Wichita Trip Update

After cramming into a CRJ-700, waiting around 6 hours and 5 flight delays at the Atlanta airport, and cramming into a CRJ-200 - I finally made it to my hotel room at 11:15 CST last night, which is 12:15 out on the East Coast.

I'm staying at the Hilton Wichita Airport, which is literally right across from the airport entrance. If it wasn't 100ish degrees and humid out there, I'd probably just walk to the airport tomorrow morning for my flight out. I learned a lot today:

1. There's not much here in Wichita. Their skyline and downtown are about as impressive as Lowell's or Nashua's.
1a. As a result of there not being much here, I have a message for the people who made jokes about ruby slippers before I left. Yes, they have created a souvenir market for Wizard of Oz themed merchandise. I'm strongly considering purchasing myself a tee-shirt with a reference to the flying monkeys. There's also one that is "From the desk of Toto" that says something to the effect of "I hate it here. I took the slippers, find your own way home, love, Toto".


2. Most of their economy is driven by the Aerospace industry. In the airport area alone there are facilities for Cessna, Hawker-Beechcraft, Learjet, Pratt & Whitney, Boeing as well as an Air Force base. There are also a ton of other facilities in the Wichita area. It's the main driving force for the economy of Wichita, I'd be willing to wager.

3. There's nothing more valuable in a customer-supplier relationship than a face-to-face meeting and a visual of their facilities. I now have a better understanding of the role our parts play in the production of our customer's aircrafts.

4. Visiting an airplane factory is a freakin' awesome experience. Seriously. Now I want to visit Boeing where they make REALLY big planes.

That's it for now. Tomorrow I'm travelling again and then I'm having dinner with my hubby. Whenever I manage to get home.

The good news is that I finished the book I was reading and started on another one. I'mma power through books if I keep travelling...