From the Archives: Air Force One and Presidential Air Travel | whitehouse.gov From the Archives: Air Force One and Presidential Air Travel August 18, 2014 at 11:14 AM ET by Susan K. Donius Twitter Facebook Email Summary: The President of the United States must be ready to travel anywhere in the world on a moment’s notice. Fortunately, modern Presidents have access to a variety of transportation options, including flying aboard Air Force One. Take a look at the history of this iconic symbol of the presidency throughout the years. See the full photo gallery here. The President of the United States must be ready to travel anywhere in the world on a moment’s notice. Fortunately, modern Presidents have access to a variety of transportation options, including flying aboard Air Force One. Strictly speaking, the term “Air Force One” is used to describe any Air Force aircraft when the President is on board, but since the middle of the 20th century, it has been standard practice to use the title to refer to specific planes that are equipped to transport the Commander-in-Chief. Franklin D.

Roosevelt was the first sitting President to fly on an airplane when, in January 1943, he traveled aboard a Boeing 314 Clipper Ship called the Dixie Clipper to attend the Casablanca Conference in Morocco. Two years later, Roosevelt again flew abroad, this time aboard a converted military plane dubbed the Sacred Cow, to join Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin at the Yalta Conference. The Sacred Cow did not have a pressurized cabin, so when it flew at high altitudes, oxygen masks were necessary for everyone on board. The plane was also equipped with an elevator that could accommodate President Roosevelt and his wheelchair for boarding and disembarking. The Presidential plane has, from time to time, served not only as a mode of transportation, but also as a “flying Oval Office” upon which historic events have taken place. President Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 — which established the United States Air Force as an independent branch of the Armed Services — while on board the Sacred Cow. Another notable moment in history took place on October 10, 1985: Ronald Reagan was midflight from Chicago to Washington, D.C.

when he gave the order for Navy jets to intercept the plane carrying the men who had hijacked the cruise ship Achille Lauro. The Presidential Plane has also been the setting of lighter events and celebrations, such as on June 3, 1988, when the passengers of Air Force One celebrated the birthday of James McKinney — cake and all — in the air. McKinney was Director of the White House Military Office, whose duties (among others) includes maintaining and operating Air Force One. Cake was also on the menu when President Roosevelt celebrated his 61st birthday midflight on the Dixie Clipper, and again on March 16, 1974 when First Lady Pat Nixon celebrated her birthday while on board Air Force One. In 1947, a DC-6 plane known as Independence took the place of the Sacred Cow, and with it came upgraded technology such as a radio typewriter and a pressurized cabin, which allowed for high-altitude flying without the use of oxygen masks. The Independence — named for Truman’s hometown in Missouri — featured an eagle painted on the nose, and an interior with a seating capacity of 24 (12 for sleeping).

President Eisenhower flew aboard two aircraft while in office, Columbine II and Columbine III, both named after the state flower of Colorado, and both four-engine, propeller-driven Lockheed Constellations. The original Columbine had been used by Eisenhower from 1951-52, as Commander of NATO in Europe. Columbine III remained the Presidential Aircraft throughout Eisenhower’s presidency, retiring on January 20, 1961, the day John F. Kennedy was sworn into office. The popular use of the term “Air Force One” to refer to the Presidential airplane began with the Boeing 707 purchased for use by President John F. Kennedy. This aircraft, with the tail number 26000, flew the President to Germany, where he delivered his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech in West Berlin. On November 22, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson took the Presidential Oath of Office aboard the same plane following the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. Nearly 10 years later in 1972, President Richard Nixon made his historic visit to the People’s Republic of China, also on tail number 26000.

The next Air Force One to go into use (tail number 27000) is currently on display inside the Air Force One Pavilion on the grounds of the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. Used by Presidents Nixon through George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan flew in this plane more than any other President, logging over 660,000 miles in total. When he flew home to California after the inauguration of his successor, President George H.W. Bush, he again traveled aboard this plane. However, since it was no longer transporting a sitting President, it carried the name SAM (Special Air Mission) 27000 instead of Air Force One. There are currently two Boeing 747 airplanes designated as Air Force One, and both are equipped to allow the President to conduct official business while in flight, including secure communications, medical supplies, a conference room, and a Presidential suite. Today’s Air Force One can also refuel while in flight.

