UDS News Brief Summary:
- Boeing aims to certify the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 by end of 2025, though customer timelines indicate 2026–2027 deliveries.
- Aerium Summit highlights workforce gaps in aviation and aerospace, with a push to align training programs with industry needs.
- Joby Aviation receives a $250 million investment from a major automaker, boosting its electric aircraft program.
Joby Aviation Gets $250 Million Boost from Toyota
Joby Aviation announced a major milestone with a $250 million investment from Toyota, part of a larger strategic partnership that now totals $400 million. Toyota also maintains a seat on Joby’s board. The funding is expected to accelerate Joby’s development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Shares of Joby surged on the news, with investors interpreting the move as a strong vote of confidence from a major global manufacturer. This would seem to indicate that investors are not concerned about recent legislative efforts to ban certain rotary wing aircraft operations in places like New York City.
Boeing Pushes Forward on MAX Certifications
In a wide-ranging interview with Aviation Week, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg reaffirmed the company’s target to complete FAA certification for the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 by the end of 2025. These milestones are essential to Boeing’s commercial recovery after years of delays stemming from system concerns—particularly related to engine anti-ice performance.
Despite Boeing’s public goal, key customers like United and Alaska Airlines expect first deliveries no earlier than 2026 or 2027. Ortberg noted that achieving rate stability and eventually increasing the 737 production cadence from its FAA-imposed cap of 38 per month will be vital to cash flow.
Ortberg also addressed Boeing’s cultural transformation, pointing to enhanced employee engagement and efforts to strengthen its relationship with FAA regulators.
🔗 Full Interview – Aviation Week
Aerium Summit Addresses Talent Shortage in Aviation
The Aerium Aviation Summit, held in Salt Lake City, brought together educators, aviation leaders, and policymakers to tackle one of the industry’s pressing challenges: a growing workforce gap across aerospace and maintenance careers.
Speakers stressed that existing education pipelines aren’t aligned with industry demand. FAA Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson emphasized the need to reform training structures and rethink outreach to underrepresented groups, including women and rural students. The summit also highlighted barriers in credential recognition, with several speakers calling for more accessible pathways from high school to aviation careers.
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