AFLCMC directorate team leads maintenance activities on VC-25A

A Boeing 747 VC-25A sits on the flightline April 19, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The aircraft is one of two VC-25As assigned to the Presidential Airlift Group, 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The VC-25A is commonly known as Air Force One, although that radio call sign is reserved and used exclusively when the president of the United States is aboard any U.S. Air Force aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

A Boeing 747 VC-25A sits on the flightline April 19, 2017, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The aircraft is one of two VC-25As assigned to the Presidential Airlift Group, 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The VC-25A is commonly known as Air Force One, although that radio call sign is reserved and used exclusively when the president of the United States is aboard any U.S. Air Force aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s 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 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.

“We were able to get the maintenance done quickly by maximizing opportunities to accomplish concurrent work and utilizing highly skilled VC-25A Boeing personnel,” said Randy DeWitt, chief, VC-25A Lifecycle Integration Team at Tinker AFB.

“To say the team did fantastic is an understatement,” said Brig. Gen. Ryan Britton, program executive officer, Air Force Presidential & Executive Airlift Directorate. “By leaning forward and completing depot work on the most important airplane in the world 22 days early, the team demonstrated true resilience during the backdrop of a national emergency.”

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