Guests of the President — whether they be foreign dignitaries, White House staffers, or members of the press — can attend meetings, rest, or enjoy a meal from the galleys, which can feed up to 100 people at a time. Constitutional Topic: Presidential Inaugurations - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net USConstitution.net Constitutional Topic: Presidential Inaugurations The Constitutional Topics pages at the USConstitution.net site are presented to delve deeper into topics than can be provided on the Glossary Page or in the FAQ pages . This Topic Page concerns Presidential Inaugurations. The inauguration of the President is mentioned in the Constitution in Article 2, Section 1 , in the 12th Amendment , and in the 20th Amendment . A primary source for this topic page is the Government Printing Office's Analysis and Interpretation of the Constitution, specifically the sections on Article 2 and the 20th Amendment . Details on the Chester Arthur inauguration are found at The National Park Service and about Calvin Coolidge's inauguration at Vermont Public Radio . The January 14, 2009, speech of Dr.

Donald Kennon at the State Department also illuminated several of the issues with historical inaugurations. The New York Times from November 15, 1916 is courtesy of the New York Times Archive . The anecdote about Lyndon Johnson's "Bible" is found in the transcript of an interview with Lawrence O'Brien. The 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama was, as were all inaugurations before it, filled with pomp and circumstance. Everything from concerts to speeches, parades to formal balls. None of this, of course, is required by or dictated by the Constitution. The Original Constitution The original Constitution requires only one thing for an inauguration. The incoming president must recite this oath: I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Since the act or "swearing" is counter to some religions, and may have no meaning at all to someone who is irreligious, the Constitution specifically allows the word "swear" to be replaced with the word "affirm". Of all the inaugurations, only Franklin Pierce chose to use the word "affirm".

These 35 words are required by the Constitution before the president can "enter on the execution of [the] office". In other words, until the oath is taken, the president may not actually do anything that the office is normally allowed to do. Beyond the oath, there was no other direct reference to inauguration. By tradition, the term of office began on March 4, and on March 4, 1797, the first President, George Washington, gave up the seat of power and passed it on to John Adams, beginning a tradition of peaceful transition of power the United States has enjoyed ever since. The 12th Amendment The 12th Amendment, primarily written to close loopholes in the functioning of the Electoral College , also set in constitutional stone the date that a president's term would begin - though not directly. It stated, instead, that if by the 4th of March, the date set by Washington's example, the House of Representatives had been unable to decide on a president, the vice president would act as president until such time as the House got its act together.

The 20th Amendment As time passed, and technology improved, it became clear that the time between the November elections and the March inauguration was too long for the country to wait for a new president. The 20th Amendment took effect on October 15, 1933, and shortened the first term of President Franklin Roosevelt by several weeks (not that Roosevelt noticed, since he was elected an unprecedented four times). Roosevelt's first term, then, began on March 4, 1933, and ended less than four years later on January 20, 1937. The Amendment is even more specific than that, though - it not only dictated a date for the end of one term and the start of the next, but a time, too. The switch-over was to happen at noon on the 20th of January. Previously, the term was considered ended at the stroke of midnight on March 3. Problems The Constitution still does not fully cover the topic, even with all this history behind it. Here is a list of common questions about the inauguration. What is the oath of office for the Vice President of the United States?

There is no such specific oath in the Constitution, but Article 6 does specify that all executive officers must take an oath. In U.S. law, specifically at 5 USC 3331 , the following oath is prescribed for all legislative, judicial, and executive officers except the President: I, (name), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. This law also allows the use of the word "affirm" instead of "swear", if desired. If the President doesn't say the oath correctly, does it count? This question arose after the inauguration of Barack Obama, because the wording given to him by Chief Justice John Roberts, and recited back by Obama, slightly mangled the oath. Specifically, Roberts prompted Obama to say "I will execute the Office of President of the United States faithfully", misplacing the word "faithfully." The sentiment was there, but the wording was wrong.

