The Planes of Wichita: The People and the Aircraft of the Air CapitalFor more than eight decades, Wichita, Kansas has been recognized as the world's Air Capital, and there doesn't seem to be any other city that can make that claim. More than half of all the airplanes in the world were built in this prairie town of 360,000. Three elements drew early builders-weather, workers and wampum. Three hundred days of good flying weather can be guaranteed; a work force with experience learned on the farm on in the oil patch was on hand; and plenty of cash was available. Of the literally scores of airplane companies that called Wichita home over the years, today's survivors dominate the worldwide General Aviation market. The Planes of Wichita is a collection of thumbnail sketches that tell the stories that contributed to the legend. |
Contents
Chapter Two The boys from Travel Air | 11 |
Chapter Five The Day Air Racings Golden Age Began | 29 |
Chapter Eight Life after Travel Air | 45 |
Chapter Ten The Second Beechcraft | 62 |
Chapter Thirteen Cessnas biggest and fastest single | 85 |
Chapter Seventeen First bizjet around the world | 101 |
Chapter Nineteen Starshipthe lovable failure | 114 |
| 131 | |
Other editions - View all
The Planes of Wichita: The People and the Aircraft of the Air Capital Daryl Murphy No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
aircraft companies Aircraft Corp airframe airplane Al Mooney Army became Beech Aircraft Beechcraft began Bill Lear biplane Boeing Bonanza build Built in Reims business jet C.I. Type cabin Caravan Cessna Aircraft Citation civil Clyde Cessna company's Continental cost Cruise speed Curtiss Curtiss-Wright debuted delivered deliveries developed Dwane Wallace early engine factory flew flight flown flying fuel fuselage gross weight Gross wt horsepower Kansas King Air Laird landing gear later Learjet 24 Liggett liquid-cooled Lloyd Stearman load Lockheed Lycoming manufacturers miles military million Model 18 Model Takeoff Monocoupe monoplane multi-engine National Air Races Navy Olive Ann operation pilot plans postwar power plant Pratt & Whitney production prototype racer radial Rawdon selling Service ceiling single-engine Skymaster sold Staggerwing Stearman Aircraft success Super Thompson Trophy trainer Travel Air turboprop twin Type Certificate Walter Beech Warner Wasp Wichita Wing area