Aviation stakeholders from across Kansas gathered in Topeka to discuss jobs, infrastructure and emerging technologies as part of Aviation Day at the Capitol last week. The event was sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Kansas Commission on Aerospace Education.
“The event offers an amazing collaborative opportunity to showcase aviation by bringing legislators, employers, state and federal officials, and other aviation industry stakeholders together,” said Ray Seif, Aviation Director for the KDOT Division of Aviation.
Numerous organizations participated with booths on the first floor of the rotunda with information and demonstrations for visitors. Keynote speakers included Joe Miniace, Federal Aviation Administration Central Region Administrator, and Pierre Harter, Associate Vice President for Industry and Defense Programs, Research Operations at Wichita State University. Harter also serves as Director of Research and Development at the National Institute for Aviation Research at the university.
Aviation Day sponsors and exhibitors included:
- 1 Vision Aviation PLLC
- AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations)
- Aviation Explorers Post 8
- Alfred Benesch & Company
- Bombardier
- Burns & McDonnell
- Butler National Corporation
- Commemorative Air Force – Heart of America Wing
- Civil Air Patrol
- Combat Air Museum
- Federal Aviation Administration – Wichita Flight Standards District Office
- Garmin International
- Garver
- KAA (Kansas Association of Airports)
- KAAA (Kansas Agricultural Aviation Association)
- Kansas Aviation Museum
- Kansas Department of Transportation
- Kansas State University – Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus
- Lee Aerospace Inc.
- NIAR – Wichita State University National Institute for Aviation Research
- Spirit AeroSystems
- Textron Aviation
- WSU Tech