Being spoken by flawed humans, the oath has been flubbed before. In 1929, former president and chief justice Howard Taft administered the oath to Herbert Hoover. Taft prompted Hoover to say "preserve, maintain, and defend the Constitution", instead of "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution." The gaffe passed unnoticed until a young student, who heard the inauguration on the radio, wrote to Hoover to ask about the mistake. Hoover acknowledged the mistake, but there is no record of the oath being readministered. The question of whether Obama could legally execute the office was put to rest the next day, January 21, 2009, when, out of an "abundance of caution," Roberts and Obama met in the White House and Roberts gave Obama the oath again, accurately. However, precedent would say that it does not matter. When George Washington first became president, he was unable to take the oath until April 30, 1789. The delay involved the time it took for members of Congress to travel to New York City, the temporary capital.

In law, though, the Congress back-dated his presidency to March 4, 1789, which is an indication that contemporaries of the Constitution's creation put more stock in the assumption of the office than in the administration of the oath. Today, to be safe, the oath is administered as close to noon on the 20th of January as possible. Speaking of the Chief Justice, where does it say that that person has to administer the oath? There is no constitutional requirement on the person administering the oath, though when the inauguration is planned, the chief justice is tapped to administer it. The only exception was for George Washington's first inaugural, since there was no chief justice yet. In that case, a New York state judge did the honors. If you look just at the Constitution, with its lack of specificity on the issue, it could be inferred that the oath can be given to the president by any ordinary citizen. The oath, though, is generally administered by someone with some authority. Notably, Lyndon Johnson's first oath of office was administered by Sarah Hughes, a U.S. District Court judge.

The image of Johnson being sworn in with a shell-shocked Jacqueline Kennedy at his side following the death of her husband, is a classic photo of that era. Hughes is the first and, thus far, only woman to administer the oath to the President. Calvin Coolidge ascended to the presidency in 1923, following the death of Warren Harding. Coolidge was at his father's home in Plymouth, Vermont, when word came that Vice President Coolidge was now President Coolidge. By the light of two oil lamps, Coolidge was given the oath by his father, who was a notary public. Because there was some outcry about the venue of the oath, in a private residence, and the qualifications of his father to give the oath, Coolidge was readministered the oath upon return to Washington, D.C. Chester Arthur also took the oath in a private home following the death of the president. Arthur took the oath in his New York City home in 1881, after the death of James Garfield. The ceremony was private, and a public ceremony was held two days later in Washington. Other presidents, like Woodrow Wilson in 1917, refused to take the oath publicly on a Sunday.

Wilson, then, took the oath on Sunday, March 4, 1917, in a private ceremony, and in a public ceremony on the 5th. Notably, this was the inauguration for Wilson's second term, but there was concern that no one would be president on the 4th if Wilson refused to take the oath at all. Obama was not sworn in at exactly noon. Who was president from noon, when George Bush stopped being president, to 12:05 or so, when Obama took the oath? This question is not a new one, and in fact, Chief Justice John Marshall, in 1821, wrote that when one president's term ended, the next one began without delay. This fact was reported in the New York Times on November 16, 1916, in a report issued by the State Department in response to Woodrow Wilson's announcement that he would not be sworn in on a Sunday. Marshall had been asked a similar question for James Monroe, whose term would begin on Sunday, March 4, 1821.

This practice of delaying the public inauguration, when the 20th falls on a Sunday, continues today - the last was Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985. The letter from Marshall noted that since the term of office began on the 4th of March, the previous term was considered to be ended at the stroke of midnight of the 3rd. Then, typically, the oath would be given to the next president at midday on the 4th, leaving a 12 hour gap in the presidency. Specifically, Marshall wrote that this gap was a time "during which the executive power could not be exercised." So, then, the gap is a time when there is a powerless president. The passage of time marks the start of the office, but the oath marks the start of the powers of the office. Does the oath have to be sworn on a Bible? Could it be sworn on a copy of the Koran? There is no constitutional requirement that the oath be sworn on a Bible. There is also no prohibition. So, a Bible can be used, but so could anything, including the Koran, the Talmud, or a copy of Sports Illustrated.

