WICHITA — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood met with aircraft workers, aviation executives and local and state politicians at a rally Monday at Cessna’s Wichita plant in a visit designed to boost morale of those in the general aviation industry. LaHood told them that the general aviation is essential to America’s economic recovery and the jobs it supports nationally. He also told the crowd that he will encourage President Obama to visit Wichita next year. The Wichita Eagle reported that despite the flagging economy, general aviation contributed more than $7 billion a year to the Kansas economy last year. The eagle said 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 in business jets to ask for government bailout money. Aircraft ndustry leaders say that criticism of the industry was a factor in making the market, already hurting from the economic downturn, worse.
Tuesday, March 22, 8 a.m.
