Kansas aviation manufacturers land $103.9 million in federal COVID-19 relief money

The Wichita Eagle | Matthew Kelly

Kansas aviation manufacturers are set to receive a combined $103.9 million in federal pandemic relief grant money to retain 4,284 employees.

The Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) program was created through legislation introduced by Sen. Jerry Moran and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who both voted against the final version of the American Rescue Plan Act that funded the program.

“As our economy continues recovering from the pandemic, having a trained, fully-staffed workforce will help aviation manufacturers recover more quickly and meet the demand for new aircraft and repairs,” Moran said in a Friday news release.

Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita’s largest employer, is one of 26 Air Capital recipients, along with five other manufacturers in the state.

Funds will be administered through the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The program is designed to pay up to half of the compensation costs for certain categories of employees, not to exceed 25% of the employer’s U.S. workforce, for up to six months.

As a condition of receiving the federal money, manufacturers must agree not to involuntarily furlough or lay off employees whose salaries are being partially paid through COVID-19 relief funds.

“This bipartisan, bicameral program is a common sense solution that directly benefits workers in Kansas, and I’m pleased that so many aviation manufacturers are receiving the assistance they need to keep building aircraft in the Sunflower State,” Estes said in the release.