General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Textron Aviation basing air taxi program in Wichita

Rob Scholl, CEO of Textron eAviation – the “e” denoting electric power — says in an interview with Vertical Magazine that the company’s Nexus program was transferred to his division last fall and now operates alongside Bell sister-company Textron Aviation.

“Currently, Textron eAviation has a dedicated team in Wichita, Kan., leading the Nexus program,” he says. “The business segment is also drawing upon support from Textron’s other divisions, including Bell, Textron Aviation, McCauley Propeller, automotive supplier Kautex, and Pipistrel."
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While some industry observers have had a more pessimistic outlook on the timeframe and investment required to make air taxis a broad reality — the segment is known in the industry as urban air mobility (UAM) or advanced air mobility (AAM) — Scholl says the work being done in Wichita could result in the prototype being designed locally flying within the next “couple of years.”

While previous Nexus aircraft were flown using hybrid-electric power, Scholl says what is being developed now will be fully electric.

I'm not sure what the future holds for this technology, but this is the second article about air taxi's I've seen this week.

Not connected to Textron or Wichita, but there was this following article I read earlier this week. United Airlines Pre-Orders 200 Flying Taxis With Vertical Takeoff for 4 Passengers

I'm sure these will be a thing at some point, but how soon is the question. It is interesting though and Wichita will apparently be involved through Textron.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - St. Louis Blues praise Wichita crowd; first NHL game in city history deemed success

Wichita made a successful debut hosting the first NHL game in the city’s history on Saturday, which made officials confident it won’t be the city’s last professional hockey showcase.

A crowd of 8,475 in Intrust Bank Arena was treated to an entertaining and high-scoring contest, a 5-4 victory by the St. Louis Blues over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday in each team’s first exhibition game of the 2022-23 season.

The game-day experience seemed to satisfy both hockey die-hards and casual fans alike, but just as importantly, the coordinated efforts of G1 Sports & Entertainment, the local group that made the game a reality and the event staffs of the Wichita Thunder and Intrust Bank Arena made a strong impression on the near 100 front-office personnel, staff members, coaches and players from the two NHL teams who made the trip to Wichita.

“The fans here were great and the rink was great,” Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who started between the pipes in Wichita, told The Eagle. “We enjoyed our time here. Overall, it was a great experience.”

“The atmosphere was really good,” Blues coach Craig Berube added. “We had great support from the fans here. It was awesome.”

Joel T. Lomurno, the Thunder general manager, was beaming after the game in the bowels of Intrust Bank Arena, giddy from the reviews that were rolling in from the NHL visitors.

“I’ve overheard a lot of people say that the Blues were really impressed by how cool this building is,” Lomurno said. “I think everyone from top to bottom, the fans, the building, G1, the teams is really pleased with how everything went.

“There’s certainly potential to keep this thing going.”

The Blues play in a dump so I'm not surprised that they would be impressed with Intrust.

It is nice to hear though that things went well. I know I had a number of friends that posted on FB from the game.

If they ever bring the Red Wings in, I'm there for sure.

I hope Wichita is able to make this an annual event.

[SubGod22]

Also read that the Coyotes may be looking to relocate. Wichita would be an extreme long shot, but events like this could eventually get you in a discussion I suppose. Though with cities like Kansas City and Portland I believe actively seeking teams when there are expansion/relocation talks, it makes it even more difficult. I'm also not sure what other cities have tried. Wichita has a long way to go in regards to growth and average income to really have a chance at viability of professional sports teams. Though one would think that we would have a better chance at "lesser" pro sports leagues like the NHL or MLS down the road compared to NBA, NFL and MLB.

We've supported hockey fairly well for 30 years or so with the Thunder. It does show a solid fan base for hockey that could be built upon. I'm not sure how well supported FC Wichita is. Pretty sure we have a long way to go there, though they have moved up in leagues recently.

A lot has to happen to pull one off, but ground work has to be laid somewhere. Plus, it's nice to dream.

[SubGod22]

KSN - 70,000 attend McConnell open house and air show

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The free air show at McConnell Air Force Base appears to have been a big success this past weekend.

