keady U.S. Air Force Expected To Limit Changes To Qatari-Donated 747Brian Everstine January 22, 2026 The U.S. Air Force expects a quick delivery of the Boeing 747-8i given to President Donald Trump by the government of Qatar to serve as a presidential airlift aircraft and will largely keep it intact to meet that timeline.The Air Force expects aircraft delivery by the summer, with the 747-8i last tracked to Texas, where it is believed L3Harris is conducting overhaul operations. The Air Force and the company have not confirmed the nature of the work.But new details on the nature of the modifications are emerging. AMAC Aerospace in a Dec. 10, 2025, letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had been contracted for validation of the VIP cabin completion of the Boeing Business Jet 747-8, MSN 37075—the same as the aircraft given to the administration. In the letter, AMAC also writes the aircraft has the FAA registration N7478D, also the same.AMAC writes that it has the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the VIP configuration of the 747-8i, having completed modification of the aircraft at its Basel, Switzerland, facility in 2015. The FAA is seeking a concurrent validation for the configuration, indicating that the new aircraft will have the same interior as installed when it was handed over, with one minor change.“As part of an alternative configuration, a medical stretcher is installed, certified only for non-ambulatory passenger occupancy,” the letter says. “This medical stretcher does not comply with the dynamic emergency landing conditions.”The aircraft’s configuration includes two bathrooms, nine lavatories, a master and a guest bedroom and a private lounge. There is an office, a “business class” seating area, locations for crew rest and multiple galleys. The aircraft has extensive audio-visual equipment and satellite connectivity, though the modifications area is expected to include military senior leader communications equipment.The letter says that under the current STC, a minimum of 12 flight attendants are required to be on board.AMAC writes that there is good cause to speed up the petition without typical publication and comment procedures.The petition shows that the Air Force is avoiding a large amount of rework to deliver the new aircraft quickly. Meanwhile, the service has outlined a new schedule for the Boeing VC-25B—the official replacements for the two existing VC-25As—by 2028.The Air Force in a statement said it “remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the timeline.The Air Force has largely stayed silent regarding progress of the aircraft because of the classified nature of the program. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last summer that the service was using funding from the delayed LGM-35A Sentinel ballistic missile program to pay for the work.Brian EverstineBrian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C. ...
[Message clipped]  View entire message | | | | Recipients | | | - U.S. Air Force Expected To Limit Changes To Qatari-Donated 747Brian Everstine January 22, 2026 The U.S. Air Force expects a quick delivery of the Boeing 747-8i given to President Donald Trump by the government of Qatar to serve as a presidential airlift aircraft and will largely keep it intact to meet that timeline.The Air Force expects aircraft delivery by the summer, with the 747-8i last tracked to Texas, where it is believed L3Harris is conducting overhaul operations. The Air Force and the company have not confirmed the nature of the work.But new details on the nature of the modifications are emerging. AMAC Aerospace in a Dec. 10, 2025, letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it had been contracted for validation of the VIP cabin completion of the Boeing Business Jet 747-8, MSN 37075—the same as the aircraft given to the administration. In the letter, AMAC also writes the aircraft has the FAA registration N7478D, also the same.AMAC writes that it has the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the VIP configuration of the 747-8i, having completed modification of the aircraft at its Basel, Switzerland, facility in 2015. The FAA is seeking a concurrent validation for the configuration, indicating that the new aircraft will have the same interior as installed when it was handed over, with one minor change.“As part of an alternative configuration, a medical stretcher is installed, certified only for non-ambulatory passenger occupancy,” the letter says. “This medical stretcher does not comply with the dynamic emergency landing conditions.”The aircraft’s configuration includes two bathrooms, nine lavatories, a master and a guest bedroom and a private lounge. There is an office, a “business class” seating area, locations for crew rest and multiple galleys. The aircraft has extensive audio-visual equipment and satellite connectivity, though the modifications area is expected to include military senior leader communications equipment.The letter says that under the current STC, a minimum of 12 flight attendants are required to be on board.AMAC writes that there is good cause to speed up the petition without typical publication and comment procedures.The petition shows that the Air Force is avoiding a large amount of rework to deliver the new aircraft quickly. Meanwhile, the service has outlined a new schedule for the Boeing VC-25B—the official replacements for the two existing VC-25As—by 2028.The Air Force in a statement said it “remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the timeline.The Air Force has largely stayed silent regarding progress of the aircraft because of the classified nature of the program. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last summer that the service was using funding from the delayed LGM-35A Sentinel ballistic missile program to pay for the work.Brian Everstine | | | | | | | | | | | Brian Everstine | Aviation Week Network Brian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C. | | | Brian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C. | | | | | | | | | | |
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