Why the US vice president flies on a modified Boeing 757

The plane that usually carries the Vice President of the United States is not a four-engine widebody but a modified narrowbody airliner. Designated the C-32, it is based on the Boeing 757-200. When the vice president is on board, it generally uses the call sign "Air Force Two."

The choice can seem counterintuitive. The vice presidency is central to US governance, and the travel load has grown, including foreign trips, high-level summits and rapid response missions. Those might point toward a larger platform with more range and cabin space.

Even so, the 757-based C-32 remains the primary aircraft for those missions.