A GE Aerospace employee – who traveled extensively in his job for the company – had been in Cowley County for work this week prior to boarding the American Airlines plane that crashed in Washing D.C. Wednesday night.
GE Aerospace operates an engine services plant at Strother Field, midway between Ark City and Winfield. Vikesh Patel was an MRO Transformational Leader whose work involved promoting technological innovation and advancement and oversight of training for such.
The American Airlines flight departed from Wichita Wednesday and collided with a military helicopter. The plane was preparing to land prior to the crash, which killed everyone aboard both aircrafts.
Local GE employees were informed of Patel’s death through an email memo.
GE chairman and CEO, Larry Culp, also issued a media statement.
“This is a tragedy not only for our industry but also for the GE Aerospace team as one of our cherished colleagues, Vikesh Patel, was onboard the flight,” Culp said. “Our hearts are with his family and all those impacted by this horrific accident.”
Patel was from the Greater Cincinnati area and had worked for GE Aerospace for nearly 12 years. In recent years, he’d lived and worked out of the Washington DC-Baltimore area.
