The Air China-operated C919 departed Beijing Capital International Airport at 3 pm on Wednesday (August 12) and landed in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, at 4.58 pm local time. The Beijing-Ulaanbaatar service, operating as CA723/CA724, will run daily.

The flight marks the first time the C919 has operated a scheduled commercial service outside China since entering passenger service in May 2023. It also represents a significant step in Beijing’s effort to establish the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) as a credible competitor to Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’s A320neo.

The C919 is a single-aisle aircraft designed to carry up to 174 passengers. The international service is an opportunity for COMAC to demonstrate the aircraft’s reliability and operating performance beyond its home market.

Air China received its first C919 in August 2024 and now operates 12 of the aircraft. The carrier said its C919 fleet has completed more than 12,000 safe flights and carried over 1.62 million passengers. Across Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, C919 aircraft have opened 58 routes serving 26 cities and carried more than 7.5 million passengers.

Despite that progress, COMAC faces major obstacles before it can seriously challenge the established manufacturers globally. The C919 remains heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, including CFM International, the joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines that supplies its engines.

The C919 has not received certification from major US or European aviation regulators, restricting its ability to enter many international markets. Analysts say regulatory approval, supply-chain resilience and production scale will be critical to its long-term success.

COMAC’s production remains small compared with its Western rivals. Analyst Andreas Mischer of the Mercator Institute for China Studies said COMAC had delivered 32 C919s by the end of 2025 and another eight in the first half of 2026. By comparison, Airbus delivered around 100 narrow-body aircraft to China in 2025 alone.

That leaves COMAC well short of its stated ambition to produce 200 aircraft a year by 2029.

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Boeing also booked 30 new orders after adjusting for cancellations in July, which include ⁠a handful of orders announced during a subdued Farnborough Airshow. Airbus, on the other hand, ⁠booked 204 orders in the same month. For the venture, the ratio brought the total this year to 1,024, or 1,090 after adjustments including the cancellations of 15 A330neos for AirAsia X as part of a deal ⁠to buy 150 A220s.

Boeing’s July deliveries included 39 of its best-selling 737 MAX jet and 10 787s, as well as one 777 freighter and three 767s.

Taking the July numbers in consideration, Boeing has delivered 367 jets so far in 2026, including 279 737 MAX and 50 787 jets.

Boeing’s biggest order announcement at Farnborough was for 100 737 MAX jets from Irish leasing giant SMBC Aviation, the world’s second-largest ⁠leasing company. That order, though, was booked in June as from an unidentified customer.

Till July 2026, Boeing ⁠has booked more than 130 orders for the 737-10, the largest MAX variant, according to the company.

Talking about Airbus, the European planemaker needs to deliver an average of 90 jets a month between now and the rest of the year to meet its target after posting flat deliveries ‌in July, as per the latest company data.

At its recent earnings results, the European planemaker sounded confident of reaching its full-year target of around 870 deliveries and took a more conciliatory tone towards Pratt & Whitney in the current dispute over engine supplies.

Airbus’ July deliveries of 67 jets ⁠remained unchanged from the same month in 2025, bringing the total for the year so far to 418 jets following a slow start.

While CEO Guillaume Faury said that the wording of the company’s target of “around 870” aircraft was consistent with deliveries up to 890 units, as per the reports, Airbus is internally pushing staff to achieve more than 900 ‌deliveries by the year-end.

Airbus is also consolidating its dominant position in China, with new orders from Hainan Airlines and China Eastern. Like Boeing, the European venture too gained from SMBC Aviation’s buying spree, as it secured orders for 100 A320neo-family jets.

Talking about 737 MAX, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already given its approval for the American giant’s best-selling narrowbody variant, after the MAX7 version cleared the stringest certification process involving incorporating and validating key improvements, while addressing recommendations from the National ⁠Transportation Safety Board, including updates to the flight-control software, flight crew alerting system, and a redesigned engine anti-ice system.

The process came after two fatal MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, along with the scrutiny of the company’s production and quality systems after a January 2024 mid-air cabin panel blowout on a nearly new Alaska Airlines MAX 9.

After clearing the years-long regulator review, Boeing will now be ramping up its preparations to support the aircraft’s first deliveries. The MAX 7 offers 135 to 160 seats while providing about 10% more range potential than other MAX planes. The Boeing 737 MAX 7 began testing in 2018.

Boeing and Southwest Airlines, the 737 MAX 7 launch customer, are now preparing for delivery of the first unit. The budget carrier does not have the MAX 7 on its current schedule, which is through March 2027.

Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s head of commercial airplanes, told employees in a memo that the planemaker learned “important lessons that we are already applying to the 737-10 and that are accelerating our work as we complete the 737 MAX airplane family and then the 777X programs.”

