‘Flying car’ simulator lands at Springfield airport
Air Force research into flying cars is taking root in the Dayton-Springfield area in a newway, with a groundbreaking for an “advanced urban air mobility technology simulator” facility set for ThursdayatSpringfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.
Designed to be used by BETATechnologies and Joby Aviation, two pioneer businesses in the field of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, the facility will speed the Air Force’s deepening exploration of the vehicles, a project called “Agility Prime.”
The Air Force recently launched the $35 million program, seeking to create and speed a commercial market for advanced air mobility aircraft while creating a supply chain to support production of the cars, sometimes called “air taxis,” the Air Force Research Lab said in an announcement on the groundbreaking.
Brig. Gen. Heather L. Pringle, commander of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), will participate in the groundbreaking, as will Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted and JobsOhio President JP Nauseef.
Officials fromAFRL, Dayton Development Coalition, JobsOhio, the city of Springfield, BETA Technologies, and Joby Aviation are also expected to be on hand at the event.
BETA and Joby are “leaders in advanced air mobility vehicles, commonly known as air taxis,” AFRLsaid. “The technology is anticipated to revolutionize transportation and spur the growth of a new industry. The simulators allow pilots to gain experience in a controlled environment.”
Over the years, Springfield has become increasingly important to Air Force research. Its airspace has also been approved for testing beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) capabilities for unmanned aircraft or drones above the airport.
“The Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport is proud to be part of the ecosystem of unmanned aerial systems research and testing in Ohio,” city of Springfield’s Assistant City Manager Tom Franzen said in AFRL’s release.