Transportation secretary praises Wichita aviation | The Wichita Eagle

WICHITA — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told Wichita aviation workers at a rally Monday that their efforts are "essential to keeping America on a trajectory to economic recovery."

"You are the epicenter for creating the kind of jobs and the kind of airplanes that the world wants," LaHood told a crowd of more than 2,000 people inside a Cessna Aircraft hangar.

The rally was organized by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association to promote general aviation, which it says employs 1.2 million people nationally.

In Kansas, general aviation contributes more than $7 billion a year to the state economy, officials said.

Cessna CEO Jack Pelton called LaHood's visit a "huge win for general aviation in Wichita."

"He will go back to Washington as our advocate and make sure that the administration understands the importance of our industry," Pelton said.

Workers from Cessna, Bombardier Learjet and Hawker Beechcraft, along with suppliers and union and trade group officials were in attendance. So were government officials, including Gov. Sam Brownback, Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Mike Pompeo.

LaHood said he recognizes the importance of the general aviation industry and the jobs it supports nationwide. He also told the crowd that he will encourage President Obama to visit Wichita next year.

The general aviation industry is crucial to meeting Obama's goal of doubling the nation's exports in the next five years, LaHood said.

"I will do everything I can when I get back to Washington to persuade President Obama to come out and thank you for all that you're doing to make America continue to be the great country it is... ," LaHood said.

The work aviation workers do in Wichita helps the future of the country, he said.

"You are designing the next generation of America," LaHood said. "You are creating and exporting business tools that companies around the world need to grow the economy and create jobs."

He said he is proud to "fight with you to make sure that general aviation... continues to flourish as the global economy picks up."

The biggest challenge facing the industry is "to get the economy going," so people want to buy airplanes, LaHood said after the rally.

LaHood flew to Wichita in a Gulfstream jet from the Air Mobility Command with "United States of America" painted on the fuselage.

LaHood toured the Cessna factory before the rally, and said he was struck by the workers and the quality of the work they do.

"They have it down to a fine art," he said after the rally. "They take their jobs very seriously."

LaHood's visit is the culmination of two years of trying to get Washington's attention after Congress bashed the nation's top automakers for flying to Washington, D.C., in business jets to ask for government bailout money.

Industry leaders have said that criticism of the industry was a factor in making the market, already hurting from the economic downturn, worse.

Hawker Beechcraft executive vice president for global operations Bill Brown called LaHood's visit a "visible signal that Washington's taking notice of the high-paying, high-skilled jobs here in Wichita."

David Schievelbein, a Bombardier Learjet material controller, attended the rally. He said he came away with positive feelings.

"It sounds like they are thinking we're going to get the economy turned around and sell some planes," Schievelbein said.

Pelton said he has talked with LaHood on challenges facing the industry, including dealing with international trade regulations, the State Department and the Department of Defense.

"Getting all those agencies to work together and be supportive is a huge agenda," Pelton said.

"I can assure you one thing: If government gets out of our way and supports us, there is no telling how big we can get," Pelton said.