Reuven after touring the 787 at Farnborough

Here at Farnborough Air Show outside London, Boeing is making announcements by the day of new orders. And we’re all thrilled to see the global aviation industry slowly getting back on its feet. The latest is a $9.1 billion order of 30 777′s from Emirates.

An undercurrent of the discussion for Washington state is, of course, the long term relationship between Boeing and Puget Sound.

I won’t repeat the numerous stories about Boeing’s commitment, or the issues themselves, but I would suggest that we need a courageous conversation between the state, labor and Boeing to discuss how we can build a 21st Century partnership together.

The state Department of Commerce has a small booth here at the show with a trade representative (not a state employee, a consultant who represents the state’s European Office). They are attempting to support Washington companies expanding to Europe while recruiting companies to bring jobs and growth to our state. Yet the competition is fierce and Mississippi, Connecticut and many other states (to say nothing of regions and countries) are aggressively recruiting companies in aviation….tier 1 suppliers and others. We obviously realize the implications and take it seriously as evidenced by the department’s presence here but sometimes we still seem to be flat footed on a larger level as a state.

We can’t forget that no one on Boeing’s board hails from Washington state anymore. It is not a trivial fact. It’s symbolic of a much deeper, long term challenge of maintaining relationships.

We need a long-term, systematic, radical, aggressive, passionate commitment to the aviation sector not solely because of Boeing or its employees, but because it’s part of our unique value proposition as a region and we’ve created a large subculture. We need a robust business development plan for our state that goes beyond brochures and reaches out to the entire subculture of the industry in every arena. Thousands of suppliers, jobs, companies and concentric circles all come together in a holistic relationship–and the state has a vital role to play.

We need to recognize that Boeing values an educated workforce in aviation but faces a massive wave of retirements in its workforce. Our policies around workforce development in aviation need to be central to our larger strategies in higher education and lifelong learning.

We need to appreciate that the tension between Boeing and its unions are not going to go away without a long term commitment to find common ground. Hopefully the state can in some way help facilitate that dialogue with thoughtful reflection and mutual commitment….and without judgement. The 787 plant issues require mutual understanding and a courageously honest conversation…without judgement or anger, hostility or resentfulness. It’s time.

More than anything, we as a state need deep humility, appreciation and a firm understanding of the treasure of jobs, community and civic engagement, taxes and economic health that comes from having the premier aviation company in the world in our state. Our policy, political and economic partnerships are strong on some levels and weak on others. We can and must do better or in 20 years the aviation sector will be a department down the hall.

Walking around the airshow, people see my name badge and “Seattle” and say, “Oh, Seattle, the home of Boeing!”

And I say, “and proud of it!”

Your partner in service,

Reuven.

(DISCLOSURE: I am here at the show in my professional business capacity, not as a legislator, and no public dollars or resources in any fashion are being expended in association with this trip. Also, I have received campaign contributions from Boeing)