As per the data from the aviation analytics firm Cirium, Boeing has already built about 30 MAX 7s and nine MAX 10s, which are awaiting delivery. The MAX 10 accounts for at least 28% of outstanding MAX orders.

As per the FAA’s December 2025 statement, the MAX 10 would have an enhanced flight crew alerting system, which will include a way to shut off stall warning and overspeed alerts. The regulator, during last year, gave Boeing approval to raise its 737 MAX production to 42 planes per month, ending a 38-plane cap put in place since ⁠January 2024 after the Alaska incident. In March 2026, the vehicle was allowed to hike the monthly production ratio to 47.

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“We’re off and rolling at the 47 rate, and we should be there in the next couple months,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference while giving the latest update.

As per Ortberg, Boeing now aims to move its production ratio to 52 jets a month by early 2027, after opening a manufacturing line in Everett, Washington.

“I think the whole world’s watching to make sure we make (rate) 47 and 52,” Ortberg remarked.

The 737 production, since January 2024, has run into consistent headwinds after a midair panel blowout on a nearly new 737 MAX revealed significant manufacturing quality problems at the US planemaker and brought intense scrutiny from customers and the FAA, which then capped 737 outputs at 38 a month. ⁠The first relaxation came in October 2025, when the safety watchdog removed the cap.

With the latest development, Boeing now expects to increase the 737 output, as it will accelerate the American aerospace giant’s ongoing turnaround after years of crises that resulted in more than USD 35 billion in losses from 2019 to 2024. In 2025, the USD 10.6 billion sale of subsidiary Jeppesen, a digital aviation services provider, helped the company to register a USD 2.2 billion profit.

Giving further updates about the certification flight tests of MAX 7 and 10 (the narrowbody jet’s smallest and largest variants), Ortberg said Boeing has largely completed the procedures. Certifying the two models and Boeing’s new widebody 777-9 has taken several years longer than expected and been a significant drag on Boeing’s earnings.

“Pretty confident that we’re not going to see any hiccups in the remaining phase of flight testing for certifying the new 737 MAX engine anti-ice system. The one area I guess I’d highlight where I haven’t met my goals was getting the certifications complete on the new commercial aeroplanes sooner,” the Boeing CEO noted.

Ortberg’s comment also coincided with remarks made by Bryan Bedford, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who now expects the 737 MAX 7 certification to conclude by this summer, followed by the larger MAX 10 by 2026-end.

While supporting Boeing’s plan of raising the 737 production from 42 to 47, Bedford told Reuters that the company may again hike the ratio in the next 90 days.

“It’s important for the country ⁠that Boeing is successful. We are absolutely comfortable with 42 to 47, and I suspect in another 30, 60, or 90 days we’re going to see continued rate increases,” Bedford remarked.

Production of Boeing’s twin-aisle 787 is ‌back on track (at eight ⁠a month) after dipping earlier in 2026 due to delays with engine supplies from GE Aerospace. Boeing still hopes to raise output to 10 per month later this year, subject to the pace of engine deliveries.

“We have not had customers ask to delay jetliner deliveries due to the Iran war and higher fuel prices. Instead, many customers have said they will take deliveries earlier if possible,” Ortberg concluded.

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The airline, during the period, carried more than 41.8 million passengers, maintaining extensive global connectivity through its main hub Hamad International Airport.

The cargo division, on the other hand, transported more than 1.43 million tonnes of chargeable weight, further consolidating its position as the world’s largest air freight carrier with a 12% global market share.

“The airline also maintained industry‑leading punctuality, achieving an 86% on‑time performance, placing it firmly among the top five most punctual carriers worldwide, and securing the most coveted recognition in global airline operations benchmarking, the Cirium Platinum Award for Operational Excellence,” said the Qatar Airways Group.

Hamad Al-Khater, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said, “It is not often that a single financial year asks an organisation to demonstrate both the best of what it can achieve and the depth of what it can withstand. The 2025/26 financial year did both, and the Qatar Airways Group rose to each in turn. These results speak to the strength of this group across every measure that matters — a strong balance sheet, industry-leading operations, partnerships of real depth, and people who maintained the standards this group is known for, even under the most demanding conditions.”

“Behind every result are 57,800 people, working across more than 90 countries. In the final weeks of the financial year, many of them were managing an active crisis with a standard of professionalism that defines this organisation as much as any financial metric, and it deserves to be recognised. We are actively rebuilding our global network with the confidence that comes from a balance sheet that has never been stronger, partnerships that proved their depth when we needed them most, and an organisation that has demonstrated, under genuine pressure, exactly what it is capable of,” the senior official added further.

