Allan McArtor

Allan McArtor is Chairman and CEO of Airbus Group, Inc. He oversees the operations, activities and strategy of all Airbus Group companies in the United States, Canada and Latin America.

Additionally, McArtor continues to serve as Chairman of Airbus Americas, Inc., and its subsidiaries. In this leadership role in the Americas, McArtor has enhanced relationships with Airbus’ customers, suppliers and government representatives. He was instrumental in establishing the A320 Aircraft Assembly Line in Mobile, Alabama.

Throughout his career, McArtor has held a series of leadership and senior management positions in the military, civil and government sectors.

Before joining Airbus, he was founder, chairman and CEO of Legend Airlines, a regional airline based at Dallas Love Field, Texas.

President Ronald Reagan appointed McArtor to serve as the Administrator of the FAA from 1987 to 1989.

McArtor served on the senior management team of Federal Express from 1979 to 1987 and 1989 to 1994 first as Senior Vice President Telecommunications during the development of FedEx’s extensive satellite-based digital network, then as Senior Vice President Air Operations for FedEx’s global airline. 

McArtor was a combat fighter pilot in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, an Associate Professor of Engineering Mechanics at the Air Force Academy, and a pilot with the U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Team.

He is a 1964 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy (BSE) and holds a master’s degree (MSE) from Arizona State University. He holds an honorary doctorate degree from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tennessee, in recognition of his role in establishing the School of Telecommunications and Information Systems.

McArtor is a member of The Group Executive Committee of The Airbus Group S.A.S. and also serves on the Board of Directors for Airbus ProSky, Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation, Align Aerospace, Atlantic Council International, The European Institute, GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems, Kymeta Advisory Board, the NextGen Advisory Committee, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and Washington Area Airports Authority.

McArtor also serves on the boards of a number of civic, charitable and educational groups, including the Air Force Memorial Foundation Board of Trustees, Camp Soaring Eagle, The Falcon Foundation, Sabre Society and the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Professional Advisory Board.

In January of 2014, McArtor was inducted to the Living Legends of Aviation® to honor his significant contributions to aviation. In October 2010, The Wings Club honored McArtor with the 2010 Distinguished Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding accomplishments in the field of aviation. In 2009, he was awarded the Air Traffic Control Association’s Glen A. Gilbert Memorial Award for outstanding lifelong achievements by an individual in the field of aviation.

McArtor continues to hold a commercial pilot’s license (multi-engine instrument rating) and is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society.

McArtor and his wife, Grace, reside in Virginia and have two sons and five grandchildren.