WICHITA, Kansas (WGHP) — Piedmont Triad leaders have some lofty goals. To achieve those objectives, about 100 of them embarked on an intercity visit to Wichita, Kansas. When the trip was over, they came to a popular conclusion: maybe they were selling themselves short.
“I think we, as an area, as a community, need to think bigger,” said Brent Christensen, president and CEO of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. “Sometimes we don’t give ourselves some credit. We can do some really big, big things.”
North Carolina is hub for future of aviation
Organized by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the trip to Wichita was designed to provide an intimate look into how the city earned the title of “Air Capital of the World.” With recent economic announcements, including the Boom Supersonic Overture Superfactory and JetZero’s first U.S. manufacturing facility — both at Piedmont Triad International Airport — the participants are exploring how to not only continue the region’s success but also ensure the success of the companies.
JetZero’s move to PTI, described as “generational,” is expected to create 14,500 high-wage aerospace manufacturing jobs. It complements the airport’s long-term vision, alongside existing companies, including Cessna, HAECO Americas, Honda Aircraft Company, FedEx and dozens of others that contribute billions of dollars to the local economy every year.
“We have a really good opportunity to be that aerospace capital for the next hundred years,” said Kevin Baker, executive director of the Piedmont Triad Airport, while standing inside the Kansas Aviation Museum on the first day of the trip…