"Boeing Faces Accident During US Presidential Aircraft Production... Concerns Over 2-Year Delay in Schedule"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] American aircraft manufacturer Boeing has experienced an accident during the production process of the U.S. presidential aircraft, known as 'Air Force One,' causing delays in the production schedule. U.S. media reported that production could be delayed by up to two years.

On the 5th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) cited sources saying, "There was an accident while 'jacking' one of the two new Air Force One aircraft being manufactured earlier this year." Jacking refers to the process of lifting an aircraft using supports for performance inspection, maintenance, or parts replacement.

According to the sources, during the jacking process, the aircraft could not bear its weight and fell off the supports, raising concerns about damage to the wings and other parts of the aircraft, which is expected to disrupt the production schedule. WSJ reported that the U.S. Air Force has determined there was no damage to the aircraft from this accident.

However, WSJ also reported that aside from the damage issue, there are criticisms regarding Boeing's management and supervision. According to the investigation after the accident, the employee supervising this process had experience participating in similar tasks but had never led a jacking operation. Other employees did not follow the prescribed work procedures, and some failed regular drug tests conducted after the accident, sources said.

Regarding this, a U.S. Air Force spokesperson stated, "Corrective actions and measures to prevent recurrence have been implemented." A Boeing spokesperson avoided commenting on employee issues but said, "We are currently taking responsible measures to ensure that all production processes at headquarters meet strict quality requirements."

WSJ reported, "Boeing and the U.S. Department of Defense are currently negotiating the delivery schedule for the new Air Force One aircraft," adding, "Boeing has notified that supply will be delayed by about 17 months compared to the original schedule, while the U.S. Air Force expects the delay to be about 24 months, which is 7 months longer than Boeing's estimate."