John Verniest

About John Verniest

An extensive aerospace background comprised of over 30 years of operational and instructional flight experience to include 20 years of Research and Developmental Test and Evaluation. Revered team builder with excellent communication and leadership skills. An innovative thinker and test pilot that infused mission based flight test design into all facets of his test programs. Pioneering P-8A flight test initiatives resulted in a cost savings of over $6 million for the second largest aviation acquisition program in the Department of Defense. Maintains a current TOP SECRET/SCI clearance. Currently Boeing’s KC-46, P-8A, 767, and 757 Chief Pilot. Appointed to this position in March 2019, responsible for a wide variety of both military and civil certification and production flight test activities on the 767, 757 and KC-46. Additionally, responsible for all 767 civil certification flight test projects and the ongoing 767-300F production flight test activities in Everett, WA. Prior to this position, he was a test pilot for 787 and 737 developmental flight test, P-8A/P-8I test programs, production acceptance testing, and Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) flight test programs, as well as 737 commercial production flight test. Current type ratings include the 737, 757, 767 and 787 aircraft, as well as the Challenger 604 and 605. He also served as the Boeing P-8A model lead, NATOPS pilot evaluator and the lead MaRitime Surveillance Aircraft test pilot.Before coming to Boeing in 2013, was a test pilot and senior engineer for Aviation Systems Engineering Company, responsible for the stand up of the Government P-8A production acceptance team supporting the Defense Contract Management Agency in Seattle, as well as P-8A flight deck engineering efforts.As a 22-year U.S. Navy veteran, served as the P-8A Operational Test Director for VX-1, the Base Command Group executive officer for the Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, and the P-3C Force NATOPS officer while assigned to VP-30. Earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from San Jose State University in 1990, where he was awarded a baseball scholarship and was an NCAA Academic All American. Graduate of the the Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. Currently amassed more than 8,750 flying hours and is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.Specialties: Flight Test Planning and Execution, Project Management, Systems Engineering, Team Building, Technical Knowledge, Decision Making, Crew Resource Management, Adaptibility, Flight Safety.

Experience

1. Director Production Chief Pilot- Commercial Airplanes

   Boeing

   Apr 2025 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   Responsible for production flight test of Boeing Commercial and Military Commercial Derivative Aircraft for Boeing Commercial Aircraft.

Education

• US Naval Test Pilot School

  Test Pilot, Flight Test

  1999 — 2000

• Defense Acquisition University

  Level III, Test and Evaluation

  2008 — 2010

• San José State University

  B.S., Aeronautics

  1985 — 1990

Skills

• Military Aviation
• Organizational Development
• Team Building
• Earned Value Management
• Top Secret
• Security Clearance
• Electronic Warfare
• Flight Safety
• Aircraft Design
• Aviation Operations
• Product Development
• Reconnaissance
• Radar
• Program Management
• Operational Planning
• Commercial Pilot
• Defense
• Systems Engineering
• Military Operations
• Information Assurance
• Command
• Change Management
• Aerospace
• Uav
• Military
• Team Leadership
• Aviation
• Helicopters
• Dod
• National Security
• Project Planning
• Leadership Development
• Navy
• Flight Test
• Team Management
• Testing
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Airworthiness
• Problem Solving
• Flight Planning