Organizers say approximately 70,000 people attended the Frontiers in Flight Open House and Air Show. It was the first air show at McConnell in four years. They plan to hold the next one in 2024, most likely in September.

In addition to enjoying the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and other flying acts, visitors were able to get an inside look at dozens of planes and vehicles on display.

Only thing that may have made it better would have been if Doc was there. I'm pretty sure I saw that for some reason, our lovely restored bomber wasn't a part of the plans. Not sure if it was booked for elsewhere or not, but I'd hope it would be involved in some form in the future.

[SubGod22]

Chick N Max continues to expand. They have a deal to grow in Kansas (25), South Dakota (3) and now Texas is official (25). I believe they're still talking to potential partners in Arizona and Arkansas. I do know they've turned down potential franchisees because they felt the fit was poor.

QSR Magazine - Chick N Max Inks 25-Unit Deal for Texas

“While researching several brands in the chicken sandwich space, I knew I wanted to partner with the one I felt had the strongest flavor profile. After my first bite of a Chick N Max sandwich during a visit to Wichita, I was sold,” says Johnson. “I’m especially excited to be joining Max Sheets and his dynamic leadership team. Having the opportunity to grow the brand in Houston, which I call home, gives me great pride.”

Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2021, Chick N Max offers a unique culinary experience with its 10 unique flavors of chef-crafted sandwiches, made with almond wood smoked pulled chicken or crispy golden fried tenders. Examples include the Maple Bacon Sandwich, featuring pulled smoked chicken, chopped bacon, a drizzle of maple syrup, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise on a potato bun; or the Sweet & Spicy Sandwich, which includes lightly breaded, crisp chicken tenders, fried jalapeño pepper strips, cucumber, tomato and sweet & spicy sauce on a brioche bun.

[SubGod22]

More air taxi news. Guess it's expected that we'll see who survives and who folds in the market over the next year or so. I wouldn't have thought we were that far along to be make or break time, but maybe we are.

WBJ - Head of Boeing-backed air taxi sees sector "shakeout" coming

Wisk Areo was founded as a joint venture between Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Kitty Hawk. Boeing put another $450 million behind the electric aircraft company earlier this year.

Gysin said he expects a market that has spawned numerous startups aimed at capitalizing on what the industry calls urban air mobility (UAM) or advanced air mobility (AAM) to eventually be trimmed to four or five companies.

While he cited competitors Beta Technologies and Joby Aviation as likely survivors, Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) has taken steps in the market recently that have tied its own air taxi ambitions directly to Wichita.

The company last fall transferred the Nexus program of its Bell unit to Wichita under the umbrella of its new Textron eAviation division.

And, in a recent interview with Vertical Magazine, the head of that division, Rob Scholl, sounded a similar warning for investors.

“At Textron, we are confident in the bright future of AAM,” Scholl said. “Given our wealth of experience, I would caution participants in the AAM to be ready for the challenging road ahead. Many companies are setting very aggressive expectations for market timing and growth. We know that the path to designing and certifying a viable aircraft can be technically challenging and capital intensive.”

While some industry observers remain skeptical over the regulatory and technological advancements needed to create a future where air taxis become viable as personal transportation, others in Wichita’s aerospace sector are taking similar steps to Textron to ensure they don’t miss the potential.

That includes Spirit AeroSystems Inc. (NYSE: SPR) — the only local employer larger than Textron Aviation — which last year rolled eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) into its commercial aerospace division.

Others have also seen Wichita’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities as playing a critical role in the market’s future, with former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine saying in 2019 that the city could become “the Detroit of urban air mobility.”

I've often talked about diversifying and getting away from an aviation focus, but this is aviation related but a bit adjacent. It's also interesting, because if this tech does take off in the relatively near future and gets whatever approval necessary to truly be utilized, Wichita would make a lot of sense to be right in the middle of it all. I have no idea how many new jobs would be created or new businesses that become suppliers, or expansion of current suppliers, but it could potentially be a win for Wichita.

