Aviation Turkey: Boeing has been a long-standing and trusted partner in Türkiye for over 80 years. Can you share some key milestones that highlight Boeing’s journey and footprint in Türkiye?

Ayşem Sargın:This year we are proud to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Boeing's presence in Türkiye, which has been a remarkable journey, marked by strong partnerships across commercial aviation, defense, industrial collaboration, and technology development. Throughout the years, Boeing has been committed to supporting Türkiye’s rapidly growing civil and military aviation sectors through strategic cooperation with Turkish airlines, defense organizations, and industry stakeholders.

One of the most significant milestones in this partnership was the launch of the Boeing Türkiye National Aviation Initiative (NAI) in 2017, which elevated Boeing’s engagement in Türkiye to a strategic level. This initiative set the framework for long-term collaboration, focusing on four key areas: industrial development, technology collaboration, regional services, and advanced capability building. Under this Initiative, Boeing established its first Engineering and Technology Center in Türkiye in 2018, integrating Turkish engineering talent into Boeing’s global engineering, research and development network. Through NAI, Boeing also started a Supplier Development Program in Türkiye, with an aim to increase the Turkish industry’s share in the global aerospace supply chain. Advanced capability building has been another important component of our program in Türkiye, through which we worked with multiple stakeholders on the upskilling of Turkish talent our growing industry needs. The joint pilot training initiative with the THY Flight Training Center, supplier trainings with the Turkish industry, university partnerships on joint R&D, STEM and flight training programs for young students are some of the examples that showcase how we are committed to investing in the future of Türkiye and the Turkish talent.

In commercial aviation, Boeing’s relationship with Türkiye dates back to 1945, when Turkish Airlines (THY) received its first DC-3/C-47 aircraft. Since then, Turkish airlines have expanded their fleets with Boeing models, and today, nearly 400 Boeing aircraft are in service in Türkiye. Boeing also partners with Turkish Technic, which has become a world-class maintenance center for Boeing 737 aircraft, supporting several airlines in the region.

On the defense side, Boeing’s collaboration with Türkiye began in the 1970s with the delivery of F-4 Phantom aircraft, followed by multiple defense platforms, including the Boeing-Türkiye joint production Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, Chinook helicopters, and KC-135R tanker aircraft. These platforms have played a vital role in enhancing Türkiye’s defense capabilities as a NATO ally.

Beyond aviation, Boeing has fostered a robust industrial ecosystem in Türkiye. With a $2 billion business volume and partnerships with over 20 Turkish suppliers, Boeing ensures that every Boeing commercial aircraft produced today contains parts manufactured in Türkiye. Among others, companies like Turkish Aerospace Industries, Kale Aero, Turkish Cabin Interiors (TCI), Ayesaş, HMS and Yepsan contribute to Boeing’s global supply chain, highlighting Türkiye’s role as a key supplier for the global aerospace industry.

Education and innovation have also been central to Boeing’s mission in Türkiye. Boeing has long-standing collaborations with leading Turkish universities, including Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), supporting aerospace research, engineering programs, and student scholarships. Additionally, Boeing has invested in social responsibility projects across more than 40 cities in Türkiye, contributing to STEM education and workforce development.

Through these milestones, Boeing has not only built a strong presence in Türkiye but has also continuously invested in the country’s aviation ecosystem, ensuring mutual growth and long-term collaboration.

Aviation Turkey: How does Türkiye fit into Boeing’s broader global strategy? What makes it a unique market and partner?

Ayşem Sargın: Türkiye holds a special place in Boeing’s global strategy, both as a growing aviation market and as a significant resource country with a strong aerospace ecosystem. It is important to note here that Boeing’s sourcing from Türkiye is not driven by any offset obligation but by the country’s strong competitiveness in quality, cost, and innovation. Every next-generation Boeing aircraft includes parts manufactured in Türkiye and our supplier base in Türkiye continues to grow, with over 20 suppliers in our supply base and four new Turkish companies joining the Boeing family in recent years. 

