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Air Force One grounded
04/07/2004
18:20 - (SA)
Charleston - The US presidential jet Air Force One suffered
engine trouble on Sunday, forcing President George W Bush to
delay a trip to the state of West Virginia, the White House
said.
Bush was already on board the Boeing 747 and ready to take
off for the state capital Charleston, where he was to give a
speech marking America's Independence Day.
Bush had been due to leave at 09:30 (14:30 GMT) from
Hagerstown, Maryland - an airport near the presidential
retreat Camp David, where he spent the day on Saturday.
The problem was discovered before the jet began its
take-off, a White House official said.
Another plane took Bush to Charleston, but he only left for
the hour-long trip at 10:40 (15:40 GMT) and was forced to
cancel an appearance at a religious service, the official
said.
The US president has two identical high-tech jumbo jets to
fly around the world under the famed call sign "Air Force
One." The iconic plane allows the president to keep constant
video links with his aides on the ground.
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