It could also flop and go nowhere, but I try to remain positive in these threads,even when some try to derail that. It will be interesting to see how the next 18 months play out.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Uptown Landing adds bank as phase 2 construction progresses

The ground-floor commercial space in its first building is now 100% leased, thanks to the upcoming addition of Union State Bank, while Uptown Landing's phase 2 construction is pushing ahead to a targeted May-June 2023 completion.
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The development has added several new tenants since 2021 to bring its ground-floor commercial space up to full occupancy, including Remedy Spa, State Farm insurance agent Diana Ratliff and Pearl, an obstetrics and gynecology clinic. They joined existing tenants Vora Restaurant European and Source Salon & Co.

"First-phase retail has gone extremely well since the pandemic," said Mike Brand, managing partner of the development project.

The 51 luxury apartments in phase 1's mixed-use building remain 100% leased.
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Now, the three-story, 126-unit apartment building is full steam ahead, with visible progress. The framing is closing in on completion and stone work has begun.

Conco Construction is the lead contractor and SPT Architecture is the architect. According to city/county records, a new commercial building permit valued at $16 million was issued last month for the location just north of the first building at Douglas and Rutan St.

The U-shaped building will have one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments — more than double the number of units as phase 1. Unlike the first building, there will be no ground floor office/retail space.

Planned amenities include a heated, underground parking garage, dog-washing station, 90-foot pool, pickleball courts, coffee bar, large workout room and a party room that can be rented out, Brand said.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

KSN - 70,000 attend McConnell open house and air show



Only thing that may have made it better would have been if Doc was there. I'm pretty sure I saw that for some reason, our lovely restored bomber wasn't a part of the plans. Not sure if it was booked for elsewhere or not, but I'd hope it would be involved in some form in the future.

Doc was indeed elsewhere. It was here in San Diego at the Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar. Went on Saturday with 200,000 other people. It was a freaking mad house to get in and out of the base but well worth it. Doc was fantastic!!

[SubGod22]

SAP - The Smart Factory @ Wichita: Experience the Future of Manufacturing

Innovation thrives when talented people with passion and skills have the physical space to exchange ideas and build and test their concepts. For example, the flat, grassy fields surrounding Wichita, Kansas, provided the fledgling aviation industry of the 1920s ample space for runways and hangars to foster innovation of the aircraft that would define a new era of transportation.

As this industry grew, the city attracted entrepreneurs, investors, and engineers to become the “Air Capital of the World.” Wichita now ranks nationally at No. 1 in manufacturing jobs as a percentage of all jobs and No. 3 in percentage of jobs classified as “very high-tech.”

The recent launch of The Smart Factory @ Wichita, a new, immersive experience center that showcases smart manufacturing solutions and technologies across a variety of use cases, is the latest milestone in the city’s proud history of innovation. The project, led by Deloitte, aims to accelerate digital transformation in manufacturing and address the challenges organizations are facing, including a volatile global economy, supply chain issues, labor shortages, and more, to help navigate today and build competitive advantage for the future. For visitors, it’s an opportunity to see first-hand how Industry 4.0 solutions bring connectivity, intelligence, and transparency to the supply chain within a fully operational, smart manufacturing environment.

The Smart Factory @ Wichita is expected to host more than 5,000 visitors over the next year. The 60,000 square-foot facility is housed on the Innovation Campus at Wichita State University, where it is connected to the university-managed smart grid and has renewable energy generation on-site. As a showcase for the future of manufacturing, The Smart Factory @ Wichita operates sustainably at net-zero energy consumption and is outfitted with wind trees, solar assets, and smart lighting.

The Smart Factory @ Wichita recently celebrated its opening with a summit in June. SAP is proud to be a founding sponsor – along with Deloitte, Dragos, Infor, Siemens, and Wichita State University – within an extended ecosystem that includes stakeholders from software, hardware, robotics, consulting, academia, and others.

Darcy MacClaren, senior vice president of Digital Supply Chain and Industry 4.0 for SAP North America, participated in the Opening Summit. She believes the facility is a must-see experience for customers.