Beyond its role as a supplier, Türkiye is also one of Boeing’s priority growth markets. The country’s strategic geographical position makes it a natural aviation hub - just four hours of flight time connects Istanbul to 55 countries, 1.59 billion people, a GDP of $39 trillion, and a trade volume of $7.6 trillion. The opening of Istanbul Airport has been a game-changer, reinforcing Türkiye’s position as a key player in global aviation. This rapid growth is reflected in Türkiye’s aviation sector, which has expanded faster than many markets over the past decade. Even amid the global challenges brought by the pandemic, Turkish Airlines remained one of the top carriers in Europe in terms of flight numbers, according to EUROCONTROL data. Türkiye’s airports were among the busiest in Europe during this period, demonstrating the country’s resilience. Turkish Airlines also showed remarkable strategic foresight by maintaining operations and leveraging cargo flights to sustain growth, further strengthening its global market position. Our other Turkish customers, SunExpress and Pegasus, have made significant recent purchases of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, demonstrating their commitment to growth and their readiness to meet market demand for future success.

Looking ahead, Türkiye’s vision for aviation growth aligns perfectly with Boeing’s long-term strategy. With Europe projected to require 8,700 new aircraft and 400,000 aviation professionals by 2040, Türkiye’s well-established aviation infrastructure, strong talent and expanding industry capabilities position it as a major player in meeting future demand.

Our long-standing cooperation with Türkiye has reached a point of mutual benefit, something we take great pride in. As global demand for aircraft continues to rise, Turkish companies in our supply chain will produce more and, in turn, export more. This is a dynamic and growing partnership, and we are excited to see it continue evolving in the years ahead.

Aviation Turkey: Can you elaborate on Boeing’s current investments and collaborations in Türkiye, particularly in engineering, manufacturing, and technology development?

Ayşem Sargın: As I mentioned, one of the most significant milestones of this partnership was the establishment of our first engineering center in Türkiye at Istanbul Teknopark. Since its opening at the end of 2018, this center has played a vital role in developing new technologies for Boeing’s global operations. Recently, we celebrated its fifth anniversary, marking an important milestone in our continued investment in Türkiye’s engineering capabilities. Nearly 100 engineers work at the center today, contributing to projects that are deployed worldwide. Türkiye has a strong aviation ecosystem, and its skilled engineering talent is a key part of that.

Through the Supplier Development Program, launched under the National Aviation Initiative (NAI), we are further strengthening Türkiye’s global competitiveness by providing industry training, capability development, mentorship, and targeted growth initiatives. As Turkish suppliers gain the necessary certifications and know-how, they will not only contribute more to Boeing’s operations but also expand their reach to other global manufacturers - creating a multiplier effect that will further boost Turkish aerospace exports.

Looking ahead, we are working on exciting new initiatives to inspire and support the next generation of aviation professionals to spark their interest in aviation. Türkiye’s highly skilled workforce, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and strategic location make it a key partner for Boeing, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration in the years to come.

Aviation Turkey: What are the key global trends shaping the future of aviation, and how is Boeing positioning itself as an innovator in these areas?

Ayşem Sargın: We continue to make investments to lay the foundation of capabilities that will be critical for our next generation of products. Our team is engaged in meaningful technology development and product creation across a portfolio of opportunities.

Our current product lineup is competing very well, our development pipeline is full and our engineering team is hard at work. We’re making steady progress across our development programs, including the 737-7, 737-10, 777-9 and 777-8 Freighter.

When positioning for our future, we are focused on the technology and capabilities that we need at Boeing – and across the industry – to ensure our next set of products delivers a generational leap in capability for our customers and reshapes our markets.

Our R&D over the next several years will be largely focused on the capabilities we will need for our next set of products including safety, quality, producibility, digital maturity and sustainability.

While we face the challenges of today, we need to be setting the foundation of the future for Boeing. Boeing is an airplane company and at the right time in the future we need to develop a new airplane. We have a lot of work to do before then - this includes stabilizing our business, improving execution on the development programs, streamlining the portfolio to do what we do well so that we do have a path to the next commercial aircraft.

We are focused on a digital transformation that encompasses the entire lifecycle of our products: design, development, production, operations and sustainment.

We are also building on decades of experience to accelerate an autonomous future, and we are pioneering certified autonomy functions via our Wisk and SkyGrid businesses.

Now is the right time to address future transportation challenges because technological and societal trends are converging to support commercial mobility solutions and drive the demand for them. With increasing urbanization, a growing global population, aging infrastructure and the growth of ecommerce, there is a need for new, safe, sustainable and accessible modes of transportation.

