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Presidential pilot loved flying around the world
2009-01-22
WASHINGTON - The Air Force colonel who flew President George W. Bush's plane calls the assignment "a tremendous responsibility" and an "amazing experience." Granting a rare interview, Col. Mark Tillman said, "The coolest part is, the plane is heavily defended." He said on CBS's "The Early Show" Thursday that while he could not discuss specific security issues, Air Force One is "a flying White House." The president while aboard the Boeing 747 aircraft has "the ability to do whatever he does in the White House, at 45,000 feet," Tillman said. He said Bush thanked him and wished him well as he flew the then-ex president from Washington to Texas after Barack Obama was sworn in. Tillman called the flight "very nice," saying the Bush family and a host of friends were on board and that Bush "walked around thanked all of us on the crew for taking care of him for eight years." Tillman started flying the president's plane in 1992, and it typically has a crew of about 30 Air Force personnel.
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