The point is not where the president's hand rests when he or she takes the oath, but that the oath be recited, and then carried out. This having been said, reports indicate that almost all of the oaths have been taken on a Bible. There are a few notable exceptions. John Quincy Adams chose to place his hand on a book of laws. During Lyndon Johnson's first inauguration, which took place aboard Air Force One following the death of President John Kennedy, Johnson placed his hand on a Catholic missal, it being readily available on the airplane. Finally, in Obama's second "abundance of caution" oath, Obama only recited the oath, and placed his hand on nothing. When Obama was given the oath, the Chief Justice asked him at the end, "So help you God?" That's not in the Constitution - is that a problem? Despite some erroneous news reports to the contrary, the words "So help me God," uttered without fail following the administration of the oath, are not an actual part of the oath. The words are, however, a part of the inauguration tradition, dating back to George Washington.

It should be noted that the inclusion of the president's name is not mandated by the Constitution, but it is customary to add the name following the word "I". The inclusion of these words was the subject of a lawsuit brought to federal court just before the 2009 inauguration. The plaintiffs argued that the words were extra-constitutional and constituted a religious test that is strictly forbidden in the Constitution. The suit argued that if Obama chose to say the words it would be fine - but to be prompted to say them by Roberts amounted to a religious test. The court, however, ruled that the phrase is an expression of the president, and not a part of the oath itself; that it is not required and cannot be; and that extemporaneous expressions of this kind cannot be preemptively stopped by the courts. Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol | Architect of the Capitol | United States Capitol Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol Recommended for you One Team, One Mission, One Day Presidential inaugural ceremonies are perhaps the most widely known of the numerous ceremonies held at the U.S. Capitol .

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) erects the inaugural platform on the Capitol's West Front, sets up the necessary seating and fencing on the grounds, and coordinates other activities with the Joint Congressional Committee on the Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC) regarding all of the physical arrangements that are necessary to accommodate this event. The 20th amendment to the Constitution specifies that the term of each elected President of the United States begins at noon on January 20 of the year following the election. Each president must take the oath of office before assuming the duties of the position. With the 2013 inauguration of Barack H. Obama, the oath has been taken 71 different times by the 44 Presidents of the United States . This numerical discrepancy results chiefly from two factors: a president must take the oath at the beginning of each term of office, and, because Inauguration Day has sometimes fallen on a Sunday, four Presidents (Hayes [1877], Wilson [1917], Eisenhower [1957], and Reagan [1985]) have taken the oath privately before the public inaugural ceremonies.

In addition, President Arthur took the oath privately following the death of President Garfield and again two days later in the Capitol. Grover Cleveland is considered the 22nd and 24th presidents, having served two nonconsecutive terms (1885-1889 and 1893-1897). The oaths administered to date have been taken place in the following locations: U.S. Capitol (53 occasions) Hall of the House of Representatives -- 6 Senate Chamber -- 3 East Front of Original Senate Wing -- 1 President's Room -- 1 Old Brick Capitol (1st & A Sts., N.E.; site of present Supreme Court Building) -- 1 Washington, D.C. (not in Capitol or White House) -- 2 Outside Washington, D.C. – 7 Key Historic Dates and Details — Presidential Inaugurals Read about Vice Presidential Inaugurations here . 2000s President Barack Obama takes the oath in 2009. Date First time that a former president (George H.W. Bush) attended their son's inauguration as president. 1900s President Ronald Reagan's inauguration at the U.S. Capitol 1981.

Date First time that the ceremony was broadcast live on the Internet. First inaugural that fell on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. January 20, 1993 January 20, 1985 & January 21, 1985 Ronald Reagan First time that the oath was taken in the Rotunda. First inaugural that fell on a Super Bowl Sunday. The Bible was placed on a marble-topped table that was built for the second inaugural of Abraham Lincoln. The table was constructed with an iron baluster cast for the Capitol dome in the 1860's. First time a television camera was placed inside the president's limousine from the Capitol to the White House. January 20, 1981 Ronald Reagan Outdoor band concert was held on the West Front lawn on the day before the inaugural. First inaugural held on the West Terrace of the Capitol. First time that room EF-100 was used as a holding room. First closed-captioning of television broadcast for the hearing impaired. First post-inaugural luncheon held in Statuary Hall. Post-inaugural luncheon was partially televised. Nine inaugural balls were held.

