Sky-high hopes for Topeka's future in the aviation industry is justified

Did you know Topeka has the longest runway in Kansas?

Topeka Regional Airport has a runway that is 12,803 feet long. That’s a huge asset. And leaders in Top City are hoping to use it to bring businesses from the aviation industry to the capital city.

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority and economic development officials here are teaming up to work to create an environment aimed at bringing hundreds of aviation jobs to Topeka, The Capital-Journal’s Tim Hrenchir was told this by Curtis Sneden, director of economic development for the MTAA.

The MTAA is seeking to make Topeka "the ideal site" for such companies to do business.

"We're planting seeds that aren't going to bloom for 18 to 24 months," Sneden said. "But when they bloom, it's going to be big."

The goal aims to make Topeka part of something dubbed “the Kansas Aerospace Triad” that also includes Wichita and Salina who have long-established histories in the aviation industry. Topeka could potentially make altimeters, wire harnesses and other elements that support the efforts in Wichita and Salina.

"Wichita has some of that, but they don't have enough capacity for all of the business that could be coming," he said. "They need Salina and they need Topeka."

We support this vision. Topeka has gotten its heart broken before on commercial flights to larger hubs, but Sneden's vision shows the capital city has a wealth of resources in the aviation industry: Philip Billard Municipal Airport, Topeka Regional Airport and Topeka Air Industrial Park. Not to mention the 190th Air Refueling Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard.

"This could be a perfect spot for the other players in that larger kind of industry hierarchy,” Sneden said.

Sneden said the most compelling opportunity he sees aviation-wise for Topeka involves attracting companies that carry out "maintenance, repair and overhaul" work to convert massive jets to be used for other purposes. This could include converting passenger jets to freight aircraft.

With Topeka's larger runway, this makes sense.

Perhaps further development could lead to more opportunities including a return of commercial flights.

Leveraging these assets and resources seems like a win-win. Kansas has a proud tradition of being innovators in aviation going all the way back to Clyde Cessna in Kingman County.

Let’s continue to build on that history. Let’s see what we can accomplish. It makes sense.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Sky-high hopes for Topeka's future in aviation industry is justified