Stephanie Ricci contributed to this story.
As the CEO of Airbus Canada, BenoĂźt Schultz has come a long way from his childhood in Alsace, a French region bordering Switzerland and Germany. Growing up in a culturally diverse area, Schultz developed a unique worldview that would later shape his career path.
Schultzâs fascination with aeronautical engineering began at an early age, when he witnessed his family’s landlord construct model gliders, sparking an âemotional connectionâ to aircraft.
After studying aeronautical engineering and economics, Schultz joined Airbus in 2002, where he held various leadership roles before being appointed chief executive of the companyâs Mirabel-based Canadian unit, the largest Airbus branch outside of Europe in the summer of 2021.
Schultz’s current role involves overseeing the success of the A220 programme which takes its root back in 2018 when Airbus established its Canadian venture by acquiring Bombardier’s C Series single-aisle jet, which was later rebranded as the Airbus A220 Family. Two years after, Airbus purchased the Quebec-based manufacturerâs remaining stakes in the joint-venture. The Quebec government still holds a quarter stake in the program.
A key focus of the companyâs strategy revolves around increasing the programâs commercial and industrial volume while ramping up production and maintaining a backlogâa necessity in an industry of long cycles.
âBacklog gives you production stability, visibility, and the means to invest in an aircraft,â says Schultz. âAircraft last for several decades. Typically, you fly an aircraft model for 50 years, so you need to continuously invest in that.â
As of December 2022, the company was producing four aircraft per month at its Mirabel facility, and two at its plant in Mobile, Alabama, with plans to increase production to 14 per month, split between 10 in Mirabel and four in the U.S. by 2025.
While sustainability concerns may arise with an increase in production, the aviation industry can make immediate strides in reducing its considerable impact on the environment through the use of new aircraft and more sustainable aviation fuels.
The A220 promises a 25% reduction in fuel burn, a 50% reduction in noise footprint, and a 50% decrease in NOX emissions compared to similar-sized, previous-generation aircraft.
Airbusâ UpNext, launched in 2017, primarily develops innovative technologies in areas including electrification, autonomy, connectivity, advanced manufacturing, and new materials. Partnering with startups and universities is how the ecosystem explores new ideas and strives to keep Airbus at the forefront of aerospace innovation.
Airbus is focusing on enhancing in-flight connectivity for passengers, as well as improving aircraft autonomy, as part of its current initiatives.
âYou connect to the Internet in almost every airplane, which was not the case a few years ago,â says Schultz. âThe aircraft is also gradually more capable of being autonomous.â
While the thought of a self-flying plane may be unsettling for some, it is a technology that has the potential to revolutionize the aviation industry by making it far safer, says Schultz.
âThat capability is important, even though you still fly it with two pilots,â he says. âEvery time we’ve made that kind of move, we have made an aircraft safer.â
While automation may alter the nature of some jobs in the aviation industry, there is no need to worry about a decrease in the overall number of jobs available, according to Schultz.
âOur industry is still growing, and so is the A220 program with 700 new hires in the province of Quebec this year only,â he says. âAirbus produces several hundreds of aircraft, but it is not equivalent to producing hundreds of thousands of cars. Our level of complexity cannot be fully managed with automation.â
Although automation can help streamline manufacturing processes, the need for customer customization presents a challenge, says Schultz. After all, walking into a cabin of Air France, Air Canada, or British Airways evokes a distinct feeling due to their unique branding and identity.
Schultz believes in the power of diverse teams and people-focused leadership. From his perspective, there is a spectrum of leadership styles, ranging from commanding to giving the team space and autonomy. A true leader, in his opinion, should be able to adapt to both ends of the spectrum and flex their approach as needed.
âAs a leader, you need to strike a balance between understanding the big picture and having a grasp of the overall experience, while also being able to ask specific, impactful questions that push the team forward,â says Schultz.
âTo do that, it’s important to be a good listener,â he continues. âIt may seem counterintuitive, but you will be much more powerful when you give space, ask questions, and let the team make their steps and decide.â