Department of Commerce
LIFT OFF
FROM THE
Aerospace and Defense in Kansas
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard Kansas Flight 101!” Please fasten your seat belts and enjoy your flight to Kansas, home to some of the earliest aviation industry pioneers including Clyde Cessna, Walter and Olive Ann Beech and Lloyd Stearman. On Kansas Flight 101, you will learn some high-flying facts about a state where the first plane was built more than a century ago, and now is home to production of some of the world’s most iconic planes. There are several superior features on this aircraft. Toward the front you will find low operating costs … over each wing is a skilled workforce and world-class research institutions … toward the rear of the aircraft you will see that Kansas delivered 35 percent of all general aviation airplanes built in the United States and was responsible for 23 percent of global general aviation deliveries in 2019.
You will find details on these features and much more industry information in the brochure located in front of you. We strongly suggest you consider Kansas before you land in another state. Please take a few moments now to consider your nearest business location. In most cases, your nearest location will be in Kansas, home to one of the five great aerospace clusters in the world, and the leader in aircraft design and manufacturing of general aviation aircraft, as well as major components for commercial and defense aircraft. If you need assistance during our flight, Commerce recruitment representatives will guide you toward the best opportunity. On behalf of Kansas and the entire crew, we’d like to thank you for considering our state for your next business location, and we look forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice day!
OF THE WORLD’S CURRENT EMBEDDED GENERAL AVIATION FLEET,
70%
Omni Aerospace - Wichita., KS
2 � Kansas Department of Labor 2020, � Labor Market Information Services, � Kansas Wage Survey 2019, � US Census Bureau 2019, � Kansas Department of Agriculture
WAS PRODUCED IN THE STATE OF KANSAS
Spirit AeroSystems Inc. - Wichita, KS
LifeSave Helicopter Base - Salina, KS
Textron Aviation - Wichita, KS
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF KANSAS AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING, MORE THAN
AVIATION ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN
250,000
$7 B
AIRPLANES HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE STATE
OF KANSAS’ GDP, OR OVER 4%, EASILY SURPASSING THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 0.7%
3
Distance to Market from Kansas
Kansas is served by a comprehensive rail network comprised of 4,257 miles (6,851 km) of total track, which is the sixth largest network in the nation.6
Whether by highway, rail or air, Kansas offers excellent transportation and marketing advantages for your business. Centrally located and focused on building and maintaining an outstanding multimodal infrastructure, it is easier and less expensive to ship to and from Kansas.
Kansas’ central location and extensive network provides Kansas-based companies a safe and reliable route to major interstate highways that can connect them to 85 percent of the nation’s population in less than a two-day drive.
2
AVERAGE TIME FOR A GROUND PACKAGE TO REACH DESTINATION
KM I | 80 5
500 M
| 1,2 07
KM
7 5 0 MI
1,200 MI | 1,931 KM
K A N S A S
OVER THE ROAD
LOGISTICS / SHIPPING
RAIL TRANSPORT
AIR TRANSPORT
4 Association of American Railroads
6
KANSAS AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS Atwood
Clay Center
Edson
Manhattan
Kansas City Shawnee Overland Park EudoraLenexa Olathe
Lawrence
Topeka
Hays Salina
Baldwin City
New Century
Herington Rantoul McPherson
Lyons
Emporia
Hesston Mound Ridge
Inman Newton Garden City
Valley Center Colwich Maize
Dodge City
Bel Aire Park City Benton Andover El Dorado Rosalia
Attica
Harper Argonia
Anthony
Conway Springs
Pittsburg Neodesha Parsons
Belle Plaine Independence
Wellington Arkansas City
Liberal
2-4 Companies
Chanute
Augusta Wichita Cheney Goddard Haysville Derby Rose Hill Viola Clearwater Mulvane Norwich
Pratt Ulysses
1 Company
Burlington
Hutchinson
5-8 Companies
Sedan
20+ Companies
/
Cherryvale
