Tyson Foods flies a 16-minute loop the week of a CEO succession and COO appointment

Tyson Foods operated a 16-minute flight in its Dassault Falcon 2000EX (N902TF) on June 15, departing Northwest Arkansas National Airport at 3:00 a.m. UTC and returning to the same airport at 3:17 a.m. UTC, reaching a maximum altitude of just 3,000 feet. The brief local circuit, likely a maintenance or crew check flight, occurred on the same day Wes Morris officially assumed the role of chief operating officer, as announced by the company on June 8 per an SEC filing.

Morris, a 20-year Tyson Foods veteran, returned from a short retirement to oversee the company's chicken, beef, pork, prepared foods, and international segments, replacing Devin Cole. The leadership change follows the May 28 announcement that Jeff Schomburger will succeed Donnie King as president and CEO effective October 4, a transition that has drawn investor attention amid a 6% share price drop and ongoing losses in the beef segment, as reported by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Tyson Foods's pair of Falcon 2000EX jets, N901TF and N902TF, are typically used for plant tours across the U.S. heartland, with frequent stops at KORD, KATL, KDFW, and KLEX. Recent flights include trips to Sugar Land, Texas, and Sioux City, Iowa, reflecting the company's operational focus on its sprawling production network.