A1

Yeah, you've got it, the head of the free world. He flies too, though not quite like everybody else.

I was one-holing the Jackson sector, which means that I was working there by myself. The Detroit Metro departures were starting to launch and I had a Grand Rapids arrival at 14,000 feet that was deviating for weather. There was all kinds of weather over the eastern half of the sector.

Anyway, I've taken the handoffs on five Detroit departures, but I'm not talking to them yet. I am talking to the guy at 14, a Jetlink, that's picking his way through thunderstorm cells.

Detroit Approach yells for me over the "shout" line (an open line between facilities). I answer them just as Lansing Approach starts calling me. Detroit is telling me about the deviating going on with the depatures while Lansing keeps yelling.

Another controller walks up, and without even looking at what I was doing answers Lansing. Then he tells me "I released flight level two-three-zero to Airforce One," and walks away.

Next thing I know, Lansing Approach is flashing me the handoff on the pres. And his aircraft is aimed right into the flight path of all my departures and the guy I have at 14.

The first thing I do is to stop him at 13,000 feet. Then I make sure to stop any of the departures coming out at 12,000 feet. So far so good.

Airforce One calls up and asks for higher.

"Airforce One, unable higher, deviation left or right of course is approved, maintain one-three thousand."

"We're getting a bad ride here Center."

"Roger, I have traffic at your ten o'clock, two-zero miles, one-four thousand, clear of that traffic I'll have higher."

A couple of minutes go by and Airforce One is back complaining about the ride.

"We're getting moderate chop, requesting higher."

"Airforce One, traffic at twelve o'clock, one-five miles, one-four thousand, deviating. Clear of traffic I'll have higher."

Another minute goes by and I'll be damned if Airforce One doesn't ask for higher again. He's getting really demanding about it too. Hell, he's flying the president, right? I should jump to his command.

I even thought about giving him higher, but I didn't have anything against the Jetlink that was just about right over top of the pres at the moment. Besides, giving the pres a bad ride was kind of funny.

I figured giving him higher and letting him hit the Jetlink however, might be bad for my career.