Among the key achievements of the 2025/26 financial year, Qatar Airways Group signed landmark agreements with Boeing and GE Aerospace for the acquisition and servicing of up to 210 aircraft and 400 engines. The deal emerged as one of the most significant fleet commitments in commercial aviation’s history.

The venture got rewarded as the “World’s Best Airline 2025” by Skytrax, an unprecedented recognition that, for the record ninth time, cemented the carrier’s excellence in global aviation. The Cirium Platinum Award for Operational Excellence, on the other hand, recognising the airline’s 86% on-time performance and elite operational standards, placing it among the world’s top five most punctual carriers.

As of May 2026, Qatar Airways operates the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped widebody fleet, with high-speed in-flight connectivity live across Boeing 777, Airbus A350, and Boeing 787-8 aircraft, bringing seamless and free in-flight internet to passengers on various routes worldwide, including long-haul and ultra-long-haul.

The carrier’s hub, Hamad International Airport, also got rewarded last year. For the 11th consecutive year, Skytrax recognised the facility as the “Best Airport in the Middle East”, underlining it as the region’s premier aviation gateway.

Qatar Duty Free, one of the salient services offered by Hamad International Airport, also got awarded as the “Best Airport Shopping” globally by Skytrax for the third successive year, reflecting continued investment in the passenger retail and hospitality experience at the hub.

However, the carrier has flagged progress in rebuilding its global schedule as it navigates the impact of the Iran war, with the temporary airspace closures in the Middle East forcing thousands of ⁠cancellations since the conflict started at the end of February 2026.

As per Al-Khater, despite the headwinds, the Gulf carrier aims to expand its network to reach more than 160 destinations by this summer.

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As per Jon Holden, vice president specialising in training and apprenticeships at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Boeing’s unionised factory workers in the Pacific Northwest (region having major production hubs in Everett, Renton, and Auburn, Washington) now number more than 34,000 and are “heading higher.”

“We’re seeing strong interest as we hire in Puget Sound and across the enterprise to support our production rate increases,” a Boeing spokesperson told Reuters, confirming Holden’s remarks.

The IAM represented about 33,000 Boeing workers in the Pacific Northwest region in 2024 when Holden headed that local union during a seven-week strike over a new contract.

“Boeing needs to staff a fourth Seattle-area production line, known as the North Line, for the planemaker’s strong-selling 737 MAX narrowbody jet,” Holden said, adding that the aviation giant further faces the challenge of supporting production of the 777X widebody that is still awaiting certification.

Boeing is also working to expand its satellite production capacity and launch a new satellite platform. It is targeting 26 satellite deliveries in 2026, up from four in 2025.

In Washington, aerospace manufacturing ‌jobs had dropped to around 79,000 in August 2025, before climbing back to 81,800 in February 2026, according to the state’s Employment Security Department.

The aviation sector, in general, is looking at the prospect of witnessing a major employment boom, as companies are hiring to meet demand from airlines for more fuel-efficient jets, apart from addressing growing industrial activities in the space sector and rising defence spending due to geopolitical tensions around the globe.

Karen Arlak, chief human resources officer at Honeywell Aerospace, told Reuters that the supplier giant expects to add over 1,200 positions in 2026 in areas such as engineering and manufacturing due to growth in the commercial aftermarket, defence, and space sectors.

Talking about Boeing, the company’s current demand for factory workers still trails its aggressive hiring from ⁠2023 to 2024, when it needed to add workers following the COVID pandemic and the earlier grounding of the 737 MAX after two deadly crashes in 2019.

“This is more, I think, a sustained ramp that I feel good about, as long as the economy continues to go, as long as airlines continue to keep their orders,” Holden concluded.

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The official remarked, “The partnership is also active through academic and technical cooperation, as Boeing is a founding partner of Al-Faisal University and has partnerships with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, or KAUST, and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.”

While stating industry and supply chain localisation as key objectives for companies operating in Saudi Arabia, Al-Jomoai added that partnerships with firms like SAMI are boosting the Kingdom’s goal of localising more than 50% of its military spending by 2030. Boeing considers itself a central partner in localisation and technology transfer.

According to Al-Jomoai, Boeing’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, which spans more than 81 years, has been a fruitful one, with the aviation giant delivering more than 170 commercial aircraft in recent years.

Boeing’s existing contracts within Saudi Arabia’s military-industrial set-up include maintenance and technical support for advanced defence systems, most notably F-15 fighter jets, with the Kingdom being the largest operator of the aircraft outside the United States. These contracts also cover Apache attack helicopters and AH-6i aircraft, light helicopter gunships often known as the “Little Bird.”

