WICHITA, Kansas, May 27, 2008 – Wichita is known as the air capitol of the world and one business is now mixing aviation technology with that of the medical world.

In college, David Kirkwood lost his legs and an arm to bacterial meningitis. Naturally, getting around became a challenge and also became a business.

“We're manufacturing the world's lightest folding wheelchair, it's also the world's tightest folding wheelchair,” said Keith Entz, president and CEO of Aero Innovative Research Inc.

To achieve that goal, the pair looked to the sky. Vintage aircraft were built from steel tubing and cloth fabric. That’s the same antiquated technology used for most wheelchairs. This company has brought the wheelchair industry up to date with aircraft technology.

“We're using sandwich panel technology, which is not new to the aircraft industry, but it's new to the wheelchair industry,” Entz said.

A standard steel wheelchair weighs about 45 to 50 pounds. An ultra-light version is in the 30s, but a Flight Ultra-Light Air Chair is only 18 pounds in the stripped down version, which makes it not only highly maneuverable, but also very easy to transport.

“When you're rolling in one of these chairs you feel like you're solid, you don't feel wobbly, because of the structure,” said David Kirkwood, vice-president of Aero Innovative Research Inc.

David is an aeronautical engineer and MBA. He wrote the company’s business plan and found investors. Now, he works on marketing the product.

“The challenges are it is just a totally new concept for most people they don't understand the benefits because they're so ingrained with what the old technology is,” Kirkwood said.

Most of the 20 to 30 units Aero produces per month are demo units for retailers. Keith hopes to produce and sell 80 per month by the end of this year. The basic chair retails for about $3,500. Upgrades and accessories add to the cost. The chair is certified for insurance reimbursements.

For more information, call 316-755-3477.