Southwest Ohio has long been synonymous with aviation innovation. The first principles created by the Wright brothers continue to be the basis of any machine that flies—manned, unmanned, drone, rotary wings, propeller, jet, or rocket. The four basic rules always apply: lift overcomes gravity, thrust overcomes drag.
Holding to those principles, BETA Technologies is setting up shop at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. The Vermont-based aviation manufacturer is aggressively establishing offices and charging stations across the United States, moving beyond flight testing into manufacturing a new generation of electric aircraft with motors and battery technology capable of credible ranges exceeding 300 miles.
BETA has developed aircraft alongside a series of offices fully equipped with charging stations for quick battery recharging. Their proprietary setup charges not only BETA batteries but also competitors' electric-powered aircraft, making the Springfield base part of a nationwide chain supporting the entire electric aviation industry.
The BETA aircraft are constructed of composite materials and are far less complex than previous aircraft. The electric motors are simple but powerful, and these flying machines feature 70% fewer moving parts than legacy aircraft. The company produces two versions: a traditional runway takeoff model and a quad-copter version that takes off vertically and then transitions to cruise by "making a runway in the sky."
The fuselage accommodates one pilot and five adults or carries a freight capacity of 1,200 pounds, perfect for the modern logistics economy focused on lightweight, high-value cargo like electronic components and microchips.
The BETA facility at Springfield Airport houses offices and a cutting-edge microdome flight simulator featuring a full-size flight deck that provides training for either aircraft version. The company has adapted standard shipping containers to create a modular airbase with offices, a simulator, charging stations, coffee facilities, and, importantly for pilots, washrooms.
As I tell my fellow pilots, an aircraft's actual range is the capacity of the pilot's bladder. An early airport directory created by L. Ray Jeppesen in the 1920s included runways, radio frequencies, and telephone numbers. However, on each page, the airport diagram featured a bold X marking the location of the washroom.
BETA's Springfield charging station is fully equipped with two washrooms, a detail experienced pilots like myself appreciate.
The 21st-century reality of product manufacturing in the continent's center puts finished goods in the United States' shipping sweet spot. Ohio sits at the center of a circle encompassing 65% of the country within a 90-minute flight radius. The long-standing American tradition of coastal economic development means half of those 90-minute circles stretch over water, with no customers.
It's no mystery why FedEx, UPS, and U.S. Mail airbases are in the Midwest. It's all about efficient access to markets and money. The new centers can be Springfield, Dayton, and Columbus.
BETA's aircraft seamlessly integrate into emerging models of practical aviation that can operate from smaller airfields or bypass traditional airports entirely with vertical takeoff capabilities. The cargo version's 1,200-pound capacity makes it ideal for transporting essential electronic parts.
This addresses a long-standing manufacturing challenge I've witnessed firsthand. For years, General Motors operated a fleet of aircraft and freight operators flying auto parts nightly from Ohio factories to final assembly plants. Auto parts were heavy; microchips are not.
Midwestern weather posed occasional challenges for those operations, as we pilots know all too well. One veteran freight pilot, defying the aviation saying that "there are old pilots and bold pilots, but very few old and bold pilots," commented after a particularly nasty weather incident: "It was raining bumpers."
Blue Skies and Tailwinds is presented by SNC, a global aerospace and defense firm, with support from the Wright State University Aviation Science and Technology Program. The series is produced at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO.
