Air Force One Delays Mount as Boeing Fixes Cracked Aircraft Parts

Boeing is working on repairing microscopic cracks in the structural reinforcing members of two 747-8 aircraft, which will become the next Air Force One fleet. The repairs involve replacing longitudinal structures known as stringers under procedures mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Although the defects do not currently affect the aircraft's safety, the work adds to the program's existing $3 billion cost overruns.

The US Air Force originally expected delivery of the first aircraft in December 2024, but now expects it in mid-2028 due to the repairs and other modifications. The stringer work is part of a larger conversion that includes communications, interiors, wiring, structural changes, and specialized presidential equipment. Boeing has been modifying the two aircraft since 2020.

The affected stringers are primary structural members running longitudinally from the nose toward the tail of the 747-8. According to the Air Force, microscopic stress cracks caused by corrosion have emerged across the wider 747-8 fleet, prompting the FAA to mandate inspections and repairs at specified intervals.