Travel Pool Reports of February 5, 2021

Travel pool report #1 — Departure from JBA

Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Greetings from JBA for President Biden's inaugural trip on Air Force One.

M1 landed at 5:27 p.m. POTUS disembarked at 5:30 p.m and walked toward AF1, waving to but not answering questions from press. He saluted the guards before he jogged up the stairs to the plane. At the top of the stairs to the plane before boarding, POTUS saluted and waved.

We are wheels up for Wilmington, Del., shortly. We are traveling on the smaller AF1, so the usual caveats about cell signal apply.

Travel pool report #2 — Arrival in Wilmington

Wilmington, Del.

AF1 landed at New Castle Air National Guard Base at 6:07 p.m. after a 25-minute, uneventful flight. Everybody on the flight was wearing masks. Yohannes Abraham came to the press cabin midway through the flight for a quick hello.

During the flight, the large television screen at the front of the plane that is visible from the press cabin had four channels playing at once, CNN visible among them.

Travel pool report #3 — POTUS: "it was a great honor" to ride AF1

Wilmington, Del.

POTUS disembarked AF1 at 6:15 p.m., saluting as he reached the ground.

POTUS, holding a newspaper, came over briefly to talk to the press about his first trip on AF1 as president. He said "it was a great honor" and noted that he was reading a newspaper on the flight. Fuller quotes TK.

As for his plans this weekend, POTUS said he will "see my grandchildren and hang out with Jill" and noted that he still had some stuff to move from one house to the other house (presumably White House).

POTUS entered the Beast around 6:18 p.m. The motorcade is moving as of 6:20 p.m.

Travel pool report #4 — more quotes from POTUS

Wilmington, Del.

More comments from POTUS on his flight: "It's a great plane .... it's the same plane that we had as Vice President, only it's much nicer."

POTUS noted that this plane a "nice conference table, plenty of room for you all back in the back" (referring to the press).

He also told a brief story about this base: "You realize, they've used this air strip to practice landings for the 747 takeoffs for the president's plane for a long time." He notes that his home is five miles from the airport and says, referring to AF1, "Now I'm getting off that plane. It's really kind of strange."

Travel pool report #5 - motorcade arrival at POTUS home, lid

Wilmington, Del.

The POTUS motorcade arrived at his Wilmington home shortly after 6:30 p.m. At 6:33 p.m., the White House called a lid.

Good night, all, from Wilmington.

Travel pool report #6 — Some color earlier from JBA

Wilmington, Del.

Your not-eagle-eyed pooler couldn't make this out earlier, but shortly after POTUS stepped off M1 at JBA and he was walking toward AF1, he was greeted by Colonel Carla Riner, Wing Commander, and handed her a challenge coin.