Al-Jomoai said that although support agreements cover both commercial and defence sectors, defence operations currently dominate in the Kingdom’s aviation discourse, as the Gulf major continues to expand its military spending.

According to Boeing’s website, Boeing Defence, Space & Security’s relationship with the Royal Saudi Air Force began in 1978 when Saudi Arabia selected its first fleet of F-15C/D aircraft, forming the backbone of the Kingdom’s air defence.

The fleet expanded significantly in December 2011 when Saudi Arabia and the United States signed a military sales agreement, the largest in America’s history at the time, covering F-15SA fighter jets, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, and AH-6 light armed reconnaissance helicopters.

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Guillaume Faury’s grim prediction, which he delivered while interacting with France Inter radio, coincided with the latest feat of Boeing, where the latter, buoyed by strong demand for its 787 long-haul jet, on December 10, posted 1,000 gross orders or a net total of 908 after cancellations between January and November 2025, compared with 700 net orders for Airbus.

“The fact that we have been ahead on orders for five years means our order backlog is much higher than that of our main competitor. But they have indeed been helped by the American President as part of tariff negotiations with several countries, where plane orders became part of the resolution of trade disputes,” Guillaume Faury noted.

Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump claimed credit for helping Boeing reach the 1,000 mark after airlines announced orders for hundreds of wide-body jets coinciding with the Republican’s tour of the Gulf region in May this year.

“Boeing gave me the award for the greatest salesman in the history of Boeing, which was a nice little award. I think I have sold 1,000 Boeing planes… Now all they have to do is make them…but they will,” Trump told a group of business leaders.

As per the analysts, several airlines either placed Boeing orders or timed previously planned order announcements to soothe trade tensions with the United States in 2025, with the trends being visible particularly in Asia.

Speaking at a conference in September, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the “administration has been very helpful” in supporting sales campaigns, and that the company had benefited from Trump’s aggressive push to increase American exports. He further stressed that demand for new aircraft was also driving sales, as the aircraft maker is trying to stage a comeback after fighting safety and quality-related challenges, especially with the 737 MAX crashes, which saw two deadly crashes in 2018–2019, followed by a 2024 door panel blowout.

Also, the venture faced other setbacks in 2024, in the form of supply chain disruptions and worker protests, with both factors contributing to crippling the production activities. Boeing’s aircraft deliveries plunged by a third on a year-on-year basis. The company managed just 348 jetliner deliveries in 2024 compared to 528 in 2023, less than half of Airbus’s 766 deliveries during the same period. This translated into staggering financial losses of USD 11.8 billion in 2024 alone, pushing total losses since 2019 past the USD 35 billion mark.

The company also faced regulatory probes, lawsuits related to manufacturing defects, safety failures, and whistleblower retaliation. It had to pay USD 1.1 billion to avoid prosecution over the 2018-19 crashes that killed 346 people. While Kelly Ortberg has been successful in changing the business’ fortunes to some extent (as he succeeded David Calhoun amid numerous safety scandals), by overhauling its safety protocols through workforce retraining, whistleblower protections, and factory floor quality interventions, challenge still awaits Boeing as its 777X (including 777-9 & -8) widebody project faces significant delays, with first aircraft delivery now pushed to 2027. This setback has so far cost the planemaker nearly USD 5 billion in charges, driven by prolonged FAA certification, technical issues like engine software, supply chain problems, and quality control.

However, Guillaume Faury’s admission now means that the traditional Boeing vs Airbus rivalry is back, at least in the near term. While Airbus orders have lagged for months, Faury’s comments confirm a probable change in the ranking for new business in 2025. Despite Boeing taking an order book lead, Airbus is expected to retain its title as the world’s largest jet manufacturer.

Asked about reports of a large pending order from China, Guillaume Faury said he did not expect an imminent new order for hundreds of jets but spoke of clearances for previous orders. While Beijing has already decided to go ahead with the delivery of 120 previously ordered jets, industry sources told Reuters that the European planemaker was banking on an order for up to 500 jets from China to meet its internal order goals. Beijing is in negotiations with Boeing for a similar package.

Airbus has also renewed efforts to close a deal with AirAsia for some 100 A220S against competition from Brazil’s Embraer.

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“Under Steve’s leadership, our defence business has stabilised its operations, improved programme execution, and strengthened relationships with our customers. With proven experience in manufacturing and programme management, combined with his focus on developing people and building a strong culture, Steve is a leader who exemplifies the best of Boeing,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement.

