Hawker Beechcraft Boosts Green Efforts

Benet Wilson benet_wilson@aviationweek.com

Hawker Beechcraft and Wichita State University have extended their partnership to boost its efforts in environmental sustainability to other aviation companies.

The company has been working with the university for a year to design and implement a program, said spokeswoman Nicole Alexander. "From this effort came the idea of a Wichita sustainability coalition to bring the local general aviation industry together to focus on recycling and other sustainability efforts," she explained. Other partners include Spirit AeroSystems, Cessna Aircraft and Bombardier Learjet.

The coalition was created in January and the partners held its first meeting Feb. 18 to define its scope and goals, said Alexander. The next meeting is scheduled for March 24, she added.

"HBC's goal is to improve sustainability for the entire life cycle of an aircraft - from engineering and manufacturing to customer operations and product retirement," said Alexander. The program's goal is to be the model for sustainability in general aviation and to enhance its reputation as a global organization dedicated to sustainability, she added.