XTI Aircraft Appoints Aviation Veteran to Lead Development of VTOL Family of Aircraft

Rhea-AI Summary

XTI Aircraft (NASDAQ:XTIA) has appointed Steve Zohrabian as Executive Vice President to lead the development of its VTOL aircraft family, focusing on the TriFan 600. Zohrabian joins from Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, where he served as COO, and brings extensive experience from Boeing, particularly in tiltrotor and rotorcraft programs like the V-22 Osprey.

The appointment represents a strategic move as XTI Aircraft transitions from design to full-scale development and certification of its revolutionary aircraft. Zohrabian's expertise spans across engineering, program management, and certification processes, with significant experience in scaling operations and transforming engineering processes.

Positive

• Strategic hire of experienced aviation executive with specific expertise in VTOL and tiltrotor aircraft development
• Advancement from design phase to full-scale development and certification phase
• Addition of leader with proven track record in regulatory compliance and certification processes

Negative

• Company still in pre-revenue development phase with no aircraft in production yet

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XTI Aircraft Company ("XTI Aircraft"), a subsidiary of XTI Aerospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTIA) ("XTI"), a pioneer in xVTOL and powered-lift aircraft solutions, today announced the appointment of Steve Zohrabian as Executive Vice President of XTI Aircraft, where he will lead development of XTI Aircraft's family of VTOL aircraft beginning with the mid-range TriFan 600. This appointment marks a significant milestone in the maturation of XTI Aircraft as the company accelerates toward first flight, certification, and commercialization of its revolutionary aircraft.

In his new role, Zohrabian will provide strategic leadership across engineering and flight programs while building trusted relationships with regulators, government partners, and industry stakeholders. Drawing on decades of experience successfully bringing both rotorcraft and fixed-wing platforms into production, he will guide the TriFan 600's path to type certification and position it as a disruptive entrant in the next era of advanced air mobility.

"Bringing in a leader of Mr. Zohrabian's caliber represents a critical step forward for XTI Aircraft," said Scott Pomeroy, Chief Executive Officer of XTI Aerospace. "His unique experience across tiltrotor, rotorcraft, and fixed-wing programs—combined with a proven track record in scaling operations and certification—makes him the ideal executive to guide us toward commercialization of the TriFan 600."

Zohrabian joins XTI from Piasecki Aircraft Corporation, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and helped transform the company into a premier developer of next-generation VTOL aircraft. He led the acquisition of Lockheed Martin Sikorsky's Heliplex facility in Coatesville, PA, preserving critical infrastructure and retaining top engineering talent, while advancing multiple experimental VTOL platforms through development and flight test.

Prior to Piasecki, he was President and COO of Applied Concepts Group, following more than 17 years at The Boeing Company. At Boeing, he held senior leadership roles in program management, engineering, and strategy, supporting programs such as the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, CH-47 Chinook, and advanced Networks & Space ISR systems. He also spearheaded major enterprise-wide engineering process transformations and lean initiatives that enabled greater collaboration across Boeing's sites, supply chain, and customer base.

Zohrabian holds a Bachelor and Master of Mechanical Engineering from Widener University, and an Executive Master's in Technology Management from the University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School and Penn Engineering. He has also completed the U.S. government's executive-level Program Manager's Course, the advanced statutory training for PEOs and senior program managers.

"This is a breakthrough moment in aviation," said Zohrabian. "The TriFan line of aircraft is uniquely positioned to transform business, disaster recovery and military flight by delivering the range and speed of an aircraft with the flexibility of vertical flight. I am honored to join XTI Aircraft at this pivotal stage with the goal of helping to bring this transformative platform to market."

With this appointment, XTI Aircraft strengthens its leadership bench and advances its transition from design and modeling to full-scale development and certification, cementing its role as a pioneer in the emerging Vertical Economy.

About XTI Aerospace, Inc. 

XTI Aerospace, Inc. (XTIAerospace.com) (Nasdaq: XTIA) is the parent company of XTI Aircraft Company, an aviation business based near Denver, Colorado, currently developing the TriFan 600, a fixed-wing business aircraft designed to have the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability of a helicopter, maximum cruising speeds of over 300 mph and a range up to 1,000 miles, creating an entirely new category – the xVTOL. Additionally, the Inpixon (inpixon.com) business unit of XTI is a leader in real-time location systems (RTLS) technology with customers around the world who use its location intelligence solutions in factories and other industrial facilities to help optimize operations, increase productivity, and enhance safety. For more information about XTI, please visit XTIAerospace.com and follow XTI on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including without limitation, statements about the products under development by XTI, the advantages of XTI's technology and VTOL technology, and XTI's customers, plans and strategies are forward-looking statements.

Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including "believe," "continue," "could," "would," "will," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "target," "projects," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon estimates, forecasts, and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by XTI and its management, are inherently uncertain, and many factors may cause the actual results to differ materially from current expectations which include, but are not limited to, changes in market demand for VTOL technology, changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment. XTI undertakes no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that might subsequently arise. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the risk factors discussed from time to time in XTI's filings with the SEC, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2025, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC.

Contacts

General inquiries:
Email: contact@xtiaerospace.com 
Web: https://xtiaerospace.com/contact/ 

Investor Relations:
Dave Gentry, CEO
RedChip Companies, Inc.
Phone: 1-407-644-4256
Email: XTIA@redchip.com

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SOURCE XTI Aerospace, Inc.

FAQ

Who is Steve Zohrabian and what is his new role at XTI Aircraft (NASDAQ:XTIA)?

Steve Zohrabian has been appointed as Executive Vice President of XTI Aircraft, where he will lead the development of VTOL aircraft family, starting with the TriFan 600. He previously served as COO at Piasecki Aircraft Corporation.

What is XTI Aircraft's (NASDAQ:XTIA) main product under development?

XTI Aircraft's main product under development is the TriFan 600, a mid-range VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft designed to transform business, disaster recovery, and military flight operations.

What is Steve Zohrabian's previous experience in the aviation industry?

Zohrabian has extensive aviation experience including roles as COO at Piasecki Aircraft, President and COO of Applied Concepts Group, and 17 years at Boeing working on programs like the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor and CH-47 Chinook.

What stage of development is XTI Aircraft (NASDAQ:XTIA) currently in?

XTI Aircraft is transitioning from design and modeling phase to full-scale development and certification of its aircraft, focusing on achieving type certification for the TriFan 600.

What are the potential applications for XTI Aircraft's (NASDAQ:XTIA) TriFan technology?

The TriFan technology is designed for business aviation, disaster recovery, and military applications, offering the range and speed of an aircraft combined with vertical flight capabilities.