Coffeyville
Interstate System
Represents 450 aviation and aerospace manufacturing companies across the state All locations and companies not shown. Source: Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Manufacturing Solutions and Dun & Bradstreet, 2020
Kansas is home to more than 450 aviation companies across the state. Companies can leverage the multiple benefits of access to innovative resources, a skilled workforce and our outstanding transportation infrastructure. Kansas is proud to be the home to a multitude of brands like:
Notable Kansas Aviation Companies Company
Location
Employment
Description
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc*
Wichita
13,300
Aerostructures manufacturer
Textron Aviation*
Wichita
9,500
Aircraft manufacturer
Garmin International, Inc. *
Olathe / Lawrence / New Century
4,000
Communication and navigation equipment manufacturer
Bombardier Learjet*
Wichita
1,500
Aircraft manufacturer
Atlas Aerospace, LLC
Wichita
800
Aerospace products and parts manufacturer
Honeywell International, Inc
Olathe
600
Aviation diagnostics and repair
Collins Aerospace
Lenexa
535
Aviation component part manufacturer
LTC (Leading Technology Composites)
Wichita
431
Aerospace products and parts manufacturer
TECT Aerospace*
Wichita
398
Large-scale structural manufacturer
Metal Finishing Co.
Wichita
340
Aerospace products and parts manufacturer
*Indicates headquarters or regional headquarters presence in Kansas. Source: Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Department of Labor, Kansas Manufacturing Solutions
Concentration of Aerospace Engineers Against Peer States
Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers a diverse range of subjects and career fields, including a number of traditional
5
4.08
vocational careers, science,
Location Quotient
4
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
3 2
Since its beginning in the early
1.28
1 0
6
2010s, this program has grown
1.26
1.15
to 13,675 participants totaling
0.27
0.16
105,084 credit hours and earning 1,803 credentials.
Arizona
Kansas
Mississppi
Texas
Georgia
North Carolina
Source: Kansas Department of Labor, Labor Market Information Services, BLS OES May 2019
Educational Assets and Talent Resources WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY (WSU) offers graduate (master’s and doctorate) and undergraduate degree programs in six colleges and 39 academic departments. The university offers internationally recognized research programs in aviation and advanced materials, ranking fourth among all U.S. universities in aeronautical research and development expenditures and first in industry funding for aeronautical R&D. WSU is a training partner for the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). Being part of the university gives NIAR a distinct advantage, with an excellent academic connection and outstanding aviation research. > The National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT), which is part of WSU Tech, is a world-class aviation manufacturing training center with capacity to accommodate over 1,500 students. It provides industry-driven training courses in the aviation manufacturing industry, giving students the opportunity to receive hands-on, real-world training in the areas of aviation manufacturing and aircraft/power plant mechanics. > The Innovation Campus at WSU is combining industry manufacturing expertise with the university’s research, commercialization and education capabilities. Nearly a dozen companies and organizations already call the Innovation Campus home, interacting daily with students, faculty and one another to accelerate timelines from ideas to product creation. KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY has more than 250 undergraduate majors and 165-plus graduate degrees and certificates, and was ranked as the No. 12 university in the nation for improving students' critical thinking skills. ¹ > Kansas State Polytechnic Campus offers both associate and bachelor’s degrees in aviation maintenance and professional pilot, as well as an associate degree in avionics. In addition, it has the second-ranked unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) program in the nation.
