On September 11, 2001, photographs aboard Air Force One show President George W. Bush watching television coverage, speaking by telephone, and conferring with aides as the plane carried him from Florida to Louisiana and later from Nebraska toward Washington. The official captions identify the people and activities visible—but do not reveal the contents of private conversations.
What was happening aboard Air Force One on 9/11?
The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum’s September 11, 2001 Photographs gallery records several moments aboard the presidential aircraft. The captions identify Bush with White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, watching television coverage of the attacks, and talking on the telephone while senior staff gather around him.
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One caption specifically places Bush on a telephone call with Vice President Dick Cheney and others during the flight from Sarasota, Florida, to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Another identifies Bush conferring with Cheney after departing Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, on the flight to Andrews Air Force Base. Other later-flight images show Bush speaking with Karl Rove and Ari Fleischer, and an F-16 escorting Air Force One.
These are descriptions of what the photographs show, not transcripts. A still image cannot establish what was said during a call, what a person knew at that moment, or how anyone felt.
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Photographs from two flight legs
| Flight leg | What the official captions identify | Image identifiers |
|---|---|---|
| Sarasota, Florida, to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana | Bush speaking with Andrew Card; watching television coverage; speaking by telephone as staff gather; and talking with Cheney and others. | P7070-13; P7067-19; P7079-10; P7071-29 |
| Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, to Andrews Air Force Base | Bush conferring with Cheney; speaking with Karl Rove and Ari Fleischer; and an F-16 escorting Air Force One. | P7091-18; P7098-06; P7099-18 |
The identifiers correspond to the official gallery captions and can help locate the relevant images in the archive. The gallery is broader than this day’s flights: it contains 60 photographs taken between September 11 and October 30, 2001, according to the library’s September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks guide. That total is not a count of photographs taken aboard Air Force One on September 11.
Where did Air Force One go on September 11, 2001?
The Bush Presidential Library’s Air Force One account describes the route and the concern reported during the first flight leg:
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- Sarasota to Barksdale: After visiting Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Bush went to the airport and flew to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The library says the pilots were told another plane was approaching. Air Force One altered course while the crew assessed the concern, then continued to Barksdale after the other aircraft was determined harmless.
- Barksdale to Offutt: Bush then traveled to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. The official daily diary records activity aboard the aircraft, including secure voice communication with Cheney, a call to Senator Charles Schumer, and arrival at Offutt.
- Offutt to Andrews and Washington: Bush later insisted on returning to Washington. The library account says he addressed the nation from the Oval Office that evening.
The Bush Presidential Library and Museum says Bush took 1,675 Air Force One flights during his eight years in office. That institutional figure describes his full presidency, not the number of flights on September 11.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Bush said that day
At Barksdale, Bush said: “I’ve been in regular contact with the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, the national security team and my Cabinet.” — President George W. Bush, remarks at Barksdale Air Force Base, September 11, 2001. The sentence appears in the archived White House remarks upon arrival at Barksdale Air Force Base.
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In his address to the nation that evening, Bush said: “None of us will ever forget this day.” The archived White House transcript identifies the address as beginning at 8:30 p.m. EDT and ending at 8:35 p.m. EDT. Read the September 11 address transcript.
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How to read the photographs and timeline
- Use captions for identification: The library captions are the basis for identifying the people, flight legs, and visible activities described here.
- Do not infer dialogue from a photograph: The images document calls and conversations, but not their full content.
- Keep timestamps tied to their records: The official daily diary for September 11, 2001 and the library’s route narrative do not necessarily use a common time zone or time convention. Attribute a clock time to the record that gives it rather than combining times as if they shared a basis.
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