Ohio: National Leader in Aerospace

By: Marlon Cheatham, Brand Manager, Ohio Business Development Coalition

It all started with the engineering and creative energy of the Wright Brothers in Dayton, Ohio. From the birthplace of aviation, Ohio is now a national leader in aerospace. No state can match Ohio’s capabilities in aerospace propulsion and power – from basic and advanced research, to technology development, to systems development, to sourcing of component suppliers, and final product testing – all critical phases of aerospace propulsion and power development take place in Ohio. The industry has at least a $4.5 billion economic impact on the state of Ohio.

Ohio's aerospace economy is leading the way for the advancement of new aerospace technologies in a wide variety of applications in aviation, space, near-space, lighter-than-air, hypersonics, propulsion, sensors, instrumentation, communications, advanced materials, human effectiveness and others.

Only Ohio boasts two federal laboratories, ten leading universities with dedicated doctoral level research and education programs in aerospace-related disciplines, more than 450 aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, and the Ohio Aerospace Institute all working in collaboration to develop innovative solutions for the nation’s aerospace needs.

These entities, along with Ohio’s internationally renowned federal aerospace research centers, attract the industry’s top talent to provide limitless opportunities in aeropropulsion and power research and development, manufacturing innovation and commercialization of aerospace components and products.

Statewide, Ohio has more than 100,000 employees at nearly 1,200 companies in the aerospace and defense industry. That’s more than double the national average!

What state?

• Has the 2nd largest FAA control center workforce in nation, plus 172 airports spread across the state, and over 80 flight schools?
• Is the home of Wright Patterson Air Force Base and the Air Force Research Laboratory, a national leader in development of new aerospace technology?
• Is the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center, a national leader in aerospace technology and the only NASA Center in the Northern U.S.?
• Has an extensive integrated aerospace supply chain, with major suppliers such as GE Aviation, Goodrich Corporation, Parker Hannifin, Aircraft Braking Systems Corporation, The Boeing Company, Delphi Automotive Systems, GrafTech International Ltd., Honeywell International Inc., Orbital Research, Inc, The Timken Company, and over 600 others?
• Offers ten university PhD degrees in aerospace-related engineering and research?

Ohio. This all adds up to an unbeatable location for companies within the aerospace industry to call home. And, it just so happens that Ohio is an unbeatable place to live as well.

Ohio Celebrates National Leadership in Aerospace

This past weekend, Ohio celebrated its national leadership in the aerospace industry and honored the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 flight with the Reel Stuff Film Festival in Dayton at Ohio’s National Aviation Hall of Fame. The festival screened 13 film classics, documentaries and new features that cinematically celebrate the people, the wonder and the joy of flight.

This year’s main film was The Wonder of It All, a 2007 documentary by producer Jeffrey Roth on the Apollo 11 mission. The award-winning film features candid, first person accounts by Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin and six fellow Apollo 11 mission moonwalkers.

Many people are surprised to learn Ohio is home to 24 astronauts including Neil Armstrong, one of the three members of the Apollo 11 crew. Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. Ohioan, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Not only is it the birthplace of flight, Ohio is the nation’s leader in advanced propulsion and derivative power technology, providing a world-class research environment that includes two dedicated federal aerospace laboratories and ten aerospace related doctoral programs at Ohio universities. Graduates of these institutions provide a cluster of highly skilled and educated workers.

Ohio’s aerospace industry is supported by the state’s Ohio Third Frontier, a $1.6 billion initiative to help catalyze connections between companies and academia. The project is the state’s largest-ever commitment to expand high-tech research capabilities, promote innovation, company formation and create high-paying jobs.

In addition, Ohio boasts two federal laboratories, ten leading universities with dedicated doctoral level research and education programs in aerospace related disciplines, and more than 450 aerospace manufacturers and suppliers all working in collaboration to develop innovative solutions for the nation’s aerospace needs. These entities, along with Ohio’s internationally renowned federal aerospace research centers, attract the industry’s top talent to provide limitless business development opportunities in aeropropulsion, power research and development, manufacturing innovation, and commercialization of aerospace components and products.

Not only did the Reel Stuff Film Festival highlight some of the greatest cinematic depictions of aviation and the American spirit, but it will also continue to serve as a historic lesson for our younger generations who may only read about these achievements in textbooks. You can check out the festival at www.reelstufffilmfest.com.

Ohio – The Leading Location for Aerospace Innovation

Ohio is leveraging next generation technology to stimulate innovation in the aerospace industry and create new jobs. I have become aware of a new project by Boeing-Heath that uses virtual reality technology to revolutionize the manufacturing process for aerospace products throughout the state and the entire Midwest.

The $1.25 million Virtual Manufacturing Center (VMC) will be located at the Central Ohio Aerospace and Technology Center (COATC) in Licking County. Project funding includes a $500,000 state-local incentive package and a $200,000 Rapid Outreach Grant through the Ohio Department of Development.

Does this type of investment by Ohio make the state more attractive in terms of site location and business expansion? Did you know Ohio is the leading location for aerospace innovation?
Let me know what you think.