The U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate recently led a joint Air Force-Boeing team that completed maintenance on a VC-25A (tail number 29000) well ahead of schedule. Commonly known as Air Force One, the VC-25A provides safe, reliable transportation that allows the President of the United States to fulfill the functions of his job anywhere in the world. The Boeing VC-25 is a military version of the Boeing 747 airliner, modified for presidential transport and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) as Air Force One.
The team completed numerous Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directives, including the installation of the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Identify Friend or Foe Mode 5 system, which provides pilots better situational awareness. What was originally estimated to take 50 days was completed in only 28 days, returning the critical asset to the Presidential Airlift Group – which operates the aircraft in support of Presidential travel.
The VC-25 is capable of flying 7,800 miles (12,600 km)—roughly one-third the distance around the world—without refueling. The VC-25A can accommodate more than 70 passengers. Each VC-25A cost approximately $325 million. While the VC-25 has two main decks and a cargo area, like a regular Boeing 747, its 4,000 square feet (370 m²) of floor space has been reconfigured for presidential duties. Its lowest level is mostly cargo space, carrying luggage and the onboard food supply.