Taed Colbert, who left Boeing in September, is replaced by Steve Parker as the company’s defence chief executive. In his capacity as COO of the defence unit from 2022 to 2024, Parker collaborated closely with Colbert and managed business operations. This position placed Parker in a unique role to address manufacturing problems and supply chain difficulties that had resulted in billions of dollars in cost overruns on several fixed-price Boeing defence contracts.

When President Donald Trump declared that Boeing’s F-47 had won the Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter programme, Steve Parker was in the driver’s seat, having been interim leader of Boeing’s defence business since Colbert’s departure. The contract was viewed as potentially pivotal for the future of Boeing’s defence division, which has depended on lucrative legacy programmes like the F-15 and F/A-18, while more recent programmes like the T-7 and KC-46 continue to face budgetary and schedule challenges.

Steve Parker’s promotion to permanent CEO follows yet another significant change in Boeing’s leadership. Boeing said that Jay Malave, a former CFO at Lockheed Martin, will replace Brian West as the company’s new finance chief on August 15.

Meet Steve Parker

Steve Parker is the vice president and general manager of Boeing’s Defence, Space, and Security division, a crucial part of the business responsible for satellite systems, military aircraft, and space exploration. Parker is one of Boeing’s top executives and manages the creation of innovative defence and aerospace technologies. Under his direction, Boeing will remain a significant force in the military and commercial aerospace industries, with an emphasis on advancing national security via cutting-edge systems and technology.

His highly technical career in the aerospace and defence industries began when Parker graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. He had a solid engineering background, which prepared him for challenging engineering and management positions at Boeing. His academic background has given him a thorough awareness of the technological difficulties and advancements required in the defence industry, allowing him to succeed in his line of work.

In his early years at Boeing, Steve Parker worked in a variety of engineering and management roles in different departments, which gave him a thorough understanding of the business’s operations. He was a logical choice for the Defence, Space, and Security division because of his extensive familiarity with Boeing’s offerings and corporate culture. In this role, he has had the chance to oversee important military and civilian projects. Through these experiences, he was able to acquire the technical know-how and strategic thinking required for his current leadership position.

In Parker’s present position, he manages several Boeing space and defence initiatives. These include space exploration technologies, missile defence systems, satellite communications, and military aircraft. Several well-known projects, including the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the modernisation of the B-52 Stratofortress, and the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, have been undertaken by Boeing under his direction. He has also been instrumental in Boeing’s collaborations with NASA and the United States Department of Defence, helping to develop space exploration programmes and satellite systems for military and commercial uses.

Appointment Comes At A Crucial Time

Revenue in Boeing’s Defence, Space & Security (BDS) business has grown by 10% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025, alongside improvements in operating margin and gains in backlog. BDS revenue in Q2 was USD 6.6 billion. The segment posted USD 110 million in earnings from operations, compared to a loss of USD 913 million in the same period in 2024.

Operating margin was 1.7% during the quarter, compared to -15.2% in the same time last year. According to CFO Brian West, BDS is working toward the goal of reaching high single-digit margins. Stock performance is stabilising on 25% of the portfolio, which includes satellite programmes and fighter aircraft.

BDS delivered two satellites during the quarter — two O3b mPOWER satellites, delivered to SES — while its backlog grew to USD 74 billion. Boeing reports that 22% of the BDS backlog represents orders from customers outside the United States.

Boeing also highlighted the recent USD 2.8 billion contract awarded by the US Space Force Space Systems Command (SSC) to build the first two Evolved Strategic Satcom (ESS) satellites for space-based nuclear command and control and communication.

However, Parker’s role will be crucial in settling another dispute. More than 3,000 unionised employees at BDS sites near St. Louis, Missouri, voted to reject the offer on 27 July, thereby gearing up for a potential strike. As per the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the strike can begin on 4 August after a seven-day cooling-off period.

IAM members at sites in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri, complete work on all of Boeing’s fixed-wing tactical aircraft, including the F-15EX and F/A-18E/F fighters and the T-7A trainer. A newly opened assembly line in nearby Mascoutah, Illinois, which handles production of the nascent MQ-25 uncrewed refueller, is also covered by the IAM vote.

Several munitions production lines and Boeing’s Phantom Works advanced projects unit are also in St. Louis. The aviation giant has told FlightGlobal that 3,100 employees across those product lines are now covered by the bargaining unit and moving toward a shutdown.

“The proposal from Boeing Defence fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce. Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future,” the labour group said. Union leaders had earlier recommended that members approve the offer from Boeing, describing it as a “landmark” agreement on 24 July.

IAM has not revealed the issues driving members to reject the proposal, saying only that negotiators plan to return to the table with Boeing to deliver “meaningful improvements that support the well-being and livelihoods of IAM members.”