Kansas offers a variety of specialized training programs for the aviation manufacturing workforce:
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS (KU) offers undergraduate programs in more than 200 fields of study and has more than 50 highly ranked graduate programs delivered in more than 40 different languages. > Aerospace Engineering degree from KU offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in Aerospace Engineering, a program recognized as one of the best in aircraft, engine and spacecraft design education, winning numerous AIAA and international design competitions. Core research strengths include unmanned aerial systems, computational fluid dynamics, composite and adaptive structures and robotics and control. KU UAS research works to advance the understanding of structure-sensor interactions, investigate the effects of materials and environments on performance and ultimately develop low-speed, low-altitude and lightweight vehicles with increased autonomy. UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING INITIATIVE was created by the Kansas Legislature to meet business and industry needs. Kansas State University, the University of Kansas and Wichita State University have increased their engineering physical plants, the number of engineering graduates and quality of student internships and connections to business. They have enhanced their corporate engagement strategies. This program has seen enrollment grow to more than 1,300 engineering graduates each year. FORT RILEY MILITARY BASE provides premier UAS training facilities and airspace. The Fort Riley Installation is located in the Army’s first FFA-approved UAS corridor in the National Airspace System, linking two separate installations: Fort Riley and Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range. A new hangar and training facility is the first of its kind dedicated to the base’s UAS program, and is connected to in-use airfield infrastructure allowing access to restricted airspace. Fort Riley is also an Army Pilot Program for using commercial, off-the-shelf UAS in support of Integrated Training Area Management. 7
KANSAS COMPANIES EXPORT $2.3 BILLION IN AEROSPACE PRODUCTS ANNUALLY. THIS IS NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF THE STATE’S TOTAL EXPORTS.
Beechcraft King Air- Wichita, KS
Industry Overview and Resources Aviation and manufacturing research, design, testing and certification resources offered by the state to assist companies:
Over 34,000 people are employed in aerospace in Kansas, with highly skilled workers at Textron Aviation, Bombardier Learjet, Airbus, Spirit AeroSystems and over 450 aviation industry suppliers and service providers. Kansas attracts 7.5% of annual hires in the industry within the nation. South Central Kansas, which includes Wichita, is known as the “most manufacturing-specialized” region in the United States, supplying 17.7% of regional jobs, 55% of which are engaged in producing some of the world’s most sophisticated aircraft. The national average of 8.7% is more than half of that amount. 1 Wichita has established itself as both a manufacturing and engineering capital of the nation. 2 Wichita’s aviation companies host the third-highest population of engineers per 1,000 in the nation. With the nation’s highest concentration of aerospace manufacturing employment, Wichita’s metro area has a location quotient (local concentration vs. national concentration) of 15.14. 8
¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, ² Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University is a major R&D center with extensive facilities, numerous industry partnerships and highly qualified staff and expertise in the design, development, testing and certification of large metallic and composite aerospace structures. Through its partnerships, NIAR is the largest aviation R&D academic institution in the United States. NIAR is also home to the FAA Center of Excellence for Composites and Advanced Materials (CECAM) and the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP), which is funded through the FAA and Air Force Research Laboratory. FAA Center of Excellence for Composites and Advanced Materials (CECAM) program facilitates collaboration and coordination between government, academia and industry to advance aviation technologies and expand FAA research capabilities. National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) material suppliers can work with NCAMP to qualify material systems without the need
Kansas State Polytechnic named the No. 2 Unmanned Aerial Systems College in the United States.1
Bell Helicopter (Spirit Aerosystems( - Wichita, KS
Kansas-based Textron Aviation is a global leader in business and general aviation production, including the iconic brands of Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker.
Cessna Citation Longitude - Wichita, Kansas
Fort Riley Military Base - Fort Riley, KS
to be linked to an ongoing aircraft certification program. This allows the material supplier to get their material into the market via a public forum with generated allowable and FAA certification. 3DEXPERIENCE Center is a partnership between WSU, NIAR and Dassault Systemes. The 3DEXPERIENCE Center Wichita offers expertise, technology innovation and more to the industry – both aviation and nonaviation companies. NIAR, known for its pioneering work in composites and the certification of 3D printed parts, works alongside Dassault Systèmes to develop advanced product development and manufacturing innovations. The 22,000-square-foot, mixed-use facility boasts the latest equipment and technology including: additive and subtractive manufacturing via large scale Multi-Robotic Advanced Manufacturing (MRAM), 3D printing, reverse engineering and the largest flexible cave for 3D Immersive Reality Projects. The Wichita facility is part of the 3DEXPERIENCE Center Network. Applied Aviation Research Center (AARC) at Kansas State Polytechnic hosts 100 UAS projects annually in cooperation with federal agencies, private sponsors and internal university groups. These projects range from validating the standards for the Federal Aviation Administration to power infrastructure inspection and mapping of natural resources. KSU Polytechnic has one of the largest enclosed UAS flight facilities in the nation.
