In aviation circles, one of the hottest research areas is electric power systems — which not only are used in today’s planes, but are paving the way for hybrid and all-electric aircraft. In March, GE announced that it would be creating a new R&D center focused on electric systems in Dayton, Ohio. Today, the University of Dayton campus — which is part of the newly created Ohio Aerospace Hub of Innovation — was chosen for the site.
Research at the center will range from new power systems for aircraft to longer-range electric cars to smart grid technologies. As the Dayton Daily News noted, it also means jobs. “The facility could provide a big boost in coming years for jobs and economic development in Dayton… State officials have said it would start in 2012 with about a dozen jobs, but could expand to 100 to 200 jobs over several years if GE Aviation hits sales targets over time.”
The decision to create a new aviation R&D center in hard-hit industrial regions follows GE’s recent move to create an advanced technology center in Michigan near Detroit and a new battery plant in New York that will help power new hybrid locomotives.
Test pilots: At the giant Oshkosh Air Show, GE Aviation’s team was introducing the public to the possibilities of electric flight. Take a peek inside their booth, seen above, which allowed visitors to see how all of the electric systems in today’s plane work. You can also learn about the next generation of electric aircraft in our new feature, “What is Electric Flight.”
Good neighbors: The $51 million center will be built on about eight acres on the University of Dayton’s campus. The center’s close proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the University of Dayton Research Institute means researchers can also work closely with Air Force research labs and top academics.
Clean tech hub: U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown said the collaboration would help “attract the technology firms and the engineers, researchers and leaders who will keep Ohio at the forefront of clean energy technology development.” Lawrence Molnar, Associate Director for the University of Michigan Institute for Research on Labor, Employment and the Economy, said the new center “serves as evidence that the Dayton region is recovering from the economic distress from the automotive industry restructuring and is moving forward toward a new economic model built on knowledge and technology.”
* Read today’s announcement
* See what business, academic, and civic leaders are saying
* Read “What is Electric Flight” on GE Reports
* Hear an audiocast by Vic Bonneau, president of Electric Power for GE Aviation Systems
* Read about GE’s other R&D on advanced batteries and electric vehicles
