Natilus appoints former Amazon Air fleet head to advisory board

Natilus, a U.S. aerospace manufacturer developing blended-wing-body aircraft, has appointed Mylène Scholnick, former Head of Global Fleet Management at Amazon Air, to its advisory board as the company advances development of its regional freighter aircraft KONA.

The company said Scholnick will provide strategic guidance as Natilus moves forward with the commercialisation of KONA, a regional blended-wing-body aircraft expected to enter the market later this decade.

The aircraft is designed to address operational requirements in the air cargo sector, where operators are seeking ways to reduce fuel consumption, increase payload capacity, and manage operating costs. According to Natilus, the KONA aircraft is designed to deliver a 30 per cent reduction in fuel consumption, a 50 per cent reduction in operating costs, and a 40 per cent increase in payload capacity compared with current airframe designs.

Scholnick has more than 25 years of experience in aerospace, fleet strategy, aircraft finance, and global operations. During her tenure at Amazon Air, she established and led the company’s global fleet management function. Under her leadership, Amazon Air expanded its fleet from 36 to 115 aircraft across North America, Europe, Canada, and India.

She also led Amazon’s aircraft and engine procurement strategy, overseeing transactions worth billions of dollars and launching the company’s aircraft and engine purchase and conversion programmes.

"My career has been dedicated to advancing the global aviation industry," said Mylène Scholnick. "I am delighted to join the Advisory Board of Natilus, whose blended-wing-body technology represents one of the most compelling clean-sheet opportunities our sector has seen in decades. At a time when incumbent OEMs are focused on production recovery rather than next-generation design, Natilus is charting a bold path that could reshape long-term fleet strategy, efficiency, and sustainability."

The appointment follows the closing of Natilus’s $28 million Series A funding round. The company said Scholnick joins an advisory board that includes Dennis Muilenburg, former President and CEO of The Boeing Company and current CEO of New Vista Capital; Kory Mathews, former VP of Phantom Works and VP and Chief Engineer of Boeing Military Aircraft; Brent Wouters, former CEO of Cirrus Aircraft; and Ram Menen, an original member of the Emirates founding team and former head of its cargo division.

Natilus said its current order book stands at 570 aircraft valued at $24 billion. Customers include Nolinor Aviation, SpiceJet, Flexport, and Ameriflight. The company also said it plans to select its first domestic manufacturing site for the KONA aircraft later this year.

"As we work towards KONA's first flight in the next 24 months, we are at a pivotal point for the company, which is why it is critical that we build a team with decades of experience across the aviation industry," said Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus. "Mylène's deep expertise in fleet strategy, procurement, and global operations – combined with her track record of building aviation programmes at scale – will be instrumental as we advance development and prepare for production of KONA."