United States | 2006 Australian Official Visit

[Odinson]

Private​

The United States Chief of Protocol, Mary Applegale, was in constant and regular communication with the Prime Minister Julia Gillard's office as the date of the Prime Minister's official visit to the United States approached. In Washington D.C., significant security arrangements were made to ensure that Prime Minister and the President would not have any concerns while she was in town. The Secret Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the FBI were all coordinating with a special task force to coordinate the movements of the Prime Minister and her entourage while they were in the United States. Special considerations were put in place for the currently planned schedule that had been submitted by the Chief of Protocol.

The Australian Department of Defense was securely sent a plane route through American airspace to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland where her aircraft could land and be received. If it was needed, the Prime Minister's aircraft could refuel at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam, at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. All of the flight routes would, in particular, avoid restricted areas in Nevada including Groom Lake. Waiting at Andrews was the Chief of Protocol herself along with several other leaders and officials who were eager to meet the Australian Prime Minister.​

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[Owen]

At RAAF Base Fairbairn, a No. 34 Squadron Boeing 737-700 BBJ would be prepared for the Prime Minister's journey to Washington D.C. Air Force maintenance crew would check over the aircraft and fuel it up. The pilots and the flight attendants would go over their flight plans, itineraries and would prepare the aircraft with its catering supplies. As the aircraft only had a range of 11,000km, the flight would fly from Canberra up to Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii where it would refuel, a distance of 8,400km. It would then fly across to the continental United States, eventually arriving at Andrews Air Force Base, a total distance of 16,200km. The aircraft would use the callsign "ENVOY01".

The Prime Minister would prepare her suitcases with personal belongings and so would her staff. Joining her on this official visit would be the Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner along with other Washington-based staff such as the Ambassador to the United States, Kim Beazley, the Liaison Officer to the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commodore Allison Norris and the Head of Australian Defence Staff in Washington, D.C., Air Vice Marshal Alan Clements. Four members of the Prime Minister's protection team within the Australian Federal Police would also join her, armed with sidearms. They would be joined later by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kevin Rudd, who was currently in Ottawa and wrapping up his meetings there.

The Prime Ministerial Limousine "Commonwealth 1" would take the Prime Minister from her residence The Lodge in Canberra and would head off to RAAF Base Fairbairn in the early morning flanked by Australian Federal Police motorcycles and cars. Media would be present along the route and at the airport for this occassion. She would meet the Minister for Defence there along with the staff from the Prime Minister's Office and other Departments joining her. A delegation of the major Australian media outlets would also join the Prime Minister in her aircraft. They would board the aircraft through the VIP Terminal at RAAF Base Fairbairn. Once they were all prepared and settled, the aircraft would begin its taxi to the runway and would get priority for take off from all the normal commercial aircraft using Canberra Airport. It would take off in a northerly direction, heading off in a north-east heading, flying directly over Sydney as it was climbing to its cruising altitude before heading off over the Pacific Ocean. It would fly over New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tuvalu and Kiribati airspace before eventually entering U.S. airspace near Baker Island and Howland Island.

It would make its short stop at Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii in order to refuel. All personnel would remain on the aircraft and there would be a quick turnaround before it took off again heading eastwards towards the continental United States. It would enter continental United States airspace just south of San Francisco/San Jose. Flying over California and then into Nevada where it would fly just north of restricted airspace at "Lake Groom", directly over the town of Tonopah. It would then fly over Utah, Colorado (directly over Denver), Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, flying directly over Champaign, Indianapolis and Dayton before eventually flying over the Appalachians and into the Capital Region's airspace.

As they flew over Dayton the Prime Minister would remark "this is where Kristina went to University!". Kristina Keneally, the current Premier of New South Wales was an alumni of the University of Dayton.

Budding aviation enthusiasts would be able to take advantage of spotting a Royal Australian Air Force jet flying over their towns and cities. It would come into Andrews Air Force Base from the south, avoiding highly restricted Washington D.C. airspace. Once cleared, it would touch down at the airport. It would follow tower instructions to taxi to its designated area.

The Governor-General would appoint the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer, Wayne Swan, as Acting Prime Minister by convention.

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