Boeing is developing and uniting tech capabilities to offer new solutions to better connect the world – on a local, regional, global scale. We are focused on emerging technologies, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and the safe introduction of these vehicles into the airspace – while preserving the flying public’s confidence in air travel.

Any new technologies inserted into our products must maintain at least the same level of integrity and safety that we experience today.

Aviation Turkey:How is Boeing leveraging technology to enhance sustainability, reduce emissions, and meet the goals of a greener aviation future in Türkiye?

Ayşem Sargın: Sustainability is a top priority for Boeing worldwide, and we are actively partnering with our stakeholders in Türkiye to build a strong foundation for transition to a more sustainable aviation industry. Boeing takes a multi-faceted approach to reducing emissions that includes developing more efficient new airplaines which contribute to emission reduction, leveraging digital technology for increased operational efficiency, investing in advanced technologies for future flight concepts, as well as supporting the industry in transition to renewable energy. Among these, we believe, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is crucial for transition to a more sustainable future in aviation. Today, Boeing is helping catalyze SAF scaling through our testing, technology investments, and product compatibility work, our own fuel use, and our industry partnerships and policy advocacy efforts. Given its diverse feedstock and robust aviation industry, Türkiye is very well positioned to be a key player in the SAF area if supported with the right policies and incentives. By 2040, all Boeing aircraft will be capable of flying on 100% sustainable aviation fuel, an ambitious goal we are determined to achieve with our partners to meet the industry’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

 Aviation Turkey: What is Boeing’s role in the Türkiye Sustainable Aviation Alliance, and how does the company contribute to achieving its goals?

Ayşem Sargın: We have launched the Türkiye Sustainable Aviation Alliance (TSAA) together with our partners Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Technical University in 2024. TSSA is an initiative aimed at uniting Turkish aviation stakeholders to advance Türkiye’s transition to sustainable aviation by developing joint industry roadmaps and exchanging best practices in this area. Today, we are proud that our alliance has reached more than 20 members who share a common vision for a more sustainable future in aviation. With this platform, we are working to advance Turkish aviation industry’s decarbonization journey through trainings, awareness rising activities and aviation decarbonization analysis. The Türkiye Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Roadmap we are working to launch later this year is a unique work which will shed light to Türkiye’s SAF potential and the policies needed to scale it for the country’s benefit. 

Aviation Turkey: Safety is at the heart of aviation. Can you discuss Boeing’s global efforts to maintain and enhance safety standards across the industry?

Ayşem Sargın: Everything we do at Boeing has a direct impact on people’s lives, which is why safety and quality must be at the core of everything we do. We are fully committed to improving our production system and reinforcing our dedication to safety and quality. Our goal is simple: to build safe, high-quality products with consistency and predictability—something our customers can always rely on.

Last January, we took immediate action to contain and mitigate potential safety and quality issues, ensuring the continued safety of our airplanes. We also made the deliberate decision to slow production, taking a disciplined approach to reviewing every aspect of our operations. Throughout this process, we actively listened—to our teams, our customers, key stakeholders, and regulators—and used their feedback to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at strengthening Boeing’s safety management, quality assurance, and overall safety culture.

Our Safety & Quality Plan is built around four key priorities. First, we’re investing in workforce training to make sure our employees have the right skills and knowledge to uphold the highest standards. We’re also simplifying our manufacturing processes to boost efficiency and reduce complexity. At the same time, we’re continuously refining our quality control measures to eliminate defects and ensure every product meets our rigorous standards. Most importantly, we’re committed to fostering a strong safety and quality culture—making sure that safety remains our top priority at every level of the organization.

We’ve also put in place measures to continuously monitor and manage the overall health of our production system. A critical part of this effort is our fully deployed Safety Management System (SMS), which is an industry best practice for proactively managing product safety risks throughout the lifecycle of an aircraft. SMS fosters a culture where employees feel empowered to speak up about potential issues while providing industry-proven tools to identify, assess, and mitigate risks. We are fully committed to this plan and to continuous improvement, ensuring that commercial aviation remains the safest mode of transportation in the world.

Aviation Turkey: Pegasus Airlines recently placed a historic order for 200 aircraft. Can you share insights into this partnership and the significance of this deal for Boeing and Türkiye?

