Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Advanced Air Mobility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ohio lawmakers tout leadership in advanced air mobility after passage of House Resolution 304
Summary
State Representatives Bernie Willis and Adam Holmes told the "Message from the House" podcast that Ohios decade of investment in unmanned and electric vertical-takeoff aircraft and a four-state proposal make the state well positioned to lead FAA advanced air mobility demonstrations and economic growth.
State Representative Bernie Willis and State Representative Adam Holmes said House Resolution 304 is intended to signal Ohios full support for Federal Aviation Administration pilot projects to integrate advanced air mobility technologies into the national airspace.
On the "Message from the House" podcast, Willis said Ohio has built a decade-long foundation in unmanned aircraft systems and related research, including a statewide center that has grown into a national advanced air mobility center of excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. "Were going to fund it ourselves," Willis said of early state investments that later attracted Air Force and research-lab partnerships.
The representatives described a four-state regional proposal — Ohio partnered with Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky — that they say would make the region a demonstration focal point for cargo and passenger use cases, from prescriptions and groceries to urgent medical transfers. "Those technologies are not just coming. Theyre already here," Willis said, adding that the FAA is now looking for areas to prove integration of larger unmanned devices and new aircraft.
Holmes highlighted local assets that he said make Ohio a logical choice for demonstrations, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and NASA research, and pointed to manufacturing activity such as Jobys facilities in the Dayton area and other companies testing aircraft and charging networks. "Its an economic driver for this state," Holmes said.
The lawmakers explained technical and regulatory challenges the FAA must address, especially authorizations for operations beyond visual line of sight. Willis described a range of aircraft sizes and control modes that must be coordinated safely: "Think of all the different sizesfrom ones you can hold in your hands to ones as big as airplanes," he said. The podcast discussion also referenced existing regulatory thresholds and consumer-facing possibilities for small privately owned aircraft.
Speakers credited state leadership and budget decisions that placed aviation and aerospace work inside the Ohio Department of Transportation as a program of record, naming Bob Tanner as the ODOT lead who has FAA expertise. They also pointed to research and training capacity at Ohio State, Bowling Green and Kent State and to local airports in most Ohio counties as infrastructure assets that support testing and manufacturing.
Willis characterized House Resolution 304 as a unanimous expression of support meant to strengthen Ohios relationship with the FAA and to demonstrate unified state advocacy for selection as a test region. He emphasized that the resolution expresses support rather than changing federal rules.
The podcast concluded with the representatives reiterating Ohios historical and present aviation role and encouraging listener follow-up on the Ohio House social channels. No FAA selection decision timeline was announced on the program.
