Wichita, known as the “Air Capital of the World,” is host to an aviation cluster with the nation’s highest concentration of aerospace manufacturing employment and skills. While growth in the aircraft industry has reportedly been robust, and is expected to remain steady in 2008, the current economic crisis is starting to impact Wichita and the aviation industry, at least in the short term. The estimated population as of July 1, 2007 was 361,420, an increase of 5% from 2000.

Wichita appears to have established a strong foundation for growth and workforce development, with several initiatives in place. In June 2008, for example, the Knight Foundation awarded a $450,000 grant for a collaborative among Wichita funders seeking to expand and strengthen workforce development in the area. Through another collaboration of several local institutions and citizens in the region, Visioneering Wichita is working on a 20‐year plan for growth that has a strong emphasis on job growth, education, and training.

In terms of broadband/wireless initiatives, Wichita seems to have the telecommunications infrastructure in place to support local plans to establish a wireless network throughout the city and county. The infrastructure is not yet being used, however, and there seem to be several hurdles in implementing the network. One possible barrier to the broadband/wireless development could be the conservative nature of Wichita. Currently, plans for the wireless network seem to be “on hold.”