Ohio Stakes Its Claim As Incubator For Aviation's Future

It’s a long way from Ohio to Singapore but business leaders from the state made the journey to this week’s airshow to make the case for aviation investments there. JobsOhio is a private, not-for-profit group working to maximize the potential of what it refers to as the state’s Advanced Aerospace & Defense Super Sector.

In recent years, Ohio has emerged as something of an incubator for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM), with eVTOL aircraft pioneers such as Joby Aviation and Beta Technologies looking to establish infrastructure for manufacturing as well as development work and testing. These start-ups, along with new defense players like Anduril, are joining established aerospace players such as Hartzell Propeller and engine maker GE Aviation.

The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is another key part of the Ohio’s aerospace and defense set up. As home to the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, this has a big part in Pentagon-backed research and development projects that have helped to sustain multiple AAM companies as they strive to bring new aircraft into commercial service. Among the technologies that are the focus for work at the site are new propulsion systems, autonomous controls, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing

In September 2023, California-based Joby announced its intention to establish its first large-scale eVTOL manufacturing facility at Dayton International Airport. Then in early January, Joby announced plans to boost its Ohio footprint by announcing a deal to invest in a 700,000-sq-ft facility that will support plans to double production rates in 2027. Last October, the company started producing propeller blades in the state, which was where it all started for the Wright brothers more than 120 years ago.

Ohio is among multiple U.S. states that have staked claims to be part of the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, which is intended to fast-track early use cases for new aircraft. JobsOhio is part of a coalition led by the Ohio Department of Transportation, along with Joby, Beta and NEOEx, that is teamed with the states of Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky to offer the FAA what it calls a ready-to-launch plan backed by more than $1.2 billion in existing AAM infrastructure.

A big part of the JobsOhio pitch at the Singapore Airshow is its track record of supporting companies progress from prototypes to high-rate manufacturing. A strong skills and educational base is a key aspect of this capability, with the group arguing that it’s the state’s value proposition transcends financial incentives, which are available, to extend to infrastructure, purposely policy alignment, a strong customer base and a collaborative network.