America’s airplane must be accessible to each American.
With a brand new presidential plane at the moment underneath building, the federal authorities can do what business airways gained’t by including essential accessibility options to Air Drive One.
The nation’s first presidential plane was wheelchair accessible… in 1945!
The Douglas VC-54C Skymaster was the primary purpose-built plane designed to move the President of the US. Nicknamed the “Sacred Cow,” the plane served presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman from 1942-1945. Its most notable journey happened in 1945, when it transported Roosevelt to Europe for the Yalta Convention, a joint assembly between allied leaders.
Previous to being elected president, Roosevelt turned a wheelchair consumer after a polio analysis. Though his incapacity remained hidden from the general public, accessibility turned a key consideration in planning the primary presidential plane. In accordance with the Nationwide Museum of the US Air Drive, “a battery-powered elevator was put in on the rear of the plane which allowed President Roosevelt to board the plane simply whereas in his wheelchair.” Roosevelt used a slim wheelchair throughout flight to entry his seat, a convention room, sleeping space, and a non-public bathroom onboard the plane.
The following-generation Air Drive One also needs to be wheelchair accessible
In accordance with the CDC, as much as 1-in-4 Individuals have a number of types of incapacity, and greater than 1-in-10 have critical problem strolling or climbing stairs.
As disabled individuals acquire a higher share of illustration in politics, media and the general public sphere, Air Drive One must be accessible — able to transporting wheelchair customers safely and with dignity, whether or not they be civilians, journalists, workers members, congressional representatives, senators, governors, world leaders, and even the President of the US.
Air Drive One must be universally designed to satisfy everybody’s wants
Reaching equal entry requires consideration of everybody’s wants, which prolong far past wheelchair accessibility. By adopting the ideas of common design, the US can ship an essential message — that each individual have to be accounted for and included.
This can be a once-in-a-generation alternative to make Air Drive One accessible — it’s attainable and it have to be executed!
The following-gen Air Drive One is being constructed on the Boeing 747-8 platform, and it is going to be essentially the most custom-made plane on the earth. Reaching equal entry for disabled individuals is an apparent crucial, and the arguments business airways use to stall accessibility enhancements don’t apply.
The U.S. Authorities Ought to Set the Instance for Business, Business Airways and the World
Current feedback from Division of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg display a dedication to exploring the addition of a wheelchair securement area on business airliners, however that very same dedication ought to prolong to Air Drive One and different plane utilized by the federal authorities.
Together with a wheelchair area on Air Drive One would display that every one Individuals are referred to as to serve their nation, together with and particularly these with disabilities, who’re considerably underrepresented in elected workplace.
The USA of America ought to set an instance, not just for airways, however for nations all over the world — that working to supply equal entry in all places is non-negotiable and a precedence.
With the 2023 introduction of the revolutionary Air4All wheelchair securement area for airplanes, marketed and developed in partnership with Delta Flight Merchandise, a possible answer already exists — and Air Drive One could possibly be the launch buyer! The USA of America ought to instantly take steps to amass wheelchair securement areas and extra accessibility options for Air Drive One, defining it as a army acquisition of “pressing want” given the plane’s quick supply timeline.
Assist this advocacy marketing campaign take flight!
Together with your assist, Air Drive One will develop into an instance of inclusive plane design — listed below are 3 ways you possibly can assist the advocacy effort.
Contact your representatives
Write a private message to your elected representatives, informing them of the necessity to make Air Drive One accessible to each American.
To ship an e-mail to President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris, use The White Home contact kind. Ship your enchantment to them each!
Don’t cease there — write to your Senators and Congressperson. To look-up your representatives, use the Discover and get in touch with elected officers device on USA.gov.
Ship a message to the US Air Drive by way of their Air Drive Contact Kind.
Ask Secretary Pete Buttigieg to take this concept to the President by sending a letter to this deal with:
U.S. Division of Transportation
Consideration: Secretary Pete Buttigieg
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
Assist us attain advocates across the nation, beginning together with your family and friends.
By sharing this hyperlink with your mates utilizing the hashtag #AirForceOne4All, you possibly can amplify this marketing campaign and guarantee that it’s going to attain key determination makers and people who could make a distinction.
Along with sending formal communication to elected officers, it’s also possible to join with them by way of social media. Listed here are some X, previously often called Twitter, accounts to tag:
@POTUS, @JoeBiden, @VP, @KamalaHarris, @SecretaryPete, @USDOT, @USAirForce, @GenCQBrownJr, @Boeing
Signal-up for updates
Subscribe to the Wheelchair Journey E-newsletter for updates as we enhance the throttle on this advocacy marketing campaign. You’ll obtain essential data and extra methods to get entangled in advocating for a wheelchair area on Air Drive One and different plane sorts.
Assist WheelchairTravel.org and have a good time President Roosevelt with this unique t-shirt
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the thirty second President of the US. A polio survivor, Roosevelt used a wheelchair…
