Trump’s Air Force One flies a wide arc to avoid passing over Brno

Brno tends to be made the butt of jokes, especially by people from the far-superior Prague. An image posted on Twitter tracking US President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, adds another punchline to the Brno-dissing theme.

Air Force One, carrying Trump and first lady Melania Trump on their way to India, made a strange aerial maneuver to avoid flying over the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. The Boeing VC-25 flew a straight line across the Czech Republic until it approached Brno, and veered northeast to make a semicircle around the Moravian capital

The high-flying shade was first noted by Seznam reporter Vojtěch Gibiš on Twitter. “Donald Trump really avoided Brno with an arc. Apart from the usual reasons that come to mind as a Praguer, I guess it was to avoid the strong wind,” he said.

“Trump does not mind Brno. … The pilot asked air traffic control for a ‘for timing’ maneuver. It was confirmed to Televize Seznam by Richard Klíma from @letovyprovoz (Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic). Behind Air Force One a storm is blowing, and the aircraft would not have complied with the flight plan,” Seznam’s Gibiš tweeted.

It was all rather routine. “@letovyprovoz confirms the AF1 flight based on the standard flight plan, changed its route on the request of the commander of the aircraft, which we complied with in accordance with the rules for state flight,” Air Navigation Services tweeted.

Gibiš, who writes about politics and breaking news, noted that he had never before been quoted so much in the media, “and for such nonsense.”

Trump flew over the Czech Republic for a two-day visit to New Delhi, where he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss a trade deal.

Air Force One refers to the plane carrying the US president. Currently there are two planes, both Boeing VC-25As, customized versions of the Boeing 747-200B with blue, black and white livery. The planes are operated by the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Field, Maryland.