Cubdriver wrote:


But here's the cute thing: the controllers at Pease (or Portsmouth, as
they generally refer to themselves these days) are always impressed by
their military connection, and they invariably say: "Check wheels
down" to the incoming pilot, even if it's a Cessna 172. But not to Air
Force One! It was the prevailing wind and "Cleared to land." So even
an air traffic controller can be awed by the trappings of power.


I learend to fly at NAS Alameda as a dependent in their flying club.
Normally an enlisted man with binoculars would be stationed at the
approach end of the runway with the sole job of visually checking that
each aircaft had their gear down. It was only when this station was not
manned that the tower was required to say 'Check wheels down' to which
we invariably replied 'Gear down and welded' for the fixed gear GA
aircraft. It is quite possible that for Air Force One there may have
been someone on the ground who verfied the gear were down and thus the
tower did not have to ask them to check.

Steve