The looming strike comes several months after Boeing secured a massive contract with the US Air Force to develop the F-47 Next Generation Air Dominance fighter, a deal worth hundreds of billions of dollars over decades. Boeing also invested nearly USD 2 billion in constructing a classified fighter production factory at its St. Louis campus. The latest strike threat demands Steve Parker’s intervention, given that the aerospace giant endured a 53-day work stoppage in 2024 — a disruption that cost the airframer some USD 5.5 billion, forcing it to shutter its 767 and 777 production site in Everett and its 737 assembly facility in Renton.

According to analysis from the Anderson Economic Group, aerospace industry suppliers that provide components to Boeing suffered USD 2.3 billion in losses from the disruption.

Image Credits: Boeing

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He was instrumental in advancing the development of Wisk’s Generation 6 aircraft while he was Senior Vice President of Engineering and Programmes. He oversaw the coordination of hardware and software engineering, flight and systems testing, simulation, and autonomy, among other important technological areas.

His hiring comes at a critical time for Wisk as the company moves forward with its certification process and prepares its Gen 6 aircraft for flight. Wisk’s long-term objectives and Sebastien Vigneron’s in-depth understanding of the aircraft development lifecycle put him in a strong position to guide the business as it moves closer to commercial launch.

Former Wisk CEO Yutko will join Boeing Commercial Airplanes as Vice President of Product Development. Yutko will continue to oversee strategy and keep Boeing and Wisk in a supportive relationship in his new role.

Wisk, a separate company owned by Boeing, is dedicated to achieving its goal of becoming the first autonomous aircraft to carry passengers in the US market. For the company’s innovative aspirations in the future of air travel, the leadership change signifies both continuity and new impetus.

Who Is Sebastien Vigneron?

Born and reared in France, Sebastien Vigneron initially became interested in technology and engineering. He studied aerospace engineering to further this interest, graduating from one of France’s top engineering schools. His education prepared him for a career in the aerospace industry, where he has established himself as a leader who prioritises strategy, innovation, and operational excellence.

Early in his career, Vigneron worked for a number of well-known aerospace firms, including Airbus. He specialised in the creation and administration of intricate engineering projects while gaining experience in a variety of technical and leadership capacities. Vigneron held executive positions at a number of other aerospace and aviation-related businesses before joining Wisk as CEO. He worked on projects involving aircraft systems, engineering design, and strategic development. Vigneron spent the early part of his career, six years in total, at Dassault Aviation, where he worked on the Falcon 5X, 6X and 7X programmes, including as aerodynamics group lead.

Then he moved to Bombardier in 2011, where he spent eight years and contributed to the CSeries (now called the Airbus 220) commercial aircraft programme and Bombardier’s Global business-jet programmes. Under his watch, Bombardier achieved the Global 7500’s certification in 2018. Vigneron then took a job with Virgin Hyperloop, which had been developing a high-speed passenger transportation system involving a magnetically levitated vehicle travelling inside a tube.

Sebastien Vigneron was in charge of spearheading new business endeavours, alliances, and technological developments at a large aerospace company prior to joining Wisk as the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Innovation. Among the advanced aviation technologies he has contributed to are electric and autonomous flight systems. As the leader of Wisk, a company dedicated to the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility, Vigneron was a perfect fit due to his extensive knowledge of both aerospace engineering and business strategy.

He also led aerodynamics for that company’s supersonic business jet research programme and contributed to the Solar Impulse programme to develop a solar-powered experimental aircraft, a project that spurred Vigneron’s interest in innovating new types of aerospace products.

It is anticipated that Vigneron’s leadership will be crucial to developing Wisk’s autonomous flight technology and introducing cutting-edge air transportation options to international markets. Vigneron has established himself as a pivotal figure in the quickly developing field of urban air mobility thanks to his long aerospace career and strategic vision.

Certification Challenge Lies Ahead

Sebastien Vigneron believes he has the aircraft-development experience needed to lead the company’s transition into the critical phase of flight testing and certification.

“I have 20 years of experience developing new aerospace products, in the US, in Canada, in Europe. I have covered the entire product-development life cycle, from a clean sheet… through detailed design, build, test, certification, entry into service,” he told FlightGlobal.

Talking about his leadership style, Vigneron remarked, “I bring a good blend of the rigour and discipline of aerospace product development and \[of] certification… I am able to navigate both sides of that world, and I’m able to maintain the right balance. I always assume good intent, and I believe in the people. I work for my team. I support my team. And I do everything I can so that they can be successful.”

Stating that the CEO transition does not reflect any shift to Wisk’s broader strategy, Vigneron noted, “The mission is not changing. The game plan is not changing.”