First time that an inaugural ball was held in a legislative building (Rayburn House Office Building). Balls were transmitted by satellite to 32 ballroom sites across the country. January 20, 1977 Jimmy Carter Folding chairs instead of wooden benches were used on the East Plaza. Used an old family Bible; second Bible on lectern had been used at inauguration of George Washington. At Carter's request, the traditional inaugural luncheon was not held. First president to walk all the way from the Capitol to the White House with their family after ceremony. First time that an outgoing President left from the Capitol Grounds aboard a helicopter. Solar heat was used in the reviewing stand. Provisions were made for the handicapped to watch the parade. August 4, 1974 Gerald R. Ford First unelected vice president to assume the presidency. First vice president to assume the presidency under the provisions of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, which specifies that, upon the resignation of the president, the vice president shall become president. January 20, 1973 Only persons with special invitations to the ceremony were admitted to the Capitol Grounds.

Two Bibles were used in the inauguration; they were family heirlooms, dated 1928 and 1873. January 20, 1965 First time that a press gallery was installed on the Capitol Grounds. First use of a bullet-proofed, closed limousine. November 22, 1963 Lyndon B. Johnson First time that the oath was administered in an airplane (Air Force One, a Boeing 707, at Love Field in Dallas, Texas). First time that the oath was administered by a woman, Sarah T. Hughes, U.S. District Judge of the Northern District of Texas. John F. Kennedy First president to be inaugurated on the extended East Front. First time that a Speaker of the House administered the oath of office to the vice president. (Previously the oath had been given by either the President pro tempore of the Senate, the ex-Vice President, or a United States Senator.) First time a poet, Robert Frost, participated in the official ceremonies at the Capitol. (See official program.) First time that both parents of the president-elect attended their son's inauguration.

As the first Catholic elected president, Kennedy was the first to use a Catholic (Douay) version of the Bible for their oath. First inaugural parade for which Army flame throwers were used to clear snow from Pennsylvania Avenue. First appearance of the Air Force Academy Band in the parade. First time that the parade was televised in color (NBC). First inauguration celebrated with five balls. Last president to wear traditional stovepipe hat to the inauguration. January 20, 1957 & January 21, 1957 Dwight D. Eisenhower First time that a president was inaugurated for a term limited by the Constitution (22nd Amendment). First presidential luncheon, held in the Old Supreme Court Chamber (S-228) in the Capitol. January 20, 1953 Broke with custom by reciting their own improvised prayer instead of kissing the Bible. A presidential preference made homburgs an inaugural must, displacing traditional black toppers. January 20, 1949 First inauguration to be televised.

April 12, 1945 March 4, 1917 & March 5, 1917 Woodrow Wilson Broke the precedent by taking the oath on a Sunday. First time that the oath has been taken privately in the President's Room at the Capitol. First time that floodlights (as opposed to temporary searchlights) were used to illuminate the Capitol dome during an inaugural. First time that women participated in the inaugural parade. March 4, 1913 The traditional inaugural ball was suspended. March 4, 1909 William H. Taft First time that a president's wife rode with her husband in the procession from the Capitol to the White House. First use of an automobile in an inaugural parade (President Taft was not an occupant). First time that the dome was illuminated; temporary searchlights were used. The first time that a mother of the president attended the inaugural ceremonies. First president to review the procession from a stand in front of the White House. March 3, 1877 & March 5, 1877 Rutherford B. Hayes First president to take the oath of office in the White House.

Was sworn in prior to Inauguration Day, because it fell on Sunday. Took oath privately on Saturday, March 3, and publicly on Monday, March 5, 1877. March 4, 1873 Ulysses S. Grant First time that a congressional committee called for the president at the White House and escorted him to the Capitol. First time that the governors of the states were invited to participate in inaugural events. First inaugural to be covered by telegraph. First known newspaper illustration of a presidential inauguration (The Illustrated London News). April 6, 1841 First vice president to assume the presidency due to the death of the president. March 4, 1841 First president to arrive in Washington by railroad for their inaugural. Longest inaugural address (10,000 words). Broke precedent by beginning address, taking oath, and then resuming address. First official planning of a parade to follow the inaugural at the Capitol. The parade or inaugural planning committee was appointed by the local political organization of the party victorious in the national election.