“The Smart Factory @ Wichita is a truly unique experience for visitors to envision how Industry 4.0 can drive value for their business,” she says. “I cannot emphasize the value of the real-life experience strongly enough. The immersion in the live production environment allows visitors to experience smart manufacturing concepts in a way that’s not possible through standard conversations or presentations.”

Love seeing Wichita mentioned in a positive light.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Riverfront Stadium transforms to host football games

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Wind Surge lost a heartbreaking game in the Texas League Championship on Tuesday, Sept. 27, to end their season.

While the team is preparing for the offseason now, the grounds crew at Riverfront Stadium is hard at work transforming the baseball field into what it will be used for over the coming weeks as Riverfront Stadium will host several high school football games.

“So this year, we only have seven days to go,” explained Riverfront Stadium head groundskeeper Ben Hartman. “So a week from Friday, we’ll have a football game. So, it’s really a time crunch. Just the preparation and getting everything ready to go and doing a lot of work in little time. Everybody looks at man hours, it’s pretty close to 40-50 man hours. It’s really going to be about three days.”

It all begins with the Holly War next week.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Detox program saves city and county time and money

“The savings is around $12 million for the community, and that community includes the city and county of Wichita and the state where these folks are not going to the state and local hospital, and they are not in EMS or police cars,” Casey said.

Many repeat offenders come in at the hands of WPD’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT).

“When an officer takes a street person to the hospital, that officer cannot leave the person until they have been admitted,” Casey said.

“At some point, we have to break that cycle, or it’s going to continue on every day. I have been there about four to five hours, so half your shift if you have to take someone to the hospital,” said officer Nate Schwiethile, WPD HOT team.

The program is also helping people already on a recovery path.

“I have about 120 employees that are in recovery themselves, and I think if you look at it that way, what an investment?” Casey said.

Love hearing about things like this that are a true blessing to the community, even if most don't see or hear about it.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Air Force announces $45.8M order for Textron Aviation Defense

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The U.S. Air Force has announced a contract for Textron Aviation Defense in Wichita.

It says a country that partners with the U.S. is purchasing Beechcraft T-6C Texan II aircraft. The Air Force did not reveal the name of the country or the number of planes in the order.

However, it did say the first part of the order amounts to $7.7 million for Textron Aviation Defense. By the time the order is finished, the cumulative value will be $45.8 million. The contract is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Wichita Wagonmasters Downtown Chili Cookoff happening Saturday

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – A Wichita tradition continues as the Wichita Wagonmasters host their Downtown Chili Cookoff this Saturday, Oct. 1.

The event is being held at the intersection of Douglas and St. Francis.

According to the Wagonmasters, teams from Kansas and its surrounding states (around 80) have joined the Wagonmasters in making the chili cookoff a Wichita tradition for 39 years. The Wagonmasters took over this event in 2005 and brought it back Downtown.

An event I've often heard about but never attended. Could actually be an enjoyable time. They estimate around 9K will attend.

[SubGod22]

For those that live in or travel in north Wichita, a friendly reminder.

KSN - Amidon bridge closes Monday for 14 months

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Amidon bridge that connects the Twin Lakes and Benjamin Hills neighborhoods of 21st and Amidon to the Riverside neighborhood is closing on Monday, Oct. 3, for the next 14 months.

Northbound lanes have already been closed for several weeks, but now both directions will be shut down starting Monday for extensive repairs. Those repairs are not expected to be completed until spring 2024.

Traffic between 21st Street and 13th will be diverted to West Street, but delays are expected as thousands of drivers use the bridge daily, including those who commute from cities like Valley Center.

[SubGod22]

We know I love our zoo!

Wichita by EB - Wild Lights returns to the Sedgwick County Zoo starting Sept. 30

The latest attraction at Sedgwick County Zoo starts Friday, Sept.30 called Wild Lights. Open every Wednesday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., this one-of-a-kind Asian Lantern sculpture gives people a chance to stroll the evening under the stars.

The larger-than-life sculptures are spread throughout the zoo, giving attendees a path illuminated by the cool creatures.

This is best viewed when the sun goes down so you can get the best experience possible.

The Beastro will be open during this for food and booze.