The XTI Team

Decades of aviation experience. Expertise in aircraft development, certification and production.

XTI is guided by a leadership team with decades of aviation experience, a deep well of expertise, and proven success bringing new aircraft to market. Together, this group of business aviation visionaries is reshaping the future of mobility with the ultimate breakthrough in modern flight — a business aircraft that can take off and land vertically.

  •  

David Brody

Founder and Board Chairman

Founder and Chairman of XTI Aircraft Company, Dave has had a life-long passion for aircraft, science and technology. He developed the TriFan 600 technology and performance objectives, formed the initial leadership team, filed for patents, and began development of the aircraft. XTI has now assembled a world-class executive team of individuals with decades of experience bringing new aircraft to market. Brody previously founded AVX Aircraft Company and was its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and continues to serve on the AVX board. Brody formerly practiced law in Denver. He holds several patents for inventions in aircraft technology and other fields, and has written three books, including a national Book-of-the-Month Club best seller on science and technology.

         

Robert LaBelle

Chief Executive Officer and Board Member

The former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AgustaWestland North America brings to XTI more than 25 years of experience in top-level aviation management and strategy, aircraft development and operations. He was President of Texas-based AgustaWestland Tiltrotor Co., a company he established to support the development of the AW 609 Tiltrotor and other programs. He held executive level positions within AgustaWestland since joining the company in 2004, including vice president, general manager, and president of other U.S. subsidiaries.

Bob joined AgustaWestland after a career in the U.S. Navy. His last assignment was in Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD where he was Major Program Manager (PMA-231) for the E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft.

He is responsible for development of the TriFan 600 aircraft and all matters related to development of the product and the company. He has led the drive to incorporate hybrid-electric propulsion in the TriFan 600 and championed other enhancements in order to better position the aircraft for the future.

         

James Kromberg

Chief Pilot

Mr. Kromberg is a senior flight test pilot and aeronautical engineer with over 25 years flight test experience. During that period, he has been a pilot, test pilot, and instructor for several civilian and military organizations, including First Officer and Flight Engineer for American Airlines, USMC AV-8B Test Pilot, USAF F-35 Chief Test Pilot, as well as instructing in multiple additional aircraft while assigned to the USAF Test Pilot School.

His degrees and education include a Master of Science in Aviation Systems from the University of Tennessee, Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Ohio State University, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and U.S. Marine Corps Weapons and Tactics Course at MCAS, Yuma, Arizona.

         

Charlie Johnson

Chief Operating Officer and Board Member

The former President and Chief Operating Officer of Cessna Aircraft brings to XTI more than 35 years of experience in top-level aviation management and strategy, operations and production. He was also Cessna’s vice president of aircraft completion and product support, senior vice president of operations, and executive vice president of operations, leading development, certifications, and product support of new airplanes. Prior to joining Cessna, Johnson served as chief of production flight test for Gates Learjet. He also was chief pilot for Arnold Palmer.

Johnson began his aviation career after completing U.S. Air Force pilot training in 1968 and accumulated over 1,000 hours of military flight time in the F-105, serving in combat in Southeast Asia. He holds airline transport and instructor pilot certificates with type ratings in all Cessna Citation models. Johnson has been inducted into The Living Legends of Aviation and the Kansas and Colorado Aviation Halls of Fame.

         

Dr. James Wang

Chief Technical Advisor

Former head of Research and Development at Leonardo Helicopters. Dr. Wang is a visionary executive and experienced aircraft designer with proven success records in both technical and business leadership roles for multinational domestic and international companies. He possesses a deep understanding of cutting-edge e-VTOL and aerospace technologies.

In 2010 he developed and produced the first large electric powered VTOL aircraft (Project Zero). He excels in capitalizing disruptive technologies and creating focused driven teams, and instilling them with the entrepreneurial spirit. He has over 30 years experience in aircraft design & consulting. Thinks outside the box and motivates people to dream and collaborate.

Named “Steve Jobs of Rotorcraft” by Wired Magazine in 2013.

         

Dr. James Wang

Chief Technical Advisor

Former head of Research and Development at Leonardo Helicopters. Dr. Wang is a visionary executive and experienced aircraft designer with proven success records in both technical and business leadership roles for multinational domestic and international companies. He possesses a deep understanding of cutting-edge e-VTOL and aerospace technologies.

In 2010 he developed and produced the first large electric powered VTOL aircraft (Project Zero). He excels in capitalizing disruptive technologies and creating focused driven teams, and instilling them with the entrepreneurial spirit. He has over 30 years experience in aircraft design & consulting. Thinks outside the box and motivates people to dream and collaborate.

