How a random Kansas city became the “Air Capital of the World”

Matty Laird’s Swallow Launches Wichita’s Aviation Empire

Wichita wasn’t born the “Air Capital of the World” – it earned that title.

In 1920, Emil “Matty” Laird and two partners built America’s first commercial aircraft, the Laird Swallow, in a small factory with just 11 workers. Soon after, orders poured in from across the nation.

When key staff split off in 1925, Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman, and Clyde Cessna formed Travel Air in a tiny rented space.

By 1928, this upstart had made nearly 1,700 planes, and Wichita outproduced every other American city.

The Kansas Aviation Museum showcases this remarkable story, including the historic 1920 Laird Swallow that started it all.

A Young Observer Named Wichita’s First Commercial Aircraft

Emil “Matty” Laird teamed up with oilman Jacob Moellendick and William Burke to start the E. M. Laird Aviation Company in 1920. They built the Laird Swallow, America’s first commercially-built aircraft.

The plane got its catchy name when a young onlooker watched the test flight and yelled, “She flies like a swallow, boys. ” The comment stuck.

Orders came in from Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and Colorado as word about the new aircraft spread.

Eleven Workers Started America’s Aircraft Industry

Laird began his aircraft business with just 11 workers in a makeshift factory. Orders for the Swallow came in so fast that the entire 1920 production run sold out.

Customers from across the country wanted these planes. The Swallow’s success showed aircraft manufacturing could work in Wichita.

The prairie city had skilled workers, business support, and aviation knowledge to match more established industrial cities.

Creative Differences Split The Original Team

Arguments broke out at Laird Aviation about building better planes.

Moellendick wanted to keep using wood construction, while Walter Beech and Lloyd Stearman pushed for modern steel designs. The fight got so bad that Beech and Stearman left the company.

They thought steel construction was the future of aviation and wanted to follow their own path.

Three Aviation Pioneers Rented A Tiny Space

Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman, and Clyde Cessna joined forces on January 26, 1925, to create Travel Air Manufacturing Company. They started in a tiny 30-foot square space behind the Broadview Hotel.

The three men brought their flying and building skills but had very few resources. Their small start gave no hint they would soon change American aircraft manufacturing.

Travel Air Grew From 19 To 1,700 Planes

Travel Air made just 19 aircraft in their first year. The company then grew quickly, becoming America’s largest aircraft maker by 1928.

In just four years, they built nearly 1,700 planes from their once-small workspace. Travel Air planes earned a good name for quality and performance, winning air races and setting records.

Their success helped make Wichita the center of American aircraft making.

Four Companies Made Wichita The Top Producer

By 1928, Wichita had four major aircraft makers: Swallow, Travel Air, Stearman, and Cessna. Together, they built more planes than any other American city.

Each company found its own market spot.

Swallow made training aircraft, Travel Air built popular biplanes, Stearman created sturdy planes that became military trainers, and Cessna led with high-wing monoplanes.

The Official Title Came From The Industry Itself

The Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce, the aircraft industry’s national group, gave Wichita the title “Air Capital City” in 1929. The honor recognized that Wichita made more aircraft than any other American city.

Local business leaders and newspapers quickly changed the title to “Air Capital of the World,” and the name stuck. Wichita has kept this title, making over 250,000 aircraft since the early Swallow days.

Workers And Knowledge Flowed Between Companies

Aircraft making brought skilled mechanics, engineers, and pilots to Wichita. People moved between companies, sharing know-how that helped all makers improve.

Flight schools opened to train pilots. Repair shops, parts suppliers, and tool makers set up to support the aircraft companies.

Airports grew to handle more traffic. The city became a complete flying hub where every part of aviation found support.

Thousands Of Jobs Appeared On The Kansas Prairie

Aircraft companies created thousands of new jobs during the 1920s, changing Wichita’s economy. The steady work helped the city grow while other areas struggled with money problems.

National investors noticed Wichita’s success and put money into growing aviation businesses. Banks became more willing to fund flying ventures after seeing how well the early companies did.

Fierce Competition Pushed Technology Forward

Rivalry between Wichita aircraft makers drove quick innovation. The companies competed for government contracts, airline orders, and the best workers.

New designs came out constantly as each maker tried to beat the others.

Travel Air, Cessna, Stearman, and Swallow all pushed each other to build faster, safer, and more reliable aircraft.

Today’s Aviation Giants Started In Wichita

The foundation laid in the 1920s created an enduring aerospace center that continues to this day. Many modern aviation companies trace their roots directly to these early Wichita pioneers.

Cessna grew into a global leader in small aircraft. Stearman became part of Boeing.

Beech Aircraft, founded by Walter Beech after leaving Travel Air, produced thousands of military and civilian aircraft.

The city continues to produce planes for customers worldwide, with over 250,000 aircraft built in Wichita throughout its aviation history.

Visiting Kansas Aviation Museum, Wichita

The Kansas Aviation Museum at 3350 South George Washington Blvd showcases Wichita’s transformation into America’s aircraft manufacturing hub during the 1920s.

You can visit Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday (closed Thursdays) for $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 kids. The historic Art Deco terminal building features a 1941 control tower with city views.

Watch aviation documentaries in the Air Capital Theater and attend the annual “Play on a Plane Day” to explore exhibition aircraft.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• A hatchet rampage at this elegant Kansas hotel propelled the birth of Prohibition
• How a “scandalous” painting turned Carrie Nation into the “hatchet lady” of pre-Prohibition America
• One determined woman turned this endangered Kansas prairie into a National Natural Landmark