What’s Happening in Wichita

Almost 10 years since Beechcraft and Cessna joined under the Textron Aviation umbrella, the two sides of town are beginning to blend.

Julie Boatman

Friday, September 22, 2023 at 04:06 PM ET

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The Wichita metro area straddles the Arkansas River, dividing the city into clear East and West sides. [Credit: Julie Boatman]

Key Takeaways:

Textron Aviation, formed from the merger of Cessna and Beechcraft assets, is experiencing significant growth with a workforce of approximately 13,000 and a substantial order book.
To support its expansion and address the ongoing need for skilled employees, Textron Aviation is investing in a new Hiring and Learning Center in Wichita.
This dedicated center will optimize the hiring process, provide accelerated hands-on training for new technicians, and feature a K-12 vestibule to inspire local students in STEM and aviation careers.

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The West Side. The East Side. And Kellogg Avenue connects the two.

That’s the Wichita I knew when I left Kansas in 2012 to return to Colorado, leaving the Cessna Aircraft Company two years prior to the day when the news broke that Textron had purchased the assets of Beechcraft from the throes of its bankruptcy. In early 2014, we speculated that Textron had purchased Beech for the King Air line—and little else—and the outcome of the facilities surrounding the storied Beech Factory Field (KBEC) would be settled in a likely to be challenging merger.