March 4, 1837 Martin Van Buren First time that outgoing and incoming presidents (Jackson and Van Buren) rode together in a carriage to the Capitol for the inaugural. First use of inaugural programs. First use of floats in an inaugural parade. First time two inaugural balls were held. March 4, 1833 Washington prepares for Obama's inauguration with practice rehearsal | Daily Mail Online comments Washington is at a standstill today as the final dress rehearsal is held for President Obama’s second inauguration tomorrow. Actors were drafted in to play the President, Vice President and their wives – and couldn’t help looking uncomfortable at the center of the gigantic military operation. Thousands will gather in front of the Capitol on Monday, January 21, to see President Barack Obama take the oath of office for another four-year term, with his wife and two daughters at his side. Scroll down for a Q&A on the presidential inauguration Stand-in: U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Serpico Elliott rehearses taking the oath-of-office as he stands-in for President Barack Obama during dress rehearsal for military participation in the presidential inaugural ceremonies on January 21, 2013 Not the real thing: U.S.

Army Military District of Washington Major General Michael Linnington is flanked by actors portraying U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden Dress rehearsal: Linnington, Commander of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region, and the actors arrived to review troops during a dress rehearsal at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington on January 13, 2013 Behind the scenes: The actors portraying US President Barack and his official party join other stand-ins for the dress rehearsal His second inauguration promises the pageantry of the first, but on a smaller scale than 2009, when a record 1.8 million people filled the nation's capital to witness Obama making history as America's first black president. Obama has chosen to use two Bibles during his swearing-in - one owned by Martin Luther King Jr. and the other by Abraham Lincoln. He used the Lincoln Bible while taking the oath four years ago and is adding King's Bible for the inaugural ceremony that will take place on January 21, the federal holiday honoring the civil rights leader.

At the 57th presidential inauguration a week from Monday, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath of office to Obama while Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor will administer the oath to Vice President Joe Biden. It's a day rich in history and tradition. Practice ceremony: Members of the military band pass actors portraying U.S. President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden as they perform during the dress rehearsal at the U.S. Capitol Preparation: Members of the military band practice during the dress rehearsal Soon enough: The official inauguration and swearing-in will take place on January 21, 2013 A Q&A on the presidential inauguration, past and present Q: Why is the inauguration on Jan. 21 instead of Jan. 20? A: The Constitution's 20th Amendment, passed by Congress in March 1932 and ratified by the necessary states the following January, sets the inauguration date as Jan. 20 at noon. Because that's a Sunday this year, Obama will take the official oath of office that day in a private ceremony. A public ceremony will be held Jan. 21 on the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

Local officials are planning for an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 people to crowd onto the National Mall to witness the oath-taking ceremony. This is the seventh time the inauguration date has fallen on a Sunday. Inaugural ceremonies, however, are not traditionally held on Sundays because courts and other public institutions are closed. Before 1933, the president had been sworn in on March 4, typically the final day of the congressional season. But the stretch between the November elections and the March 4 inauguration led to a lengthy lame-duck sessions of Congress and became a concern during times of national crisis. Sen. George Norris, R-Neb., suggested the 20th Amendment, which called for a new Congress to begin on Jan. 3 and for the president to be inaugurated on Jan. 20. President Franklin Roosevelt's first inauguration, in 1933, was the last swearing-in ceremony held on March 4. Stand-in: U.S.

Air Force Staff Sergeant Serpico Elliott stands-in for President Barack Obama during the dress rehearsal Short break: Elliot sits during his stand-in for Obama Foggy day: A dense fog hangs in the air at The Joint Task Force, National Capital Region, Department of Defense during the dress rehearsal Pre-parade: Components of the inaugural parade march down Pennsylvania Avenue during the rehearsal Q: What is the oath the president recites? A: 'I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' Those words transform citizen to president and mark the beginning of a new administration. Franklin Pierce, in March 1853, became the only president to 'affirm' instead of 'swear' that he would protect and defend the Constitution. There are Internet mentions suggesting that Herbert Hoover also opted to affirm, but the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association in Iowa says Hoover did not repeat the oath in 1929, and simply said "I do" after it was read to him.

