What was the original name of the company William Boeing founded in 1916?

William Boeing founded Pacific Aero Products in 1916, the original company that later became Boeing.

Boeing established the business in Seattle, Washington, after developing an interest in aircraft and aviation manufacturing. The company initially built aircraft for military and commercial customers, including the B&W seaplane, designed with George Conrad Westervelt.

In 1917, Pacific Aero Products was renamed the Boeing Airplane Company. That change connected the company’s name directly with its founder and helped establish the identity that Boeing still uses today. A common mix-up is dating the company’s beginning to 1917, but the business was founded as Pacific Aero Products in 1916.

Boeing later expanded from a small aircraft builder into a major manufacturer of airliners, bombers, transports, helicopters, and spacecraft. Its early Seattle roots remain an important part of the company’s history.