Joshua Acosta-Radilla, a former member of the U.S. Air Force with eight years of experience in aircraft repair, plays a key role on our team. He currently serves as a Customer Quality Support representative for the 737 MAX program, which involves participating in customer demonstration flights. This makes Joshua one of the first passengers on the plane right before it’s delivered to our customer.

“It’s a great feeling to finally hand over the airplane to the customer because it’s been a long road to get there,” said Joshua. “And their reaction to the 737 MAX is often, ‘This is amazing!’”

In his role, Joshua closely tracks multiple airplanes, starting from their arrival as fuselages at the Renton, Wash., factory, progressing through the build process, and concluding with the final handoff to customers at the Seattle Delivery Center.

“Our team facilitates and leads the resolution of any potential customer issues, which could include items on the airplane, build process concerns, or documentation and paperwork,” Joshua explained. “And when we help deliver the airplane, we’re one of the first faces the customer sees at Boeing.”

Joseph in a large factory setting, holding flashlight, looking upward into the overwing
Joshua, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, inspects the overwing exit doors of a 737 MAX.

A career with the Quality team involves close partnership with our manufacturing and safety teammates to ensure that everything we deliver is built with safety, quality and integrity. That was a natural next step for Joshua after his career as a structural aircraft mechanic in the Air Force. During that time, he was stationed in Japan, working on C-130s, and in England working on F-15s and HH-60 helicopters.

“In the Air Force, safety and quality were number one. We strove for perfection because people’s lives and the mission depended on our work,” Joshua said. “And we feel the same way in the Quality organization.”

After separating from the Air Force, a friend and fellow veteran, advised Joshua to apply with us. Upon being hired, he discovered a large veteran community within Boeing.

“What’s great is if you ask other veterans for help, you get it, and I definitely leaned on them,” Joshua shared. “A lot of that camaraderie and spirit of determination we learned in the military carries over into Boeing.”

Joshua believes there are enough similarities to encourage other veterans to join us.

“I was always proud to say I was an airman in the Air Force, and I have the same sense of pride as a veteran working on the Quality team. Saying you work for Boeing is a badge of honor.”

Published Nov. 19, 2023