Boeing abruptly said on Monday that it was overhauling its leadership amid its most significant safety crisis in years, announcing sweeping changes that included the departure of its CE, Dave Calhoun, at the end of the year. The aircraft maker has been under mounting pressure from regulators, airlines and passengers as the company struggled to respond to the fallout from an incident in early January in which a panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane midair during an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident has roiled the company, considered by many to be a prized American institution, and renewed concerns about its commitment to safety and quality five years after two crashes of 737 Max 8 planes killed a total of nearly 350 people. In addition to Calhoun’s departure, Boeing announced that Stan Deal, the head of the division that makes planes for airlines and other commercial customers, would retire immediately. He will be replaced by Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s COO, the company said in a statement. Boeing also said that its chairman, Larry Kellner, would not stand for re-election. This weekend, the board elected Steve Mollenkopf, an electrical engineer by training and the former CE of Qualcomm, as its new chairman. In that role, he will lead the process of choosing Boeing’s next CE. The FAA, which regulates the company, grounded 737 Max 9 planes across the United States after the Alaska Airlines incident. When the agency cleared the planes to fly again in late January, it also imposed limits on Boeing’s planned production increase of Max planes, foiling the company’s latest attempt to better compete with its European rival Airbus. A recent FAA audit of Boeing’s Max production found dozens of lapses. The agency gave Boeing 90 days, or until about late May, to address its issues. The Justice Department has also reached out to passengers of the Alaska Airlines flight, informing them that they may be a “possible victim of a crime,” according to a copy of one such notification. In a note to employees on Monday announcing the changes, Calhoun said that the Jan. 5 incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 “was a watershed moment for Boeing.” “The eyes of the world are on us, and I know we will come through this moment a better company, building on all the learnings we accumulated as we worked together to rebuild Boeing over the last number of years,” he said.<br/>
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Boeing's board has begun the search for a big-hitter to take the helm of the troubled planemaker following the turbulent tenure of CEO Dave Calhoun, with many industry executives and analysts predicting it will seek an outside remedy. Facing mounting pressure from airlines, regulators and investors, Boeing on Monday announced a broader than expected shakeup with Calhoun, 66, stepping down by year-end on the heels of the company's commercial planemaking chief and its chairman. The US planemaker has been wrestling with a growing crisis following a January mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX plane. The new CEO will face numerous tasks, including improving the company's safety culture, addressing quality issues and regaining the trust of regulators, customers and the public. Boeing will also have to deliver on goals to ramp up production and boost cashflow as it tries to reduce debt and make up ground against European rival Airbus. Just three months ago, Boeing appeared to anoint Stephanie Pope as a future leader after naming her COO following a successful stint running its services division. But on Monday, Pope was named head of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, replacing Stan Deal who retires, with responsibilities including the MAX factory. Her new position makes a move into the top job less likely, at least for now, analysts said.<br/>
An airship maker has announced plans to build the giant vehicles in Doncaster, creating more than 1,200 jobs. Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) said the Airlander 10 hybrid ship would be built at the Carcroft Common site, with the first set to enter service from 2028. The 320ft (98m) Airlander 10 is a new type of "ultra-low emissions aircraft" capable of carrying 100 passengers or 10 tonnes of payload, the firm said. HAV said it would "transform what's possible for sustainable air travel". Carcroft Common is a 50-hectare site that City of Doncaster Council had earmarked for economic growth. HAV CE Tom Grundy said: "Our vision to rethink clean flight has been met with robust support at every step of the way by City of Doncaster Council and South Yorkshire region. "We look forward to working closely with the community as we launch our production programme and progress this extraordinary project."<br/>