With 737 Max grounded, Wichita needs decisive, forward-looking leadership
Thousands of Spirit AeroSystems workers will head into the new year facing an uncertain future, after the company announced it would suspend production of Boeing 737 Max jets on Jan. 1.
That news — along with impending layoffs at Textron Aviation and the resignation Monday of Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg — should have Wichita leaders scrambling to deal with what could be a devastating blow to our local community.
Spirit employs about 12,500 people in Wichita. More than half of its revenue comes from the production of 737 aircraft components, including the fuselage.
Those fuselages have been stacking up on a tarmac in south Wichita while Boeing works with federal regulators to get the Max back in the air. If that doesn’t happen in time to head off potential layoffs, our region could be looking at way more than the average downturn.
Time to panic?
“Leaders don’t panic,” Wichita mayor-elect Brandon Whipple told The Eagle on Monday. “They respond to a crisis, so that’s what we’re going to do. . . . We’re going to respond with every tool we have to minimize the effect it has on our economy.”
When Whipple takes office Jan. 14, he should be ready for the economic version of Omaha Beach.
Elected officials and the Greater Wichita Partnership have talked for years about attracting new industries and jobs, but aviation manufacturing continues to dominate the landscape. So when Spirit falters, Wichita quakes, and it’s imperative that leaders do whatever necessary to minimize the impact.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has said the state may need to step in and help pay Spirit workers to keep them on the assembly line. She said it’s vital to keep Spirit workers employed so the state doesn’t lose that talent pool — and Whipple agreed.
“The last thing we want is for our human capital — the people who are working these jobs — to up and move,” the mayor-elect said Monday.
“One of Wichita’s strongest resources is the fact that we build airplanes better than anyone else, and we design airplanes better than anyone else. So we have to act fast. We don’t want people thinking that they have to leave.”
That happened in 2013, when Boeing closed its facilities in Wichita. The bulk of Boeing Wichita’s work moved to Oklahoma City, San Antonio and the Seattle area, and most of its 2,100 employees followed the company out of town, were laid off or retired.
This time, again, leaders need to consider the downstream effects a massive shutdown could have on the Wichita area:
What kinds of alternative jobs could workers find?
What will it mean for WSU Tech and other institutions with programs that feed the aviation industry?
What could manufacturing layoffs mean for local retail and other sectors of the economy — car dealerships, restaurants, real estate and more?
Spirit’s latest troubles won’t make for a happy holiday for local workers or their families. It’s up to local leaders to face the situation head-on, develop short-term strategies and look for long-term solutions.
This story was originally published December 24, 2019 at 5:03 AM.