Flight safety encompasses multiple aspects and requires lots of imagination to achieve further improvements. The latest event on April 11 at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport was much more than a minor taxiway incident. The nighttime collision—in which the left wing of an Air France A380 spun a small Comair Bombardier CRJ700 90 deg.—will certainly be carefully investigated as it could reveal a new form of “loss of vigilance.”

As new competitors enter the commercial aircraft market, Boeing and Airbus face big decisions about how to keep their products on the leading edge. Should they make incremental upgrades now, or wait until game-changing technologies are ready? Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney sat down at the company’s Chicago headquarters with AW&ST Senior Business Editor Joseph C. Anselmo to discuss the options the company is mulling and why he thinks China will become the industry’s next big power.

The subject of innovation is a passion of Boeing Chairman, President and CEO James McNerney. In a interview with AW&ST Editor-in-Chief Anthony L. Velocci, Jr., and Senior Business Editor Joseph C. Anselmo, he outlines his definition of innovation and explains why it is about much more than technical capability. AW&ST: What have you found to be the most meaningful measure of innovation?

W. James McNerney, Jr. AGE: 59 EDUCATION: B.A. from Yale University and M.B.A. from Harvard University CAREER: Began in 1975 in brand management at Procter & Gamble Held a variety of senior management posts at General Electric, including president of aircraft engines unit Became chairman and CEO of 3M in 2001 Tapped for Boeing’s top job in June 2005. Oversees more than 160,000 employees.

W. James McNerney, Jr. TITLE: Chairman, President and CEO, Boeing Co. AGE: 58 EDUCATION: B.A. from Yale University and M.B.A. from Harvard University EXPERIENCE: Began his career in 1975 in brand management at Procter & Gamble. Joined General Electric in 1982 and held a variety of senior management posts, including president and CEO of GE Aircraft Engines. Became chairman and CEO of 3M in 2001. Tapped for Boeing’s top job in June 2005.

Europe won, Boeing lost. Of course, politicians, labor unions, defense analysts, media stars and aerospace supply-chain leaders will argue for years about the impact of the KC-45A award. Not only in the U.S. but also in Europe. Everyone seems to be disappointed except for the Northrop Grumman/EADS team’s top executives. Moreover, they all are seriously overreacting, in an indication that they still don’t understand the true meaning of one magic word, globalization.

Airbus has managed to give its A380 mega-transport the performance and flight characteristics of a much smaller aircraft, both in the air and on the ground.

Five years ago, Americans' sense that terrorism was a distant problem was shattered. In one horrific day, they realized they could become victims of this grotesque aberration of political expression just as easily as populations anywhere else. So it is appropriate to reflect on the progress the U.S. has made since 9/11 to protect its borders and citizens.