“I still remember making paper airplanes in fourth grade,” says Taylor Rogers, flight controls engineer at Textron’s newest business unit, Textron eAviation. “I was always fascinated by planes flying overhead. I didn’t come from a family involved in the military or aviation; my mom was an accountant, and my dad was in sales. But I grew up near five military bases, with Eglin Air Force Base being the largest.”  

Taylor joined Textron eAviation after spending nearly two years with Textron Aviation. Being part of Textron has allowed her to pursue her passion for aviation.

It was her fourth-grade teacher who sparked Taylor’s interest, who loved NASA and taught the class all

about the dynamics of flight—lift, thrust, drag, and weight. Taylor was awestruck with these concepts. It was clear that this wasn’t just a phase.

In high school, Taylor joined a STEM-focused program and went on to earn her associate’s degree in general technology and aviation. Later, she studied Unmanned Aircraft System Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

A career fair brings Taylor to Textron

Taylor’s introduction to Textron was almost accidental—you could say Textron found her. She hadn’t heard of the business until she stumbled upon their booth at a career fair when her class was canceled. 

“I started talking to a recruiter there—didn’t even realize he was the manager—and we chatted for an hour. The hardest question he asked me was, ‘How do you feel about moving to Kansas?’ I wasn’t sure about leaving Florida but decided to take the leap.”

In 2022, Taylor started as a manufacturing engineer at Textron Aviation, where she worked on nearly every aircraft the company built. After two years, she was ready for a new challenge that would better utilize her technical skills.

Taking advantage of a new opportunity

“I didn’t want to leave Textron Aviation, but I was ready to explore,” she says. Networking within her Textron contacts, Taylor learned about a new project in Wichita that was exactly what she was looking for—something new, something innovative where she could shape the future.

Taylor joined Textron eAviation right in the middle of their latest project’s design phase. “I jumped in halfway through, and now I’m seeing every step as the aircraft is being built—right behind me in the hangar. It’s incredible,” she shares.

Her new role involves everything from flight controls, ground control stations, instrumentation, and simulators. “It’s chaos, but in the best way. Our titles don’t always match what we do, and that’s what makes it exciting,” Taylor explains. “At Aviation, it was all about quick fixes and keeping production moving. Here, it’s about designing and figuring things out from scratch.”

“Learning as I go”

But the transition didn’t come without its challenges. Taylor learned the importance of embracing the unknown and being okay with mistakes. “I had to get comfortable with not knowing everything and learning as I went. One of the biggest hurdles is understanding that we’re developing something brand new, so it’s okay to mess up and make mistakes.”

With its focus on sustainable aviation, there’s a lot of interest in what eAviation is working on. “The world is waiting to see what we come up with—even our competitors. But at the end of the day, I remind myself that it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. I’ve heard it a lot, but it’s true, and it helps keep things in perspective.”

To others considering internal moves within Textron, Taylor is all for it. “Textron loves internal transfers because you already know the culture, and you bring your network with you. I’ve moved around three times since starting, and it’s been a wild ride, but I’ve learned so much and met incredible people along the way.”