The Technology Development Institute works to improve, develop and implement new manufacturing technologies. Kansas Manufacturing Solutions helps manufacturers resolve their workforce needs through such tactics as proper hiring practices, creating exceptional employee experiences and career development training. LocationOne is a searchable database of available sites and buildings. Businesses and consultants can search by square footage, acreage, geographic location and other variables important for your project. With its integrated GIS component, the tool uses customizable layers with market information, demographics, workforce, infrastructure, housing, business and industry.
Airbus has established its largest engineering center outside of Europe in Kansas at the WSU Innovation Campus.
9
Available Incentives Kansas has various valuable incentive programs tailored for aerospace companies to assist in reducing the cost of locating or expanding business operations in Kansas. •Withholding Tax Incentives
•Sales Tax Exemption on Ingredients or Component Parts
•Training and Retraining Assistance
•Sales Tax Exemption on Items Consumed in Production
•Corporate Income Tax Credits
•Sales Tax Exemption on Production Machinery and Equipment
•Property Tax Exemption on Machinery and Equipment by State Statute
•No Inventory Tax
•Sales Tax Exemption on the Sales and Delivery of Aircraft
•No State or Local Earnings Tax
•Sales Tax Exemption on All Repair, Replacement Parts and Labor Services to Build, Modify or Repair Aircraft
•Funding Dedicated to Transportation Improvements
•Sales Tax Exemption for Construction, Build Out, Remodel, Furnish and Equip Worksite
•Utility Incentives to Offset Rate Costs •77 Designated Opportunity Zones
•Sales Tax Exemption on Utilities Consumed in Production
10
The population of Kansas is more than 2.9 million.
Median Age 37.1 21% Generation Z and 20% are Millennials.
91% of Kansas adults have a high school diploma.
Kansas’ median housing cost is $145,400.
Top States for Business
Kansas Achieves High Rankings
2020 AreaDevelopment
Kansas Ranks 6th
Kansas recognized as the most improved state in the country.
U.S. News & World Report Best States 2019
Kansas recognized as the most improved state in the country.
2019 Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report
« Kansans, on average, experience a 19-minute commute... the sixth quickest commute in the country. « The most common non-English languages spoken in Kansas are Spanish, Vietnamese, German and Chinese.2 « Ranking No. 10 in the nation for affordable healthcare costs and No. 15 for overall healthcare system, Kansas offers quality healthcare at an affordable price.6
1
Council for Community and Economic Research 2020, 2 US Census Bureau 2019, 3 Big 7 Travel 2019, 4 NOAA Climate Comparison 2019, 5 Kansas Wildlife, Park and Tourism, 6 Wallethub 2020
66% OF KANSANS ARE IN THE LABOR FORCE, WHICH IS
HIGHER
3%
Spirit AeroSystems, the world’s largest producer of commercial aerostructures, has completed approximately 10,500 Boeing 737 fuselages in Wichita. Every Boeing commercial aircraft in production today has structures that were manufactured in Kansas.
THAN THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES.
Tuttle Creek Lake - Manhattan, KS
KANSAS RANKS NATIONALLY IN THE
Top 5 FOR COST OF LIVING AT 12.1% BELOW THE U.S. AVERAGE
Salina Polytechnic Campus Fleet - Salina, KS
Department of Commerce
1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, Kansas 66612-1354 785-296-5298 | kansascommerce.gov
rev. 3.31.2021