Aviation
10 Southwest Airlines engineering leaders
Vice president of engineering and programs, managing director of aircraft engineering and director of operations engineering are among the roles held by these ten Southwest Airlines engineering leaders. A reader can learn how engineering leaders work at Southwest Airlines from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
01—10Bennett Boltinghouse
LinkedInExperience: Director of Operations Engineering · Southwest Airlines
Bennett Boltinghouse has been Director of Operations Engineering at Southwest Airlines since January 2026, based in Dallas. At Southwest Airlines, Bennett Boltinghouse also held roles as Senior Manager Operations Engineering Innovation & Efficiency (from 2024), Manager of Engineering (2017 to 2024), Project Manager (2016 to 2017) and Product Owner (2015 to 2016).
Chris Muhich
LinkedInExperience: Managing Director - Aircraft Engineering · Southwest Airlines
Chris Muhich has been Managing Director - Aircraft Engineering at Southwest Airlines since February 2023, at director level in the Engineering and Technical department. Chris Muhich was previously Senior Manager - Engineering Integration (2022 to 2023), Senior Manager - Flight Control Systems (2021 to 2022) and Senior Manager - Mechanical / Hydraulic Systems (2019 to 2021) at Boeing.
Majid Karim
LinkedInExperience: Director - Aircraft Maintenance Planning Operations · Southwest Airlines
Majid Karim has been Director - Aircraft Maintenance Planning Operations at Southwest Airlines since August 2023, and the profile headline names line, hangar and intermediate maintenance planning and operations. At Southwest Airlines, Majid Karim was also Manager - Aicraft Maintenance Planning (2007 to 2011) and Senior Lead Engineer - Aircraft Structures (2001 to 2007).
Mark Wibben
LinkedInExperience: Vice President - Engineering and Programs · Southwest Airlines
Mark Wibben has been Vice President - Engineering and Programs at Southwest Airlines since February 2019. At Southwest Airlines, Mark Wibben was also Sr. Director - Aircraft and Powerplant Engineering (2018 to 2019), Director - Powerplant Programs and Service Engineering (2016 to 2018) and Director - Powerplant Technical Services (2012 to 2016), and was previously Manager - Engine Performance/MRO Records at Delta Air Lines (2011 to 2012).
Michael Erdman
LinkedInExperience: Managing Director, Technology - Digital Platforms · Southwest Airlines
Michael Erdman has been Managing Director, Technology - Digital Platforms at Southwest Airlines since May 2025, based in Dallas. At Southwest Airlines, Michael Erdman was also Managing Director, Technology - Finance and NonRev Platforms (2024 to 2025), Director, Technology - Finance and NonRev Platforms (2022 to 2024) and Senior Manager, Technology - Southwest.com and Native Mobile Application Development (2019 to 2022).
Michael Hanna
LinkedInExperience: Director of Solution and Data Architecture · Southwest Airlines
Michael Hanna has been Director of Solution and Data Architecture at Southwest Airlines since July 2024, and the profile describes accountability for the Solution and Data Architecture practice and the Architecture Business Office. At Southwest Airlines, Michael Hanna was also Senior Enterprise Architect - Operations (2022 to 2024) and Enterprise Architect - Crew Operations & Safety (2019 to 2021).
Robert Strahm
LinkedInExperience: Director Flight Simulation Maintenance and Engineering · Southwest Airlines
Robert Strahm has been Director Flight Simulation Maintenance and Engineering at Southwest Airlines since February 2026, and the profile describes being the accountable leader for compliance with 14 CFR Part 60 across simulation devices. Robert Strahm has also held Senior Manager Flight Operations Technical | Chief Technical Pilot (since 2018) and Pilot (since 2008) roles at Southwest Airlines, and was Engineering Test Pilot at KBR Careers (2011 to 2016).
Shaun Patrick
LinkedInExperience: Director - Infrastructure Engineering · Southwest Airlines
Shaun Patrick has been Director - Infrastructure Engineering at Southwest Airlines since July 2024. At Southwest Airlines, Shaun Patrick was also Director - Network & Security Engineering (2021 to 2024) and Sr. Manager Network Engineering (2016 to 2021), and was previously Manager - Infrastructure Engineering at Michaels Stores (2014 to 2016) and Senior Manager - Network Engineering at JCPenney (2013 to 2014).
Tim Davis
LinkedInExperience: Director Ops Engineering · Southwest Airlines
Tim Davis has been Director Ops Engineering at Southwest Airlines since September 2024, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. At Southwest Airlines, Tim Davis was also Sr. Manager Service Engineering (2022 to 2024), Manager Service Engineering (2018 to 2022), Sr. Structures Project Engineer (2014 to 2018) and Service Engineer (2010 to 2014).
Vince Bratton
LinkedInExperience: Director - Crew Technology · Southwest Airlines
Vince Bratton has been Director - Crew Technology at Southwest Airlines since January 2024, and the profile names the role's scope as crew technology covering mobility, UX and modernization. At Southwest Airlines, Vince Bratton was also Director - Digital Platforms (2021 to 2024) and Sr Manager Technology Southwest.com (2019 to 2021), and was Vice President of Development at LightSpeed Virtual Training (2008 to 2015).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's area, such as aircraft and powerplant engineering, maintenance planning, flight simulation, infrastructure or software platforms, to the decision you are working on. Check when each person started the role you care about, since someone new to it and someone who has held it for years can offer different views.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01How do you organize an engineering team so day-to-day operational support and longer projects both get done?
- 02What do you look at to judge whether an engineering or maintenance change is ready to put into service?
- 03How do you work with operations teams when an engineering decision affects the schedule?
Reaching Southwest Airlines engineering leaders
How can I contact one of these Southwest Airlines engineering leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 1 company: Southwest Airlines, based on profile data retrieved on October 17, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
How much does it cost to reach Southwest Airlines engineering leaders?
You choose the offer, starting at $5 per person. The offer is what the person receives, and Instant Expert's fee is added on top, so a $100 offer costs you $125. The fee is 20% of what you pay. You're charged only when the person books the call or sends the answer.
What if they don't reply?
You pay nothing. Instant Expert sends follow-up reminders, and if the person hasn't booked or answered within 7 days, the request expires and any hold on your card is released. You can invite several of the 10 people on this list at once and cap your total spend, so you pay only for the ones who accept.
Can an AI agent ask one of these Southwest Airlines engineering leaders a question?
Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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