United States – September 13, 2026 -- Natilus has promoted Nolan Giblin to Chief Operating Officer, elevating the executive who helped build the blended-wing-body aircraft maker's order book to more than 570 pre-orders valued at $24 billion.
Giblin secured reservation deals with Ameriflight and Nolinor Aviation since 2022
Giblin joined Natilus in 2022 as Head of Business Development and negotiated reservation agreements with operators including Ameriflight and Nolinor Aviation, expanding the company's commercial order book for its KONA and HORIZON EVO aircraft programs.
Blended-wing-body design cuts fuel burn 30% and operating costs 50%
Natilus' blended-wing-body aircraft reduce fuel consumption by 30%, cut operational costs by 50% and increase payload capacity by 40% compared with conventional tube-and-wing designs, according to the company. The aircraft are built to operate within existing airport infrastructure while offering greater volumetric capacity, a combination drawing interest from cargo, passenger and defense operators as the sector works to meet rising capacity commitments.
New COO brings nearly two decades of defense aviation finance experience
Giblin holds a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego and an MBA from San Diego State University. Before joining Natilus, he spent close to two decades in business development and operations roles, including business management and strategic finance positions on major defense aviation programs at Northrop Grumman and General Atomics.
"As we build an entirely new category of aircraft that promises to reshape the future of flight for commercial, cargo and defense markets, there isn't a more exciting opportunity in the aviation industry," Giblin said.
Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev credited Giblin's strategic vision and organizational management for the company's growth since 2022, saying the new COO would drive business operations, keep priorities aligned and scale both the organization and its aircraft family as the company moves toward commercialization of KONA and HORIZON EVO.