Greater Wichita Partnership to Promote Air Capital at 2023 Paris Air Show
Partnership to lead the largest Kansas delegation in history to Paris Air Show
WICHITA, Kan. – June 14, 2023 – The Greater Wichita Partnership is proud to announce its participation at the 54th Paris Air Show, one of the largest and most prestigious aerospace events in the world, June 19-25 to promote the Air Capital of the World and its advanced manufacturing and aerospace capabilities to a tradeshow audience of nearly 150,000.
“The Partnership’s presence at this premier event has grown exponentially in recent years aiding in lead generation and business growth,” said Partnership President Jeff Fluhr. “This is an opportunity to further market our global city and the Greater Wichita region’s innovative and diverse aerospace industries.”
The Partnership will be joined by an esteemed delegation of VIPs, industry leaders from companies such as Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing, Bombardier, Textron Aviation, Airbus, GE Aviation, and NIAR, as well as five levels of Kansas elected officials including United States Senator Jerry Moran.
As Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, the Vice Chair of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation and the Chair of the Senate Aerospace Caucus, Sen. Moran is a leading advocate for aviation job creation and innovation.
“Kansas has a rich history of aviation and manufacturing with a culture of innovation. Over the past several years, we have brought a significant amount of new business to our state and expanded opportunities for the companies that currently call Kansas home,” said U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). “As we build on these successes, I am pleased to work alongside the Greater Wichita Partnership to lead the largest Kansas delegation ever to this year’s Paris Air Show, offering the ideal opportunity to share with the world our state’s capabilities in aerospace, national defense and space.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, who has consistently shown a deep commitment for the Air Capital of the World, advancing education and workforce training, said the Paris Air Show is pertinent to the state maintaining a leading edge in the aerospace industry.
“We are bringing businesses from around the world to the State of Kansas. The Paris Air Show allows us to showcase the Air Capital of the World’s aviation expertise, world-class training centers and premier location to a worldwide audience of manufacturers and engineering firms,” said Governor Kelly.
The delegation will promote numerous resources the Air Capital of the World supplies to the aerospace industry including the region’s more than 450 world-class suppliers. Additionally, new aviation start-ups are being honored at this year’s Paris Air Show. Kansas start-ups include not only Pinnacle Aerospace but also RecruitAERO and The AirCraft Company. Kansas is proud to have three of the 19 start-ups represented, the most of any state in attendance.
The Partnership collaborates with the Kansas Department of Commerce in showcasing the Air Capital’s advantages. This year partners attending include:
- ASC
- Cox Machine
- Etezazi Industries
- Globe Engineering Co.
- Harlow Aerostructures
- Metal Finishing Co.
- Mid-States Aerospace
- NWI Aerostructures
- Park Aerospace
- Pinnacle Aerospace
Elected officials and university leadership:
- Sen. Jerry Moran, U.S. Senate
- Rep. Ron Estes, U.S. House of Representatives
- Governor Laura Kelly, State of Kansas
- Chairman Pete Meitzner, Sedgwick County
- Mayor Brandon Whipple, City of Wichita
- Dr. Rick Muma, President, Wichita State University
- Dr. Sheree Utash, President, WSU Tech
- Dr. John Tomblin, Executive Director, NIAR
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About the Greater Wichita Partnership
The Greater Wichita Partnership aligns resources and focuses the business community on common strategies to cultivate an environment to fast-forward economic growth in a 10-county region within Wichita and South-Central Kansas. The organization works with three key priorities – jobs, talent and quality of place. To learn more, visit greaterwichitapartnership.org.
