Only after around 1985 could you find Coors Beer widely distributed in the United States. Before this, it could only be found in some western states. So, when President Ford visited the states that sold the beer, he would smuggle them on board back to D.C. At one time, he apparently took out AFO solely to stock up on beer.
We promise that his trip included some work as well, but the beer pickup was the prime motive. You see, no matter what high position you hold, and even if you are the president of the U.S.A., when it comes to the things we love, all humans are the same.
Two Kitchens
You'll never have to worry about going hungry while on board, and the food onboard is way better than what the rest of us are eating when we fly. The place is always stocked with fresh ingredients (in case of an extended flight), which are prepared by several chefs in two complete kitchens. Most of the meals are created in a kitchen at Joint Base Andrews, where they are then vacuum-sealed and frozen. The crew then reheats the meals on the plane.
Two kitchens allow the staff to prepare 4-course meals for 100 people in such a tight space, at 45,000 feet in the air. One thing that is lacking in Air Force One’s kitchens is a fryer. For this reason, the fries on board tend to be soggy. To keep top-of-the-line food fresh, what do you need? Two $12 million refrigerators, of course, the amount that the refrigerators on Air Force One reportedly cost. Fortunately and logically, the order for the refrigerators was canceled.
85 Phones
On Air Force One, it's not necessary to turn your phone off during takeoff, like passengers are used to on commercial flights. The President can't step out of his role for 15 minutes during takeoff as well as during the whole flight. And if his phone stops working? Why can he use one of the other 84 phones on the plane? There are many phones distributed throughout the cabins to allow staff to keep working.
Besides telephones, there is also a collection of two-way radios, fax machines, 19 televisions, and different office equipment. The president and his staff are able to contact anybody in the world despite being tens of thousands of feet in the air.
29,000 Feet
National security was at an all-time high during the Cold War. Allen Dulles, the CIA director at the time, transformed AFO into a spy plane. Very powerful cameras were placed in the plane's wheel wells to read license plates from 29,000 feet in the air. There is no indication that Eisenhower approved of this undertaking, and it is doubtful that he even knew about it.
When you think of it, it's shocking how these things happen, and people authorize them to proceed without the number one man even being aware of it. I'm not sure this kind of thing could have happened these days.
Flying Command Center
The President takes to AFO when there is a terrorist attack like 9/11. During an incident such as this, AFO essentially transforms into the "flying White House." Thanks to its mobile command center, which is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, plus an array of other top-notch gadgets, the President and his staff can lead the country when the safety of the White House is threatened.
So, in the event of an attack on the U.S., the president has everything he needs to respond. Until they receive the clear, AFO is the safest place for him to be.