PLANA has announced its plans to lease space in the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) in Springfield, Ohio. This move is part of PLANA's strategic efforts to expedite its technology research and development initiatives and expand its presence globally.
The NAAMCE, situated adjacent to the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport terminal, is a state-of-the-art 30,000-square-foot office building designed to facilitate administrative, laboratory, meeting, and collaboration activities, along with 25,000 square feet of aircraft hangar space for both the Air Force and private industry. The center plays a crucial role in supporting the ongoing efforts of electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) manufacturers and operators, as well as other vehicles used for Advanced Air Mobility.
To support this project, the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation granted a $6 million Defense Community Infrastructure Program grant in 2021. JobsOhio, on the other hand, offered its support through a $2.9 million Ohio Site Inventory Program (OSIP) grant for site preparation, utility extensions, access drive, and parking facilities. The remaining funding for the project is being provided by the City of Springfield.
Participants at NAAMCE will benefit from a collaborative environment where aerospace research, design, validation, testing, flight, training, and business advice related to aircraft development can be found. The center also serves as a platform for various demonstration projects that showcase cutting-edge technologies to advance AAM integration, going beyond the aircraft itself.
PLANA will join other notable eVTOL Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) that already have a presence at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, including Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies, both of which have simulators on the airport grounds. By becoming part of the NAAMCE community, PLANA aims to accelerate its research on the hybrid-electric AAM aircraft it is currently developing, explore new technologies, and foster fruitful collaborations with U.S. companies and organizations.
Moreover, this program opens the door for a meaningful collaboration with the State of Ohio, leveraging the capabilities offered through NAAMCE. The state is actively developing regional use cases to support logistics and emergency medical services while simultaneously striving to establish flight corridors connecting Ohio's largest cities, such as Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. PLANA acknowledges the strategic synergies that arise from this partnership and plans to leverage these resources to propel their technology forward.
Minyoung Ahn, co-founder, and chief strategy officer of PLANA expressed the significance of participating in NAAMCE, highlighting its role in building a collaborative ecosystem with various AAM projects taking shape in the U.S. For PLANA, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase South Korea's AAM technology on the global stage while working together with international partners to shape the future of this rapidly evolving industry.
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