Named “Steve Jobs of Rotorcraft” by Wired Magazine in 2013.

         

Sarita Jha CFA

Chief Financial Officer

Sarita’s diverse career has encompassed a wide range of functional experience: private equity, corporate finance (M&A, joint ventures), and business development. Her sectoral experience includes aerospace and manufacturing. She started her career as an engineer at Northrop Grumman Corporation where she developed simulation models and bill-of-materials applications. At Delphi Automotive (then a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Motors, now Delphi Technologies), she was a senior team member of the business development and corporate group, leading M&A and JV activities for the HVAC division. Also in the automotive industry, Sarita served as a member of the Board of Directors of Martur A.S., Turkey’s leading automotive supplier to Toyota, Fiat and Renault in EMEA.

At UniCredit, Sarita was responsible for managing the origination, structuring and execution of private equity investments (total allocation of €2 billion) with a focus on growth capital transactions within the bank’s Principal Investments team in London for 10 years. Invested sectors included: automotive, manufacturing, logistics, health care services, and retail. As the founder of FrontLight Partners, she was focused on raising financing, performing due diligence, and wrote bespoke investor research for a number of clients. As a side business, she also is a co-founder of the travel app, Nomad.

She is passionate about education and development, since her volunteer teaching experience with the Central European Project (modeled after the Peace Corps) and at the Central European University (founded by George Soros). In addition, Sarita currently serves on the board of Project Soar, a non-profit based in Morocco focused on empowering underprivileged girls and keeping them in school.

Sarita earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the California State University, Long Beach, and earned her Master of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University. She is a CFA® charter holder.

         

Don Barbour

Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Business Development

Don has built a successful career as a customer-focused aviation executive, including expertise in engineering, marketing, sales, and business development. As former head of AW 609 Tiltrotor US Sales & Marketing at AgustaWestland/Leonardo and former executive Director of Sales & Marketing for Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company at Bell Helicopter TEXTRON, Inc. Don brings to XTI Aircraft Company more than 35 years of VTOL and fixed-wing industry experience.

By leveraging previous successes in building brand awareness and customer loyalty, Don continues to contribute to the company’s “go to market strategy” and its significant growth in reservations of the TriFan 600 aircraft worldwide.

Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University as well as a Master of Business Administration degree in Business Management, Sales & Marketing from the University of Dallas. Don also holds commercial fixed-wing and rotorcraft pilot certificates.

         

Saleem Zaheer

Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Development

Saleem served as Vice President Flight Operations and Vice President Special Projects for IndiGo, India’s largest airline, between 2009 and 2016. He then set up an aviation operations consultancy in the US.

He is a pilot with over 40 years and 15,000 flight hours on 28 different aircraft including the MiG 21 and Boeing 777. He was an Indian Air Force fighter, transport, instructor and VIP pilot before moving to the US where he flew corporate jets and then served as a pilot and captain for United Airlines for 13 years. He was Chief Pilot and Postholder Flight Operations for Air Arabia in the UAE before joining IndiGo.

From 2013 to 2016, he was a member of India’s National Airspace Management Advisory Committee, a national body responsible for effectively managing Indian airspace between civil and military users. He was appointed an Aviation Expert to the Aerospace & Aviation Sector Skill Council by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation in May 2016.

He serves as Senior Advisor – Airline Operations & Advanced Air Mobility for CAPA India Centre for Aviation – South Asia’s leading specialist aviation advisory, research and knowledge practice.

Saleem is committed to ushering in a new paradigm in air transportation. With gridlock a looming possibility in urban areas, both on the roads and at airports, alternatives are needed to airport-centric air transportation. With just a helipad required, this is what XTI’s TriFan is designed to do; and, with hybrid-electric propulsion, to pave the way to a more cost-effective and greener future for aviation.

         

Michael Hinderberger

Senior Vice President, Engineering & Technology

Michael Hinderberger is Senior Vice President, Engineering & Technology at XTI Aircraft. Michael is responsible for the design, development, and certification of the TriFan 600 Hybrid Electric VTOL aircraft.

With over 35 years of aerospace experience, Michael is an accomplished leader in aircraft development, certification, production implementation and post-delivery support. Over the course of his career, he has led development projects at Gulfstream, Hawker Beechcraft, Rolls Royce and Piper Aircraft. His recent experience includes Aerion Supersonic Corporation where, as Program Director and Chief Engineer, he was instrumental in transitioning the Aerion AS-2 aircraft from an R&D project into a full-scale development program.

Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Technical Management.