Wisk has flown several eVTOL designs in recent years but is now inching closer to beginning flight tests of its Gen 6 prototype, the variant it aims to bring through certification. The new CEO said that the company is eyeing the upcoming summer for the first flight of the prototype while certifying the eVTOL before the end of the decade.

The Gen 6 air taxi will carry four passengers, have 78nm (145km) of range, fly at 110-120kt (204-222 km/h), and charge in 15 minutes. The eVTOL will come equipped with fixed wings and 12 propellers mounted in pairs on wing-mounted booms. All 12 propellers produce lifting thrust, while the forward six props also rotate to provide forward thrust. While pilotless, the air taxis are monitored by humans on the ground.

While there are questions about whether the battery technology has advanced sufficiently to enable high-frequency, taxi-like flights, Vigneron insists the electric-propulsion technology is up to the task.

“I was very much attracted by the prototyping mindset, pushing the boundaries, bold innovation, quick iteration, learning by doing,” says Vigneron. Like other eVTOL developers, Wisk faces a tall task in bringing an aircraft as novel as its Gen 6 through certification. However, the company and its competitors at least now have a roadmap, as the Federal Aviation Administration in 2024 issued both a rule defining air taxi operational and pilot-training requirements and an advisory providing guidance for certificating air taxis under existing airworthiness regulations.

“It’s laying out the path for certification… It’s all going in the right direction. The principles we need to follow exactly, and the methodology, is the same. How do we show compliance to those things? That’s where the challenge is,” Sebastien Vigneron noted.

And while regulators have never approved types like eVTOLs before, Vigneron says the certification process, specifically the certification “guiding principles,” is the same as for conventional aircraft. The company’s system integration test rigs are “firing on all cylinders,” said Vigneron, while adding, “We are deep into the weeds of safety-of-flight testing right now.”

Wisk is also conducting aerodynamic evaluations of a subscale Gen 6 model at Boeing’s V/STOL Wind Tunnel facility in Philadelphia. Those wind-tunnel tests will last several months, Vigneron said, while adding, “We are going to be doing a lot of endurance testing, durability testing… We need to get a lot of hours under the belt.”

Wisk operates “completely independently from Boeing” but has access to some of the aerospace giant’s resources, such as the wind-tunnel facility, Vigneron said. Wisk has also been leveraging Boeing’s manufacturing capabilities in Seattle and in the Mesa area for so many different components.

“We are exploring new ways of doing product development, new ways of running a development programme. We bring all those learnings back to Boeing, and that’s why the connection with Boeing product development makes sense. We are learning from each other,” Vigneron concluded.

Most of Wisk’s competitors, Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation, Eve Air Mobility, and Beta Technologies, are developing air taxis that will, initially at least, be controlled by an onboard human pilot. However, Wisk is undertaking the more ambitious goal of developing and certifying an autonomous air taxi from the start.

Sebastien Vigneron sees autonomy enabling air taxis to be economically viable, where operators will not incur the cost of employing pilots, with pilotless aircraft having room for one more paying passenger.

Image Credits:muraena.ai

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As the aviation industry is facing the challenge of rapidly reducing carbon emissions from its operations, JetZero is hoping to stand up to the occasion by offering a blended wing design, in which the wings merge seamlessly with the curvaceous fuselage, leading to as much as a 50% reduction in fuel burn per passenger mile as a result of lower drag. The company has already received a USD 235 million contract from the United States Air Force to develop its tech demonstrator. In March 2025, JetZero announced a partnership with Delta Air Lines under which the carrier would help with the design and development of the aircraft.

JetZero is gearing up to seek private equity funding for billions of dollars needed to bring its aircraft to market. The start-up is also expected to announce a site selection for its final assembly plant before the Paris Air Show that begins in June 2025. Today’s episode of “Start-up of the Week” will see International Finance talking about the venture in detail.

Shaping The Future

JetZero’s airliner is dubbed the Z4. It is a 250-passenger, 5,000nm design for the so-called “Middle of the Market” segment, currently occupied by out-of-production and ageing Boeing 767-300ERs, Airbus A330-200s, and a limited number of Boeing 757s. Eyeing a service entry by the early 2030s, the first flight of the demonstrator aircraft is planned for 2027.

JetZero has an ambitious goal of producing composite aircraft. The final assembly site will be on a 1,000-acre site with a building about the size of Boeing’s widebody plant in Everett. The start-up is planning for a monthly production rate of 20 five years after production begins, with conditional orders from major airlines like United and Delta making the news.

JetZero was founded in 2021 by aviation legend Mark Page and start-up veteran Tom O’Leary. In early 2024, the company expanded into a 285,000 ft², seven-building headquarters, housing several crucial departments such as the design team, cabin lab, fabrication shop, scale model programme, and aero labs. In addition, JetZero professionals are working remotely in support of the programme throughout the United States, securing the supply chain in the process while scouting more customers and business partners.

