Lack of support

The Machinists union for Hawker Beechcraft is trying to block the proposed sale of the aircraft manufacturer to a Chinese company, but it hasn’t had much success rallying support in Washington.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers says allowing the sale of Wichita-based Hawker Beechcraft’s business jet and general aviation operations to Superior Aviation Beijing Co. Ltd. would give China access to technology it doesn’t have.

Kansas’ Republican senators have ignored requests to comment about the issue, and the GOP House member who represents Wichita’s district says the deal could save thousands of U.S. jobs.

Hawker Beechcraft announced this month it entered into a 45-day “exclusivity agreement” approved by a bankruptcy court to work out the sale of its nondefense operations to the Chinese company for $1.79 billion.