Heisei in perspective: Japan govt aircraft to retire after years of punctual flights

March 27, 2019

Tokyo--The Japanese government aircraft, dubbed the prime minister's office in the air, will be decommissioned at the end of March, a month before the curtain falls on the Heisei era.

The first-generation aircraft, which went into use in 1993, the fifth year of Heisei, has carried prime ministers and Imperial Family members around the globe, sometimes to locations at historic moments.

The Air Self-Defense Force assigned the personnel who had the heavy responsibility of operating the plane, ranging from pilots to cabin attendants and mechanics.

ASDF staff of the aircraft was always mindful about ensuring safe flights, as well as committed to punctuality, seen as a trademark of Japan.

Maj. Tokisada Myose has served as a navigator who manages the times for landing, a role not found for commercial passenger planes.

"We cannot allow a change in the schedule of the prime minister, who moves by the minute," Myose, 44, said.

When the plane is expected to arrive earlier than planned, the pilot changes its altitude to go intentionally against the headwind, according to Myose.

The pilots of the government aircraft practice touch and go, a maneuver that is never conducted for civil passenger planes. The exercise is aimed at sharpening skills for reducing aircraft-shaking during takeoffs and landings, and the sophisticated techniques of the Japanese pilots are highly acclaimed overseas.

"I was asked why the Japanese government aircraft can land so beautifully," said Maj. Masayuki Takishima, 40, who served as a pilot.

A female senior master sergeant filled the role of load master, equivalent to cabin attendant for commercial passenger planes, for nine years.

Looking carefully at the situations of passengers, she sometimes chose not to offer any service. "For VIPs, travel time is sometimes the only opportunity to have a rest," she said.

On the staff of the aircraft, she said, "We know what to do without words, as we always work in the same team, unlike on civilian planes."

The aircraft, modeled on the Boeing 747-400, has been operated along with a reserve plane.

As of March 1, the plane had traveled to 269 locations in 100 countries. In 349 missions, it flew a total distance of 14.6 million kilometers, equivalent to 365 times around the world.

The government plane was used for then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's landmark visits to North Korea in 2002 and 2004. During the second visit, the reserve plane brought home five family members of Japanese abduction victims who had returned to Japan earlier.

In 2016, the government aircraft transported the bodies of seven Japanese nationals who were killed during a terrorist attack in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.

"I tried to stay calm, without showing personal feelings," said Maj. Ken Yamashita, 44, who was aboard that flight.

In April, the second-generation government aircraft, modeled on the Boeing 777-300ER, will come into service. The ASDF will continue to handle the management and operations of the plane. Jiji Press