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Show Family Weekly I December 7, 1969 He Jives with suitcase always packed, a radio receiver on his belt, and absolute clearance to any jet airport; Lt Col. Ralph Albertazzie tells the story of Americas most important flying job in By W. f J When President Nixon leaves to visit Key Biscayne, Fla., 'the summer White House in San Calif., or confer with chiefs of state around the globe, he places his life in the capable hands of Ralph Albertazzie, 46, of Morgantown, W. Va. J. O'NEILL jyu t Cle-men- te, Lt. Col. Albertazzie, of the 89th Military Airlift Wing, Special Missions, U.S. Air Force, has been flying Richard Milhous Nixon since lat December, when Nixon was still President-elec- t On the strength of an impeccable flying record and personal character, Albertazzie was nominated by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force immediately after the November, 1968, election to be the personal pilot for the incoming President. After an interview with the President's milicommand pilot with d tary aide, the the five rows of decorations moved his things office at Andrews Air Force into the first-floBase marked "Presidential Pilot." "I am often asked what it's like to fly the President of the United States, how it differs from other flying I've done, and whether it has brought any changes in my life," Albertazzie told Family Weekly. "To the first question, the answer is that it's both a great honor and a tremendous responsibility. I feel particularly privileged to have been selected as the presidential pilot. "As to the second question, the flying is not as different as some people might think," he continued. "I've always tried to do my job as professionally as I can, and I've found that this attitude is shared by all career pilots." He conceded, however, that there were some aspect of being presidential pilot that differed from other flying he has done, not the least of which are the extra security precautions taken. "The presidential aircraft is under armed guard whenever it is on the ground," the colonel explained. "At least 24 hours before a flight, fuel for Air Force One must be tested to make certain that it's not contaminated by water and doesn't contain harmful additives. The tested fuel is placed in a tank truck, sealed, and the truck is guarded around the clock." The precautions continue after the President leaves the ground. "The Air Force positions planes of the Air Rescue and Recovery Service along our route whenever we make an flight," Albertazzie said. "If we are flying to Europe, for example, one rescue plane will be alerted on the ground and three more will be spotted at intervals across the Atlantic. We are Hercules rescue passed from one cruising across." we are to another until safely plane Air Force One also receives special treatment controllers wherever it goes. On from arrival, the President's plane will be cleared through traffic to land, since no airport will leave a head of a government stacked up over its field. "We never require that towers delay traffic for gray-haire- or zr Lt. Col. Albertazzie at control of Air Force One. us, though they do," Albertazzie said, "but only briefly. We get preferential treatment on the runway, but traffic continues on parallel runways while I'm taxiing." This is Albertazzie's second tour of duty with the 89th Wing, which flies the President, Vice President, Cabinet members, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other top officials. "On most V.I.P. flights, details of the ceremonial arrivals and departures are worked out and then the pilot is informed," he related. "But as presidential pilot, I'm now brought in on these matters from the outset, including the timing and location of ceremonies, and where the limousines or helicopters will be waiting, so that we can park the aircraft in an appropriate spot." Albertazzie often makes survey flights in advance of the President's overseas trips to look over the lirports he is scheduled to use and study their approaches and facilities. On these flights, he is accompanied by a White House advance party that includes staff aides and Secret Service agents who check out everything from security and communications to protocol. Should President Nixon want to make a trip during Albertazzie's absence, three other pilots stand by. With his square-jawe- d good looks, broad shoulhis college football days, and ders, reminiscent of the metal replica of the presidential seal that is the White House Service Badge gleaming from his beribboned blue tunic, Albertazzie could have stepped straight from an Air Force recruiting poster. Unflappable, with a quiet, controlled geniality that would do credit to a career diplomat, it is easy to see why he was the Air Force's choice But Albertazzie to pilot its Commander-in-Chie- f. insists that the coveted assignment has made few changes in his life. "There hove been a few shifts in my daily routine," he acknowledged. "On other assignments, including VJ.P. flights, when the mission was completed.I felt that my job was done, and I was off duty. Now I am always on call." In his house at Andrews AFB, just outside the capital, there are two extra telephones. One is a direct line to the White House switchboard, and the other is connected with the Pentagon. When not in his quarters or at home, Albertazzie clips a transistorized radio receiver to his belt. When there is a call for him, the gadget beeps and delivers the message, usually directing him to call his office or the White House. An adaptation of the radio page system goes along with the presidential aircraft, so that its crew can be recalled whenever the plane is on the ground. Albertazzie keeps a bag packed for a quick departure, and the rest of the crew of Air Force One do the same. Like him, many live on the airbase, and the others live nearby. When summoned, they can get to Air Force One and be ready to take off within an hour. The crew of Air Force One usually consists of II men. Besides Albertazzie there are the copilot, the navigator, two flight engineers, a radio operator, and five flight stewards. Actually, there is no one plane that is Air Force One. The name is simply the radio call sign of whatever Air Force plane the President is aboard. When he changes to an Army helicopter, that becomes "Army One." Similarly, a Navy plane would be "Navy One" and a Marine Corps helicopter, "Marine One." over-wat- er C-1- 30 air-traff- ic Family Weekly, December 7, 1969 Why Is Lt. Col. Albertazzie the President's Pilot? Col. John G. Williams, retiring as commander of the 89th Military Airlift Wing, Special Missions, told Family Weekly why ha regards Ralph D. Albertazzie as the pilot in the Air Force to fly President Nixon's plane: "The job of presidential pilot calls for a thoroughly poised and colleced professional who can cope with the unexpected. He must be a personable and diplomatic officer whose character is unimpeachable. Colonel Albertazzie meets these qualifications superbly. He has more than 18,000 hours of experience, much of it flying 707 jets and many of those hours spent flying the world's leaders. His is a very heavy responsibility, and he is the man best equipped to carry it." best-qualifi- |