Upon making the first controlled, sustained flight of a powered aircraft in 1903, inventor Wilbur Wright said, "The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors." Illustrating the age-old fascination and eagerness to soar among the clouds, Wright's quote is certainly relevant for Team South Carolina. After all, less than 350 miles from Kitty Hawk, where that first flight took place, a dynamic aerospace industry now thrives.
Comprised of approximately 400 firms today, the true ascent of this burgeoning industry can be traced back to this very week eight years ago. On October 28, 2009, The Boeing Company announced its plans to establish a 787 final assembly and delivery facility in North Charleston, S.C. Eight years and nearly 200 Dreamliners later, South Carolina has transformed into a leader in aviation.
From 2014-2016, export sales of aircraft from the Palmetto State increased approximately 300 percent, topping $5.6 billion last year alone. This surge has put South Carolina among the national leaders in aerospace exports and has fueled the growth of a truly burgeoning industry. With a $19 billion economic impact on the state, annually, aerospace accounts for more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs statewide. And, if export sales are any indication, those figures will only continue to rise.
Moving forward, as aerospace companies, like Boeing, continue to invest and prosper within our borders, Team South Carolina must further its efforts to sustain the unmatched positive business environment that has been cultivated here. Whether we're working together to develop a deep pool of talented workers or expand our robust infrastructure network, setting the table for future aerospace growth will allow us to ensure a high-flying economy for years to come.