Springfield plans $2.3M 
hangar complex

By Michael Cooper, Staff Writer Dayton Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The city of Springfield wants to build a $2.3 million hangar complex at its airport to attract drone developers.

The city plans to seek $2 million from the state later this year and will pay for the rest with city dollars, said Tom Franzen, the city’s economic development administrator.

“To have something ready and available when someone has an interest is going to give us an edge,” Franzen said.

City officials believe the development of unmanned aerial systems and related programs can bring jobs to the area if the Federal Aviation Administration selects Ohio as a testing site for them later this year. The FAA began the process to select six test areas in March.

The areas will provide data to help the FAA safely integrate routine unmanned flights into manned airspace by 2015.

Maurice McDonald, the Dayton Development Coalition’s vice president of military affairs, said the possibility of a new hangar in Springfield would strengthen Ohio’s pitch to the FAA to make it one of test sites.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/springfield-plans-2-3m-hangar-complex-1388782.html