SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The sights and sounds of planes overhead are a familiar one to Tom Franzen, Springfield’s assistant city manager and director of economic development.
He said the technology of tomorrow is being tested at the Springfield-Beckley Airport through the Advanced Air Mobility Project.
“Really we’re building off of the infrastructure that’s been invested here at the airport. As a place to test, fly and demonstrate the flight of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft as well as unmanned aircraft or drones,” said Franzen.
This is the future: Elevated recharging decks for electric aircrafts.
Beta Technologies of Burlington Vermont is currently using Springfield’s airport to install a network of charging stations and flight simulators for use later this summer.
“This move to the electrification of ground vehicles makes the same sense for air vehicles so, removing that amount of pollution and noise from the atmosphere and from our cities is really going to be key as we start to look at making this available to everyone,” said Franzen.
FlyOhio’s team, which includes several public, private and academic institutions, is focused on safely moving people and goods to their destinations.
It’s part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.
“(The) goal is to develop the ecosystem and the vehicles for advanced air mobility. We want to lead the 21st century economy in this state, and we want to secure the jobs of the future for all Ohioans,” said Luke Stedke, the managing director of communications and policy for DriveOhio.
“All the assets are here in place and work positively together to make those next steps for society,” said Brett Roubinek, president and CEO of Transportation Research Center Inc.
Franzen said now that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, advanced testing will continue.
He’s hopeful Ohio will lead the way with its ecosystem of air assets and help set an example across the country like it did a century ago.
“We’re 20 minutes down the road from where the Wright Brothers were flying their aircraft at the dawn of aviation at that time, so I think it’s a natural fit for us. It’s a strength, and we’d like to say it’s in our wheelhouse here as part of the Ohio legacy in aerospace,” said Franzen.