Spectacle: Trucks transporting media and photographers are seen during the rehearsal for the Inaugural Parade for President Obama On the scene: A U.S. Army band arrives to take part in the rehearsal Lining up: Members of the U.S. armed services fan out at the U.S. Capitol to line the parade route Q: Does the chief justice of the United States always administer the oath? A: Traditionally, it is the chief justice who presides over the swearing-in ceremony. But there have been about a half-dozen exceptions including in 1923 and 1963. In 1923, Vice President Calvin Coolidge took the oath of office at his father's residence in Plymouth, Vt., following the death of President Warren Harding. Coolidge's father, Col. John Coolidge, was a notary public and he administered the oath to his son. In 1963, Sarah Hughes, a U.S. district judge in Texas, administered the oath to Vice President Lyndon Johnson aboard Air Force One at Love Field in Dallas, after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Hughes became the first woman to swear in a president.

Practice car: A silver sports utility vehicle representing the limousine that President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will ride in drives down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington Welcome sign: A sign on Washington's Newseum is visible from the parade route Salutation: A member of the U.S. Navy salutes during the parade rehearsal Q: When was the parade first started? A: The first organized parade occurred at the inauguration of James Madison in 1809. But the tradition dates back the country's first inauguration of a president, George Washington, in 1789. Local militias joined Washington's procession as it passed through towns on his journey from Mount Vernon to New York City, where he was met by the Continental Army, government officials and other prominent citizens who escorted him to his swearing-in ceremony at Federal Hall. During Abraham Lincoln's second inauguration in 1865, African-Americans marched in the parade for the first time. Woodrow Wilson's second inauguration in 1917 saw women, for the first time, take part in the inaugural parade. Obama's parade four years ago included the Lesbian and Gay Band Association for the march along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

The association was the first lesbian and gay group in history to participate in a president's inaugural parade. Army in attendance: U.S. Army trumpeters take part in the rehearsal for next week's inauguration ceremonies to mark the start of President Barack Obama's second term in Washington Taking form: U.S. Army trumpeters and drummers take their spots below the presidential reviewing stand Q: How many inaugural balls are there? A: Historically it's varied. The first inaugural ball was held in 1789 to honor Washington, and came one week after he was sworn in during a ceremony in New York City. The tradition of the inaugural ball really began in 1809 when Dolley Madison hosted a gala for her husband, James Madison. Four hundred tickets were sold for $4 each. The tradition took hold as supporters reveled in the idea of a night to fete their new president with dancing and music. Some presidents shunned the idea and wanted to avoid an elaborate celebration. Presidents Franklin Pierce, Woodrow Wilson and Warren Harding requested no balls at all. In more recent times, President Bill Clinton went from 11 inaugural balls in 1993 to a record 14 in 1997.

Obama had 10 official inaugural balls in 2009, but has decided to cut the number to two this year amid a struggling economy. One ball will be the invitation-only Commander In Chief's Ball, started by President George W. Bush for members of the armed forces. Tickets will be free for invited guests, including active duty, reserve and Medal of Honor recipients, among others. The other ball, called The Inaugural Ball, is open to the public, though only a limited number of $60 tickets were made available. Early march: Military personnel march in early morning fog during the dress rehearsal at the U.S. Capitol Early arrival: Members of the U.S. armed services arrive at the U.S. Capitol on Sunday morning to line the parade route Q: Who pays for all this? A: Much of the cost is picked up by supporters and other private donors, as it has been for years. In 2009, Obama raised $53 million in private money for his inauguration. The private money pays for the official inaugural balls, the traditional parade, giant TV screens on the mall for the swearing-in and thousands of portable toilets.

