National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence

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The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence is a research facility dedicated to studying air mobility and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). It contains 30,000 square feet of administrative, laboratory, meeting, and collaboration space with an additional 25,000 square feet of aircraft hangar space. The facility is located at the Springfield–Beckley Municipal Airport, which is close by to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The facility is designed to facilitate collaboration between the United States Air Force Research Laboratory, the Ohio Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center, NASA, private companies, and academic sources such as local colleges and universities. [1] [4] [5]

Uses

The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence is used for activities like testing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and high-speed VTOL aircraft. It is also used by the Federal Aviation Administration to study and collect data on UAS activities. [5] [6] [7]

South Korean aircraft developer PLANA leases space at the facility to accelerate its Research and Development work and to partner with the State of Ohio by using resources available at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence. [5] [8] The Toray Group also uses space at the center to research material uses in UAS aircraft. [9] [10] Jaunt Air Mobility, Whisper, Horizon Aircraft, and Bell Textron all have contract to conduct research and testing at the facility. [7]

One of the primary goals of the center is to revolutionize automation that will allow aircraft to transport passengers or cargo at low altitudes to urban and suburban areas. [11] [12]

The facility is also home to companies that develop technology for UAS operators and even helicopter pilots. [13] The Springfield Airport also hosts eVTOL simulators to train crewmembers to operate the aircraft. [11]

Hartzell Propeller also works closely with companies at the center. [14]

History

eVTOL Presence in Springfield

The Springfield–Beckley Municipal Airport already hosted drone and UAS testing before the establishment of the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence. The 178th Wing, already long established at the airport, played a role in such testing, along with Beta Technologies, Joby Aviation, and LIFT Aircraft. The airport is also home to a ground-based system that provides UAS operators real-time aircraft display data. [15]

Springfield's airport already had an area dedicated exclusively to eVTOL businesses due to the businesses' large presence. [16]

Government Advocacy

The idea for an Air Mobility Center in Ohio was proposed in federal government as early as 2018. Initial proposals were rejected because government agencies wanted to pursue other locations for the facility. However, Ohio congressman Mike Turner pushed to change the funding criteria for the facility in order to secure it for Ohio. [17] [18]

In 2021, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown petitioned Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to open the facility in Springfield. [15] [19]

The facility was funded by $9 million in grants from the United States Department of Defense, JobsOhio, and the city of Springfield, Ohio. [1] [4] [20] The facility received funding from the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program in 2021. [15]

Facility construction and opening

The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence's groundbreaking occurred during the Advanced Air Mobility Forum in 2022. [13] The center began a close relationship with the Clark State Community College, which hosted the forum. [21]

The facility officially opened in September 2023. The official opening ceremony was coordinated with an announcement that Joby Aviation would build a new eVTOL manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio. [1] [4] [20]

The National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence's opening played a significant role in Springfield–Beckley Municipal Airport's selection as 2023 Ohio Airport of the Year. [22] [23]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "National AAM Center of Excellence officially opens". Composites World. 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  2. ↑ "Ribbon cut on National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence". www.aol.com. 2023-09-19. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  3. ↑ "National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence Groundbreaking". Marker, Inc. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  4. 1 2 3 "National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence breaks ground in Springfield". The Air Force Research Laboratory. 2022-09-01. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  5. 1 2 3 Polek, Gregory (July 27, 2023). "Plana Is Latest eVTOL Developer At National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence". FutureFlight. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  6. ↑ Forrest, Vicky (November 21, 2022). "National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence promises to be major step in tech". Springfield News Sun. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  7. 1 2 Reed, Jessica (2022-09-07). "Advanced Air Mobility Center in Ohio Will Enable Collaboration between USAF, NASA, Academia, and Industry". Avionics International. Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  8. ↑ Quadcopter 440 (2023-08-07). "PLANA Partners with U.S. AAM Research Program to Accelerate Technology Development". UASweekly.com. Retrieved 2024-02-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "Toray to Unveil AAM Collaboration Space at the National AAM Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) in Springfield this September - Toray Advanced Composites". www.toraytac.com. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  10. ↑ "Toray to unveil AAM collaboration space at the National AAM Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) in Springfield - JEC". JEC Composites. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  11. 1 2 "Air Mobility Center Next Step for Springfield Airport". Aviation Pros. 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  12. ↑ Bush, John. "New aircraft hangar, office complex to support advanced air mobility growth at Dayton-area airport". Dayton Business Journal. The Business Journals. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  13. 1 2 "Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport officials break ground on the National Air Mobility Center of Excellence". WYSO. 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  14. ↑ "National Advanced Air Mobility Industry Forum Highlights Ohio's Strength in Aviation Innovation". Hartzell Propeller. 2022-12-15. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  15. 1 2 3 "DOD award bolsters Ohio's standing in advanced air mobility". Vertical Mag. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  16. ↑ Thompson, Ann (2021-07-05). "As Flying Car Hub, Greater Dayton Hopes Business Soars". WVXU. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  17. ↑ "Turner secures $10 Million for new National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Airport". Congressman Michael Turner. 2022-08-23. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  18. ↑ "Turner helps mark construction of new National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence - Ripon Advance". The Ripon Advance. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  19. ↑ "Brown Announces $6 Million for National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence in Springfield | U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio". www.brown.senate.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  20. 1 2 Gnau, Thomas (September 18, 2023). "Ribbon cut on National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  21. ↑ "Clark State Prepared to Develop Workforce for Advanced Air Mobility Industry as National Forum Convenes in Springfield This Week". Clark State College. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  22. ↑ "Springfield-Beckley named Ohio airport of the year". Alliance for Aviation Across America. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  23. ↑ "Springfield-Beckley named Ohio airport of the year". Yahoo News. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
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