Company’s $850M investment in Springfield a ‘once-in-a-generation opportunity’ | Business & Economy

The upcoming arrival of a new aerospace production facility bringing almost 2,000 jobs and an $850 million investment to Springfield is a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Greater Springfield Partnership President Mike McDorman said.

Virginia-based aerospace company Electra announced Tuesday, July 21, that it will open a 96-acre production facility to create a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft called the EL9 Ultra Short at Springfield’s AirPark Ohio. The company is investing $850 million into the site and plans to create 1,975 jobs over the next decade.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. When you look at the numbers, this is an incredible project to land anywhere and it landed in Springfield, Ohio,” McDorman said during a press conference Tuesday.

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said the investment will end up being nearly $1 billion including job wages, with state officials estimating an average salary of $92,000.

Rue pointed to the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at the Springfield Beckley Municipal Airport and proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as important draws for more aerospace development in this area.

“It’s always been our hope, when the community invested in NAAMCE, that a decision like this would be made at our airport — that somebody would come and build their vision of future advanced air mobility right here in Springfield, Ohio, and it’s happening,” Rue said.

“The investments we’ve made in advanced air mobility right here in Springfield are paying off with this announcement. Ohio is the heart of aviation, and the 10th District has an incredible history of manufacturing,” Sen. Kyle Koehler said in statement. “Technology is bringing together these two legacies that will put Ohio at the forefront of how we travel and grow in the future.”

Electra plans to move into its new Springfield facility by 2028. It works with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy and NASA, as well as airline and helicopter operators.

Jobs will include engineers, mechanics and technicians.

Rue said these are the kinds of jobs the city has lost over the past few decades, “and now we’re bringing (them) back again.”

Rue pointed to Springfield’s resilience as a community, particularly since 2024, when false rumors about the city’s Haitian population painted the city in a negative light.

“This is obviously an example that it did not scare away developers who are interested in … building houses in our communities and also corporations that were even looking to plant their significant corporate headquarters in our community.”

Rep. Bernie Willis, who represents Springfield, told the News-Sun that this opportunity is something for which the city has been preparing for “probably 10 years,” going back to when the air national guard base — where Willis spent much of his military career — ceased F-16 flights and transitioned to unmanned missions.

Willis said he is pleased to see “the future of aviation” come “home.”

The region has been preparing for advances in the aerospace industry, with Willis pointing to high school training in unmanned technology like Springfield City School District’s drone soccer team, the Global Impact STEM academy and Northwestern’s STEM credits.

Willis said Clark State “is just so agile,” that it will easily add necessary certifications or programs to help further build the workforce. He sees the investment as a lifelong change for Springfield.

“We now have all these kids in our area who have been getting steeped in aviation technology for the last eight years and are doing things that lead them right toward this kind of opportunity. We’re going to have some of these kids that are going to get jobs at that place and probably retire from there because it’s just going to be a generational thing,” Willis said.

He lauded JobsOhio for helping sell the state as a as a leader in the aerospace field. Springfield was competing against two states with “fly-away” tax exemptions — a benefit Willis said he and fellow lawmakers are working to bring to Ohio by educating Statehouse colleagues on the aerospace industry’s importance.

Mike Turner, who represents Ohio’s 10th district, which stretches across Springfield, Dayton and other portions of the Miami Valley, also voiced his support for such a major investment in the local economy.

“(The) announcement of Electra coming to Ohio’s 10th Congressional District is another major step forward for our region and a testament to what is possible when innovative companies choose to invest in the Miami Valley,” Turner said. “Nearly 2,000 new jobs at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport will create new opportunities for workers, families, and businesses across our community. I have always believed that our region is uniquely positioned to lead in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and emerging technologies. I will continue working to ensure the Miami Valley remains a place where companies can grow, innovate, and create good-paying jobs for generations to come.”

Rue said he is not aware of any potential local incentives related to the project.

Electra’s CEO is connected with gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, whom Willis said would put aviation and aerospace at the forefront of the state’s economic strategy.