Ayşem Sargın: Boeing and Pegasus Airlines have built a strong and successful partnership over the years, one that we highly value and are proud to continue. Our collaboration began in 2002 when Pegasus took delivery of its first Boeing 737-800 with blended winglets, marking an important milestone in our relationship. Since then, Pegasus has grown into one of Türkiye’s leading airlines, and we have been honored to support their fleet expansion and operational success.

Pegasus’ commitment to efficiency and innovation aligns perfectly with Boeing’s mission to deliver advanced, fuel-efficient aircraft. The airline operates one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the region, and we are proud that Boeing aircraft play a key role in their operations. The 737 family, known for its reliability and cost-effectiveness, has helped Pegasus achieve its ambitious growth targets while maintaining an exceptional level of service for its passengers.

At Boeing, we greatly appreciate our long-standing partnership with Pegasus Airlines and remain fully committed to supporting their continued success. We look forward to many more years of collaboration, providing Pegasus with the world-class aircraft and support they need to thrive in the ever-evolving aviation industry.

 Aviation Turkey: Boeing has strong collaborations with Turkish aerospace companies. Can you elaborate on the scope and nature of these partnerships?

Ayşem Sargın: For years, we’ve seen firsthand the high capability and growth potential of the Turkish aerospace industry. Aerospace is a constantly evolving sector that requires ongoing investment in new technologies, and staying competitive in the global market is essential. Türkiye is home to many successful suppliers that have achieved this, and we’re proud to partner with them in areas ranging from manufacturing and engineering to research and technology development and beyond

 Aviation Turkey: How do these partnerships contribute to both Boeing’s global supply chain and the growth of Türkiye’s aerospace sector?

Ayşem Sargın: Aerospace is a sector that thrives on successful partnerships. Our Turkish partners and suppliers play a crucial role in Boeing’s global success—helping us enhance quality and innovation, reduce costs, and improve overall productivity. Likewise, our success means continued business growth, timely access to cutting edge technologies, continuous learning and development for our suppliers. Beyond manufacturing, our research and technology collaborations in Türkiye keep us at the forefront of innovation in areas like composites, thermoplastics, additive manufacturing, and data analytics. Today, Turkish engineers are contributing to systems used across all Boeing aircraft, and we continue to see outstanding results in terms of technical expertise, efficiency, and diversity. As a country manufacturing its own indigenous platforms, Türkiye benefits from the know-how and development Boeing offers to its partners in the country.

 Aviation Turkey: Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives with Turkish firms that you’re particularly excited about?

Ayşem Sargın: Türkiye is a key player in the global aviation industry, and we are excited about the many opportunities ahead. The country has a strong aerospace ecosystem, with world-class airlines, a robust industrial base, and an exceptional pool of engineering talent. As aviation production grows and new technologies are adopted, Turkish engineers will play an even greater role in shaping the future of the industry. Given the robust growth of the Turkish aviation industry, we are confident that our supply base and our engineering presence will continue to grow in Türkiye. Similarly, we are excited about the continuous growth of our Türkiye Sustainable Aviation Alliance which stands out as a best practice in convening industry players for the common goal of a more sustainable aviation industry. 

In addition to our industrial, engineering and sustainability collaborations, we are deeply committed to corporate responsibility initiatives, particularly in education, training, and skills development. Our long-standing programs in Türkiye focus on fostering the next generation of aviation professionals, engineers and scientists from K-12 to vocational training and entrepreneurship. A great example of this effort is the Newton education concept, which Boeing introduced in Türkiye to support the development of strategic skills needed in Türkiye’s growing aviation sector. The Newton Mobile Room, in partnership with Turkish Airlines, brings STEM-based aviation training to high school students across the country, while the Newton Flight Academy—hosted by iGA Istanbul Airport—provides hands-on flight simulation experience in a state-of-the-art education facility. In addition, we are working on a new program which will help in upskilling the young engineering talent for the needs of the aviation industry. We also continue to support university students and young professionals through internship and entrepreneurship programs, ensuring equal participation of male and female students.

At Boeing, we are incredibly proud of our long-standing presence in Türkiye and remain committed to growing our partnerships across engineering, technology, manufacturing, sustainability, education, and beyond. As the industry evolves, we are excited to work alongside our Turkish partners to drive innovation and strengthen Türkiye’s position as a global aviation leader