Kansas aviation manufacturers land $103.9 million in federal COVID-19 relief money

Kansas aviation manufacturers are set to receive a combined $103.9 million in federal pandemic relief grant money to retain 4,284 employees.

The Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) program was created through legislation introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who both voted against the final version of the American Rescue Plan Act that funded the program.

“As our economy continues recovering from the pandemic, having a trained, fully-staffed workforce will help aviation manufacturers recover more quickly and meet the demand for new aircraft and repairs,” Moran said in a Friday news release.

Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita’s largest employer, is one of 26 Air Capital recipients, along with five other manufacturers in the state.

Funds will be administered through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The program is designed to pay up to half of the compensation costs for certain categories of employees, not to exceed 25% of the employer’s U.S. workforce, for up to six months.

As a condition of receiving the federal money, manufacturers must agree not to involuntarily furlough or lay off employees whose salaries are being partially paid through COVID-19 relief funds.

“This bipartisan, bicameral program is a common sense solution that directly benefits workers in Kansas, and I’m pleased that so many aviation manufacturers are receiving the assistance they need to keep building aircraft in the Sunflower State,” Estes said in the release.

Here’s a full list of Kansas manufacturers that will receive AMJP grants:

Aerospace Systems & Components, Wichita

Air Capital NDI, Wichita

Apex Engineering International, Wichita

B&B Airparts, Wichita

C.E. Machine Company, Wichita

Cox Machine, Wichita

DBA Kansas Coil Spring Co, Wichita

Dynamic NC, Rose Hill

Fiber Dynamics, Wichita

Global Aviation Technologies, Wichita

Goddard Machine, Wichita

H. M. Dunn Company, Wichita

Integrated Components, Wichita

Kelly Manufacturing Company, Wichita

KMI Inc, Mulvane

Learjet Inc, Wichita

Lee Aerospace, Wichita

Manufacturing Development Inc, Cheney

MAX Aerostructures, Wichita

Metal Arts Machine Co, Wichita

Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics, Wichita

Millennium Machine & Tool, Newton

NWI Wichita, Wichita

Omni Aerospace, Wichita

Orizon Aerostructures, Kansas City

Rickman Machine Co., Wichita

Sinclair & Sons Custom Welding & Machining Service Inc, Wichita

Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita

Trinity Precision Inc, Wichita

United Machine Company Inc, Wichita

Winglet Technology, Wichita