One, the president can travel from the South Lawn of the White House to Midtown Manhattan in an hour, L’Heureux said.
Marine One isn’t just one helicopter. It takes an entire fleet of dozens of aircraft based in Quantico, Va., to fly the president. Marine One is the call-sign used to refer to any of the special military helicopters that carry Trump. With their high-gloss, green and white paint scheme, the helicopters are nicknamed the “white tops.”
What have been some of the in-flight snacks? President George W. Bush enjoyed Starburst, while President Barack Obama opted for healthier granola bars and almonds, said L’Heureux, who flew presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Marine One has been a fixture of the presidency since 1957. President Dwight Eisenhower took the first flight on Marine One when he needed to quickly get from his summer home in Newport, R.I., to the White House. What would have been a two-hour journey was reduced to seven minutes.
Over the years, Marine One has become embedded in presidential history — from President Richard Nixon leaving Washington in the chopper following Watergate to President George W. Bush stepping aboard with his Scottish Terrier Barney.
The president typically doesn’t spend much time on Marine One, L’Heureux said. The longest flight he piloted took only about an hour. Two pilots fly the helicopter, and a crew chief is responsible for maintenance and ensuring the chopper is ready. The crew chief wears formal Marine dress and is frequently captured in photos saluting the president as he boards.
The United States is the only nation that flies its own transportation overseas for the head of state, L’Heureux said. A military jumbo jet carries the president’s helicopters and heavily armored limousine known as “The Beast.”
Marine One doesn’t fly alone, and a cadre of support aircraft provide protection. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the president’s helicopters were upgraded to allow the president to communicate with anyone he’d need to reach in government, L’Heureux said.
The former pilot declined to discuss Marine One’s security features, which are top secret, but he wasn’t surprised to learn Mar-aLago will have a landing site.
“This is absolutely normal and standard procedure for a helicopter pad to be built,” L’Heureux said. “It’s for national security if you have to get him out quickly.”
The landing pad could be used to ferry the president from the Palm Beach International Airport to Mar-a-Lago, or it’s possible the helipad will only be used if he needs to quickly leave Palm Beach in an emergency, said Kirk Blouin, director of public safety for the town of Palm Beach.
Roads will remain closed near the residence when Trump visits even if he does travel by helicopter, he said.
The Palm Beach Town Council put some restrictions on the use of landing pad, said John “Skip” Randolph, town attorney for Palm Beach. The landing pad can only be used for presidential duties, and it must be demolished once Trump leaves office, he said.