Construction of the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Ohio has officially begun. The US$8.2 million center will be a 30,000 square-foot, two-story structure that will house university and government research as well as the company’s development of technology that is currently present at the airport. Other entities involved in the Agility Prime initiative will also use the facility. This year, the Air Force established the $35 million Agility Prime initiative, which aims to build and accelerate a commercial market for advanced air mobility aircraft.
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The airport’s new facility is scheduled to open in June 2023. As a result of the project, a hangar will be erected adjacent to the new facility. It will be utilized by both the Air Force and private businesses. The plan is to make space available at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport for makers and operators of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL), often known as flying cars. It is a form of aircraft that hovers, takes off, and lands vertically using electric power. Springfield is in the process of interviewing three contractors. One is slated to be selected next week after which the design and engineering phase will then start before construction begins.
Commentary on the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence, Ohio
“We’re seeing a lot of interest across the board. As it becomes more visible and people gain a better understanding of what is going on in Springfield and throughout Ohio, the entire advanced air mobility ecosystem in Ohio is opening up a lot of eyes and people are beginning to see the opportunities “said Tom Franzen, Springfield’s assistant city manager and Director of Economic Development. Some maintenance repair firms have already shown an interest in being closer to the development of air mobility technologies in order to better understand what the service requirements for those new aircraft maybe, he noted.
