 |  Business Facilities Rates Wichita #1 for Aviation Manufacturing A prominent business publication, Business Facilities, has ranked Wichita as the top-ranked metro for aerospace and defense manufacturing in their 2010 Rankings Report. It noted Wichita's history with its large aviation cluster and said the city offers "one of the largest aerospace labor pools and supplier networks in the world." The report also mentioned Wichita's National Institute for Aviation Research & the new National Center for Aviation Training as important resources that contribute significantly to Wichita's strength in aerospace and defense manufacturing. In the magazine's rankings for states, Kansas was ranked in the top 10 among states in eight categories. Kansas ranks No. 11 in CNBC's annual Top States for Business report (7/15/2010) - CNBC's Survey ranks Kansas among Top 10 in transportation, economy, cost of living & 11th overall. The CNBC report analyzes all 50 states by examining 40 different measures of competitiveness, which are then grouped into 10 broad categories: cost of doing business, workforce, quality of life, economy, transportation, technology and innovation, education, business friendliness, access to capital and cost of living. Of those 10 categories, Kansas finished one spot behind Georgia and one spot ahead of North Dakota. Iowa (No. 6) was the only Midwestern state ranked ahead of Kansas. “This national ranking is another example of how Kansas has positioned itself well above the rest of the country,” said Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson. “As we continue to strengthen our economy, it is encouraging that prestigious organizations like CNBC are recognizing our state’s efforts in creating job-producing policies and promoting economic development. This ranking not only speaks volumes about the amazing workforce and businesses in our state, but also the strong schools, public infrastructure and communities that have created Kansas’ success. We remain committed to continuing this success and furthering our economic recovery.” CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news, providing real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 340 million homes worldwide, including more than 95 million households in the United States and Canada. The complete ranking is available at www.cnbc.com. Today’s announcement marks the third time since May a major media outlet has recognized Kansas for business excellence. In June, Area Development magazine named Kansas the winner of the Silver Shovel Award for excellence in job creation and capital investment. In May, Kansas was named one of the nation’s 10 most competitive states for capital investment and facility development by Site Selection magazine, a leading publication for site consultants. Visit www.kansascommerce.com/newsroom for details. In 2009, the Kansas Department of Commerce was involved in 58 successful recruitment projects in which Kansas was competing with at least one other state. Those projects totaled 11,888 new jobs and $685.2 million in capital investment. The Department was also involved in 141 expansion/retention projects with existing Kansas businesses, totaling 21,600 new or retained jobs and $1.37 billion in capital investment. NCAMP announces new material qualification program The National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) announces that it has chosen Cytec’s 5320 medium toughness out-of-autoclave prepreg system and Cytec’s 5276-1 high toughness prepreg system for its newest material qualification program. Funding for this material qualification program was provided by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). NCAMP began the material selection process by compiling proposals from various material suppliers into a ballot. The ballot was sent to the NCAMP Manufacturers Advisory Board, which consists of original equipment manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers. It was also sent to NCAMP’s Regulatory Governing Board, made up of several U.S. government agencies. Members voted for the most desirable materials. The material property data acquisition and qualification test plans will generate basic material allowables typically needed for aerospace applications and material properties typically needed to establish material control. Material and process specifications which follow SAE AMS format will be created for the materials. The production of the qualified products will be controlled by NCAMPapproved process control document. The material property data generated from this program are intended for inclusion in CMH-17 Vol. 2 Complete Documentation sections. Aerospace companies that wish to participate in this program are requested to contact Yeow Ng at yeow.ng@wichita.edu. NCAMP will begin to work with Cytec and the participating aerospace companies to select the products forms (fiber, fabric style, areal weight, etc.). Two product forms will be qualified with each resin system. The program is scheduled to complete within two years. Material Selection Process Questions asked in the ballot were: Material Selection Results
The low temperature curing capability of CYCOM 5320, coupled with the cost benefits, makes it ideal for many structural aerospace applications. Low cost tooling and OOA curing offers the distinct advantage of using one material for both prototype and high-rate production. CYCOM 5320 offers the mechanical performance equivalent to 350°F/180°C autoclave-cured, toughened epoxy prepreg systems. With CYCOM 5320, you have the flexibility to vary the cure cycle from 200°F/8hr to 250°F/2hr (followed by a 350°F two-hour post cure). This flexibility provides a broad processing window with maximized mechanical properties. As CYCOM 5320 can be vacuum bag cured to produce autoclave-quality components, the non-recurring costs reduction offers a tangible financial benefit.
For additional information about Cytec 5320, please visit Cytec's website.
Site Selection Magazine Names Top Metro Areas for New and Expanded Corporate Facilities Wichita, Kan. – Site Selection magazine released its top 10 lists of metro areas in the nation with the most new and expanded corporate facilities in 2007. Wichita tied for fourth with Dayton, Ohio, in the tier of metro areas with populations between 200,000 and 1 million. Greensboro/High Point, N.C., National Institute for Aviation Research, Wichita State University Ranks 3rd in R & D Wichita, Kan., - Wichita State University now ranks third among all U.S. universities in aerospace engineering research and development. According to the most recent National Science Foundation data, WSU has improved its 4th place ranking and ranks above prestigious universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The top ten universities in aerospace research are the Johns Hopkins University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Wichita State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, University of Maryland, University of Colorado, University of Texas, University of Tennessee and University of Florida. Wichita State’s No. 3 rank is largely due to the research and testing programs at the National Institute for Aviation Research. This significant growth is due in part to the support of the local and national aviation industry, the State of Kansas and numerous federal agencies. “This ranking is a demonstration of the commitment from our Federal congressional delegation, Kansas legislature and the surrounding aviation industry to support additional research to help ensure the United States and Kansas will remain strong in aviation pioneering,” said NIAR executive director Dr. John Tomblin. NIAR has grown at a steady rate for the past ten years, increasing its operating budget from $10 million in 1997 to $35 million in 2007. “With the growth and work accomplished at NIAR over the last few years, we expected to move up in the ranking,” said Tom Aldag, director of research and development. “It is exciting to be in the company of these prestigious research institutions.” Continued growth and high ranks in aerospace research are expected for Wichita State and NIAR with the addition of a new test facility, laboratories and involvement in the National Center for Aviation Training managed by Wichita Area Technical College. NIAR’s new facility, located behind the main facility on the WSU campus, houses several of NIAR’s new environmental testing laboratories, which provide DO-160 certification testing. The National Center for Aviation Training will be located at Jabara Airport and will provide a wide range of aviation training services. NIAR will have facilities dedicated to CATIA training, composites research, non-destructive inspection and advanced joining technologies at this facility, which is scheduled to open to students in the fall of 2010.
### The National Institute for Aviation Research is a prestigious state-of-the-art aerospace research and development laboratory with global reach and expertise in research, design, testing, and certification. The Institute’s clientele includes many of the world’s aerospace manufacturers, NASA and the FAA. It is the largest aviation R&D academic institution in America. The National Institute for Aviation Research is an unincorporated division of Wichita State University. | Contacts: Tammy Nolan Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition 350 W. Douglas Wichita, KS 67202 P: (316) 268-1128 F: (316) 265-7502 tnolan@gwedc.org www.gwedc.org |
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