Textron Aviation Marks 30 Years of Aircraft Manufacturing in Independence, Kansas
Why It MattersA three-decade single-site run covering piston, turboprop and light jet lines shows how a manufacturer can anchor varied production in one regional campus while building its own local pipeline of skilled labor.
What happened
Textron Aviation is recognizing 30 years of aircraft manufacturing at its Independence, Kansas, facility. The company marked the anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, with a celebration for employees, retirees, families and community partners.
Approximately 600 employees work across the 213-acre campus, which includes five buildings and more than 528,000 square feet of space. Capabilities at the site include assembly, paint, interiors, flight test and delivery.
Todd McKee, senior vice president, Fabrication, said the experience, adaptability and pride of the Independence team position the facility to keep advancing how aircraft are built and to meet commitments to customers.
Aircraft built at Independence
The Independence team supports aircraft across three product categories. The first is the Cessna piston line: Skyhawk, Skylane, Turbo Skylane and Turbo Stationair HD. The second is the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan EX turboprops. The third is the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 light jet.
These aircraft serve needs ranging from flight training and personal transportation to business and demanding utility missions.
Kansas youth apprenticeship program
Textron Aviation also recently launched Kansas' first state-registered aviation youth apprenticeship program. It includes an engine buildup apprenticeship based in Independence.
The program combines classroom instruction with structured, on-the-job training to help students develop industry knowledge and career-ready skills.
Industry impact & what to watch
A site that builds piston singles, utility turboprops and a light jet under one roof shows how a manufacturer can spread very different product lines across a single campus with shared assembly, paint, interiors, flight test and delivery capability. For customers buying trainers, utility aircraft or entry-level business jets, that concentration means one location stands behind several lines.
The apprenticeship launch points to a workforce question that OEMs with regional plants face in general: skilled production labor is built locally, and pairing classroom study with on-the-job training is one way to feed a plant that employs about 600 people. Whether the engine buildup apprenticeship becomes a steady source of hires for the Independence site is the measure that would show if the program works as a pipeline.