The start-up has a few daunting tasks to take care of. Some of them are engine commitment for the aeroplane, a product support system, finalising the method to produce the composite aeroplane, “flying” the iron bird, and much more. In March 2025, RTX’s Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace entered into three agreements with JetZero to provide key systems for the airframer’s full-scale demonstrator. Pratt & Whitney will integrate the PW2040 engine and auxiliary power unit (APU), and Collins Aerospace will provide the nacelle and propulsion mounting structure. Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace are RTX businesses.

Another American biggie, Alaska Airlines, in 2024 invested in JetZero. The investment, which includes options for future aircraft orders, was made through Alaska Star Ventures (ASV), the airline’s investment arm whose purpose is to influence the future of the aviation industry. ASV is focused on identifying and enabling the technologies that can help Alaska reach its ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. This initiative is part of Alaska’s comprehensive sustainability strategy along with operational efficiency, fleet renewal, sustainable aviation fuel, waste reduction, and electrified aircraft.

Meet The Aircraft

JetZero envisions its aircraft to be a “Multi-Use Platform,” bringing a whole new experience within the existing airline and airport infrastructure. Using the “One Plane, Many Routes” approach, the aircraft will serve everything from single-class short-haul to four-class international. On top of that, airlines will be able to reduce up to half of the fuel cost, saving millions per plane per year, thereby ensuring uninterrupted growth. The Z4 will also come with stress-free boarding, faster turn times, dedicated overhead storage, and more personal space in every passenger class.

The freighter version of the aircraft will maximise the current airport and cargo infrastructure, as the Z4F will not require additional investment by shippers. The same containers and better route economics will meet the growing demand for just-in-time delivery. At the same point in time, the economics of the all-wing design will enable a freighter that is more efficient than long-range widebody freighters and competitive for shorter-range missions as well. With air cargo set to grow 70% over the next 20 years, the Z4F offers cost-efficient growth for multiple air shipping routes.

The military version of JetZero’s aircraft will compete for the United States Air Force’s long-range operational requirements as an advanced refuelling tanker that will have a 5,000 nmi range, higher capacity tanks, and a 45,000 ft service ceiling. The military variant, KC-Z4, will serve Washington and its allies as the most fuel-efficient platform while significantly improving combat capabilities operating from an extended range of airfields.

As mentioned before, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace entered into three agreements with JetZero to provide key systems for the airframer’s full-scale demonstrator earlier this year. Under the arrangement, Pratt & Whitney will integrate its PW2040 engine.

The PW2000 engine family is known for offering 37,000 to 43,000 pounds of thrust and powers all models of the Boeing 757 aircraft, with the F117 military derivative engine serving as the exclusive power plant for the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The PW2040 model engine also powers the US Air Force’s C-32A aircraft, the military version of the 757. The military version will use the PW2000 engine.

Pratt & Whitney’s Canada division will provide the APS3200, an APU that employs the latest in advanced manufacturing techniques, including the use of composites, while Collins Aerospace will design and build nacelle structures including the inlet, fan cowl, and fan duct, in addition to fairings and the engine support structure. Collins has designed, certified, and manufactured nacelles for large commercial aircraft programmes for decades, including the Boeing 787, Airbus A350, A320neo, A220, and Embraer E2.

The Z4 programme looks firmly set for its demonstration flight in 2027. Under the “Pathfinder” programme, JetZero is using scaled aircraft to refine things further. The start-up marks this process as an “iterative” one, where digital tools do all the heavy lifting. The full-scale demonstrator is being built in partnership with Scaled Composites, a subsidiary of the American multinational aerospace and defence company Northrop Grumman.

Last but not least, during the test flights, JetZero will incorporate its customers’ feedback (United Airlines and Alaska Airlines) to refine the design further, thereby significantly increasing the pace of the aircraft’s service entry into the market.

State-of-the-art tools are enabling the start-up’s Long Beach-based campus to log thousands of flight hours before the demonstrator ever takes to the skies. Understanding the innovative aircraft’s requirement for a reliable flight control system to ensure a safe and smooth flight, Thales will help JetZero’s efforts by providing its “Fly-by-Wire” flight control solution that has been field-proven for over 40 years and installed on board more than 12,000 aircraft.

The solution offers substantial benefits in terms of flight safety, aircraft performance, reliability, and availability. Those benefits encompass flight envelope protection, reduced pilot workload, minimised aircraft weight, improved handling qualities, and reliability.

Image Credits: JetZero`

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