THE AVIATION INDUSTRY has discovered Silicon Valley, and it’s now in full migration mode. Europe’s Airbus and Brazil’s Embraer have touched down in the Bay Area. So has JetBlue. Lufthansa launched direct service between San Jose and Frankfurt last year, and is rumored to be considering setting up its own “innovation outpost” nearby.
The reasons are clear. Silicon Valley’s deep talent pool and seemingly endless ability to generate smart, large-scale, technology-based ideas across industries could help hyper-competitive aviation entities quickly upgrade their offerings and improve their operations.