'He's showing up.' Things are getting better at Boeing under CEO Ortberg. Can he keep it going?

Mike Siegel | Getty ImagesAfter spiraling from crisis to crisis over much of the past seven years, Boeing is stabilizing under CEO Kelly Ortberg's leadership

However, Ortberg, a longtime aerospace executive and an engineer whom the manufacturer plucked from retirement to fix the blem-addled company last year, is set this week to outline significant gress since he took the helm a year ago

Conversely, Boeing reports quarterly results and gives its outlook on Tuesday

On the other hand, So far, investors are liking what they've been seeing

Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts expect the aircraft manufacturer to halve its second-quarter losses from a year ago when it reports

On the other hand, Ortberg told investors in May that the manufacturer expects to generate cash in the second half of the year

On the other hand, Boeing's aircraft duction has increased, and its airplane deries just hit the highest level in 18 months

Meanwhile, Stock Chart IconStock chart iconBoeing's stock price

Additionally, It's a shift for Boeing, whose successive leaders missed targets on aircraft dery schedules, certifications, financial goals and culture changes that frustrated investors and customers a, while rival Airbus pulled ahead. "The general agreement is that the culture is changing after decades of self-inflicted knife wounds," said Richard Aboulafia, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory, an aerospace consulting firm

On the other hand, At the same time, "When he got the job, I was not anywhere as near as optimistic as today," said Douglas Harned, senior aerospace and defense analyst at Bernstein

Kelly Ortberg speaks at the 14th annual U

Chamber Of Commerce Foundation Aviation Summit in downtown Washington, D

Moreover, Kris Tripplaar | SIPPL Sipa USA | APOrtberg's work was already cut out for him, but the challenges multiplied when he arrived

As the company hemorrhaged cash, Ortberg announced massive cost cuts, including laying off 10% of the company, in light of current trends

Additionally, Its machinists who make the majority of its airplanes went on strike for seven weeks until the company and the workers' union signed a new labor deal

At the same time, Ortberg bought a house in the Seattle area, where Boeing makes most of its planes, shortly after taking the job last August, and his presence has been positive, aerospace analysts have said. "He's showing up," Aboulafia said. "You show up, you talk to people

Additionally, "Boeing declined to make Ortberg available for an interview

Additionally, Another turnaroundThe Boeing Co, in today's financial world

On the other hand, Key bolts were left off the plane before it was dered to Alaska Airlines

Market analysis shows was the in a series of quality blems at Boeing, where other defects have required time-consuming reworking

Nevertheless, The company in May reached an agreement with the Justice Department to avoid secution stemming from a battle over a previous criminal conspiracy charge tied to the crashes

Victims' family members slammed the deal when it was announced

Meanwhile, For years, executives at top Boeing airline customers complained publicly the manufacturer and its leadership as they grappled with delays

On the other hand, Nevertheless, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told investors in May 2022 that management needed a "reboot or boot up the arse

On the other hand, "Last week, O'Leary had a different tune

However, "I continue to believe Kelly Ortberg, [and Boeing Commercial Airplane unit CEO] Stephanie Pope are doing a great job," he said on an earnings call. "I mean, there is no doubt that the quality of what is being duced, the hulls in Wichita and the aircraft in Seattle has dramatically imved, in this volatile climate

Nevertheless, "Read more CNBC airline newsWhy Delta and United are pulling away from the airline packSouthwest Airlines sets a date for seat assignment launch, lays out new boarding order class+

The plane is still not certified, but Kirby has said Boeing has been more predictability on airplane deries

Still, delays for the Max 10, the largest of the Max family, and the yet-to-be certified Max 7, the smallest, are a headache for customers, especially since having too few or too many seats on a flight can determine fitability for airlines, in light of current trends. "They're working the right blems, in today's financial world

The consistency of deries is much better," Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said in an interview last month

Moreover, "But there's no on the Max 7, given the current landscape

We're assuming we are not flying it in 2026, in this volatile climate. "Not out of the woodsAirplane fuselages bound for Boeing's 737 Max duction facility await shipment at Spirit AeroSystems headquarters in Wichita, Kansas, U (quite telling)

Nick Oxford | ReutersBoeing under Ortberg still has much to fix

The FAA capped Boeing's duction at 38 Maxes a month, a rate that it has reached, given current economic conditions

To go beyond that, to a target of 42, Boeing will need the FAA's blessing (quite telling), in today's financial world

Additionally, Ortberg said this year that the company is stabilizing to go beyond that rate, in today's financial world

Furthermore, Manufacturers get paid when aircraft are dered, so higher duction is key

Meanwhile, "I would suspect they would be having those discussions very soon," Harned said

Additionally, "It's 47 [a month] that I think is the challenging break. "He added that Boeing has a lot of inventory on hand to help increase duction

Additionally, Its defense unit has also suffered (this bears monitoring)

The defense unit encompasses grams the KC-46 tanker gram and Air Force One, which has drawn public ire from President Donald Trump

Ortberg replaced the head of that unit last fall, in today's financial world

A strike could also be on the horizon at the defense unit after factory workers "overwhelmingly" rejected a new labor deal, according to their union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 837. "The posal from Boeing Defense fell short of addressing the priorities and sacrifices of the skilled IAM Union workforce," the union said Sunday. "Our members are standing together to demand a contract that respects their work and ensures a secure future

However, " There's a seven-day cooling off period before a strike would begin, if a new deal isn't reached, in light of current trends. "They're not totally out of the woods," Harned said

Boeing and Ortberg also need to start thinking a new jet, some industry members said, considering recent developments

Its best-selling 737 first debuted in 1967, and the company was looking at a midsize jetliner before the two crashes sent its attention elsewhere. "Already there's been a reversal from 'read my lips, no new jet. ' I would to see that accelerate," Aboulafia said. "He is the guy to make that happen, given current economic conditions.