Public money is used for security, which is harder to put a price tag on. Secret Service doesn't discuss it, but the federal government reimbursed the District of Columbia $44 million for the 2009 inauguration. That was just for city costs, not Secret Service or military personnel. Other public money that has been set aside for this inaugural: -The Architect of the Capitol has $4.2 million to spruce up the Capitol grounds for the swearing-in ceremony on the west front. That money also pays for the inaugural platform under construction, along with bleachers and barricades. -Nearly $2 million has been approved for U.S. Capitol Police. -$1.2 million has been budgeted for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which handles all of the events taking place at the Capitol grounds for the inaugural. Moment of quiet: The U.S. Capitol is reflected in a pool i the early morning Q: Who plans and coordinates the inaugural festivities? A: The Presidential Inaugural Committee, chosen by the president-elect, coordinates all of the official events outside the Capitol, where the swearing-in takes place. The committee handles the parade, official inaugural balls and planning for the crowds on the National Mall.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies is responsible for staging the day's activities on the Capitol grounds, meaning the swearing-in ceremony and the traditional inaugural luncheon that follows for the president and vice president. For the Department of Defense, the Joint Task Force National Capital Region coordinates the military's participation in inaugural activities. That includes marching bands, color guards, firing details and salute batteries for the parade as well as security and medical support for inaugural activities. About 5,000 service members are expected to take part in this inaugural. Four years ago: In this January 20, 2009 file photo, President Barack Obama gives his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Barack Obama will be sworn in as president Tuesday with the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used for his first inauguration. As his transition team noted in its press release, " President-elect Obama will be the first President sworn in using the Lincoln Bible since its initial use in 1861 ." Why haven't other presidents used the historic artifact? Because the Library of Congress didn't offer it up. The Bible, which was given to Lincoln by the clerk of the Supreme Court, is part of the permanent rare-books collection of the library.

Other presidents probably could have used the Lincoln Bible if they'd asked for it, but LoC staffers proposed the idea themselves shortly after Obama's election. The library already has plans to mount an exhibition of its vast cache of Lincolniana to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, Feb. 12. The newly famous inauguration Bible will go on display directly following its use by Obama. Advertisement There are no particular rules on which Bible is used or how it's used for the ceremony. Up until Grover Cleveland, inaugurations were not BYOB—presidents arrived at the ceremony with the assumption a Bible would be provided for them. It's since become common for incoming executives to use their family Bibles, though a handful have opted for the Masonic Bible upon which George Washington swore his oath of office. That book is housed in New York City at the lodge that lent the Bible to Washington in the first place. The only other inauguration Bible held by the Library of Congress belonged to Chester A. Arthur, a gift of his descendents. Most inauguration Bibles belong either to the families of the presidents or to their presidential libraries or archives.

According to official records kept by the Architect of the Capitol, Teddy Roosevelt is the only president who wasn't sworn in using a Bible; he took a rushed oath of office in 1901 following the assassination of William McKinley. However, it's rumored that LBJ was sworn in using a Catholic missal aboard Air Force One after Kennedy's assassination. John Quincy Adams, according to his own letters, placed his hand on a constitutional law volume rather than a Bible to indicate where his fealty lay. Franklin Pierce "affirmed" rather than swore his oath on the Bible, reportedly because of a crisis of faith following his son's death. There are no known inauguration Bibles for presidents John Adams through John Tyler; in fact, there's no concrete evidence that those early presidents used a Bible at all for the oath. If the weather's bad enough, Obama might lose the chance to use the Lincoln Bible. George W. Bush wanted to use the Washington Bible for his first inauguration, as his father had done, but the plan was foiled by drizzly weather.

The Masons are extremely careful with the Washington Bible: They refuse to let the artifact be X-rayed at airport security and demand that the president be the only one who touches it without gloves. The LoC takes similar precautions with its artifacts. Rain or snow (provided it's not bad enough to force an indoor ceremony ) would probably force Obama to scramble for another Bible. Bonus Explainer: Which members of the new Obama administration have to take an oath of office? All of them. Every federal employee, whether a vice president, Cabinet member, staff assistant, or postal worker, must take the same oath to support and defend the Constitution. That rule was established in U.S. Code in 1789 and has been slightly tweaked since then. The presidential oath of office is stipulated in the Constitution.

Question: The first inauguration of which US President took place aboard a plane?
Answer: Lyndon B Johnson