MeetChiara

Can you tell us a bit about what your role and how you got there? Was it always your plan to get where you are now?

My team takes care of defining the catalogue of what can be offered to A320 Family Customers (Airlines) for the customisation of their Cabin, in particular Galleys & Lavatories. I love to think that “we make the difference” and future aircraft delivered will look one way or another based on our decisions and the Catalogue we create. As an example, with the launch of the A321 XLR the range of a Single Aisle aircraft became longer and the Airlines might need to serve several meals during a flight: my team is the one analyzing their future needs and deciding to introduce a Galley with more capacity in the catalogue, to host more meal trays and ovens.

This is my second position in Cabin and in Programme (I was in A350 Programme before), and I enjoyed the first so much that I wanted to continue in the same direction! I have a real passion for the Cabin, which is the cherry on the cake to our great Airbus aircraft aerostructure.

What inspired you to be a part of the aerospace sector in the first place and what was the main driver that brought you to Airbus?

I grew up in Italy so I was dreaming about cars more than aircraft, but when I read about the Airbus Graduate programme I couldn’t resist, and I applied right after finishing University in 2012. Entering a Company via a Graduate programme allows you to see different domains thanks to the rotation in several departments, and to enjoy interesting training: it has been for me a great launch platform for my future career.

What do you enjoy the most about your job?

Every day is different! We have the perfect mix of strategy (to define future Cabin catalogue options) and operations (to answer Airline specific demands). And of course I really enjoy the management aspect and the satisfaction that my Team brings to me.

Tell us about your most memorable experience from your career at Airbus. What made it so special and unforgettable?

I had the chance to support the organization of the Salon du Bourget in 2013, as part of the team on the Airbus stand. Seeing the “wow effect” on people's faces in front of our products made me proud of what we do and motivated me to keep working hard every day. It’s good to poke our nose out of the Company from time to time, to see the impact we have on the outside world.

What is the most important advice you have been given, and is there any important advice you would like to pass on?

“Do something for you every day”, a colleague shared this advice with me during a difficult phase of a project and I have applied it ever since: if I have the impression that nothing went well during the day, I finish the afternoon by learning something for myself (a little training or an article). In this way no day is wasted, and I have at least a little achievement to celebrate!

What are, for you, the greatest benefits of working at Airbus?

In Airbus we can see a lot of different aspects of the Company: some topics are very technical and engineering (we make things fly! that’s impressive) and others more linked to project management, finance, people. There is a bit of everything and our tasks change daily: we can’t get bored.

In what way do the values of Airbus relate to your own?

Airbus is a bit like me: European, international, diverse. I feel very connected to our Company!

Do you have any hobbies? How do you enjoy spending your free time?

I like to connect my hobbies with my work life: you can often find me running with Airbus colleagues or taking part in Company competitions, and of course I bake cakes for my colleagues whenever there is an occasion to celebrate!

Any fun facts you’d like to share?

I actually didn’t know a lot about Airbus before joining the Company and I went to the interview with a paper full of information I googled the day before. Now I am passionate about the Company and have a lot of info on it, but I still keep my notes from that day, as a memory.

Career path at Airbus:

I started working for Airbus just after University in 2012, as part of the Airbus graduate programme. I was the Executive Assistant to the Head of Plant in Saint Eloi (Toulouse) where we produce the pylons that hold the engines on the wings of the Aircraft.

As part of the graduate programme we had to move abroad after 2 years, and this brought me to Hamburg where I led a project of improvement for manufacturing engineering in the A320 final assembly line. My task was to harmonize the way of working in the different Countries (France/Germany/China/USA).

In 2016 I joined the Cabin world, spending some time in A350 and finally in A320 programme in 2022.