Presidential plane here for tests

Yes, that was the official presidential plane you saw flying overhead Monday.

No, Barack Obama was not on board.

The turquoise, white and blue Boeing 747 seen flying around Charleston Air Force Base is one of two Washington, D.C.-based VC-25As that are part of the group assigned to transporting the president.

It was here for testing after a year-long heavy maintenance cycle.

Charleston was used for part of the plane's "operational testing regimen prior to being certified for return to presidential service," the Air Force said.

The testing included multiple takeoffs, approaches and landings under a variety of conditions. Only the crew was part of the mission.

One of those who spotted the flight Monday afternoon was West Ashley resident Art Liberman, who was driving in the area of Montague Avenue in North Charleston when he saw a 747 bearing the eagle seal of the president on its fuselage.

"I guess I happened to be in the right place at the right time," he said.

The plane took off from the base and headed east, mirroring the path of Interstate 26 toward Charleston, he said. The plane did not seem to draw a lot of head-turning from other drivers, Liberman said.

While the plane is labeled a VC-25A, it is commonly known as Air Force One. The official "Air Force One" radio call sign is reserved exclusively for occasions when the president of the United States is actually aboard any U.S. Air Force aircraft in service.

The plane is assigned to the Presidential Airlift Group, 89th Airlift Wing, out of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. Its Charleston schedule was not immediately available.