$13.4 Million invested in Ohio State’s airport for infrastructure improvements, first investment in 30 years

New investments will make Ohio State one of the nation’s best collegiate aviation programs

On April 8, 2016, the Ohio State Board of Trustees appointed David B. Williams as Dean of the College of Engineering for another five-year term. On April 18, Williams presented the State of the College Address. Currently the longest serving dean since Don Glower (1976), Williams made it his mission for the faculty and staff to see an unprecedented investment in the college by the university.

At the same Board of Trustees meeting, it was announced that the University would receive approximately $27M from the state of Ohio to contribute to infrastructure renovations. Williams said, “Two under-utilized and under-appreciated facilities that are respectively rare and unique among research universities will be at the core of new building and faculty investments: Don Scott Field and the Transportation Research Center.” This is the first investment in the Don Scott Field facility in over 30 years.

Photo Credit: The Ohio State University, College of Engineering

Since opening in 1942, The Ohio State University Airport at Don Scott Field has served as a learning lab for future aviation professionals and a hub of research. More than 500 students a year pursue aviation degrees, train for professional pilot certifications, and perform federally sponsored research. I had the opportunity to sit down with Preston McKee (22), a recent graduate from The Ohio State University with a degree in Air Transportation. Preston was fortunate enough to be on the team of designers responsible for the new hangars at the OSU Airport.

Why did you choose to pursue a career in aviation? 

I didn’t hop in a single engine plane until I was 13-years-old and didn’t take flying lessons until I was 18, but with Ohio being the “Birthplace of Aviation,” flying was in my blood from the very beginning. My parents had a family friend that managed a county airport in Southern Ohio with a few aircraft of his own. From the moment I climbed in to the Co-Pilot’s seat for the first time, I was instantly hooked. In fact, I refused to get out of the plane once we were back on the ground.

In your opinion, did Ohio State make a worth-while investment when choosing to contribute infrastructure renovation funds to the OSU Airport? If so, why?

Absolutely! Having been to a few other University-Owned Airports, The Ohio State University Airport, more specifically the passenger terminal, took a backseat to the other General Aviation Airports in our region. With this investment at The OSU Airport, travelers will see a much improved modern terminal, which will create a great first impression.

Construction is budgeted at $13.4M and is expected to begin this summer and finish in early 2019. What does this construction entail?

With the addition of new hangars and a modern passenger terminal, The Ohio State University Airport will most likely see a nice increase in transient traffic, even though it’s already the 4th busiest airport in Ohio in regards to the number of operations (takeoffs and landings) per year.

Photo Credit: BizJournals

How do you think the building of the new hangars is influential in emphasizing the aviation program?

I would say the new terminal facility along with an updated flight school will certainly help the process in bringing Ohio State near the top of the Nation’s Best Collegiate Aviation programs.

What benefits do you think students will reap from improvements to the current infrastructure?

I believe that these improvements at The Ohio State University Airport will have a tremendous impact on training new pilots to help fill the demand of the much dreaded “pilot shortage.” Being recently hired on at a Regional Airline, I can already see how the industry is effected by this shortage. The aviation industry is on a major upswing and is forecasted by many to keep improving for several years to come.

Photo Credit: OSU Marketing Communications Gallery

In 1917, The Ohio State University opened its School of Aeronautics to provide training for military aviation operations. Today, the university’s aviation programs are managed out of its Center for Aviation Studies. Established in 2011, it was awarded the nation’s most outstanding collegiate aviation program in 2015 by the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. In part to a generous $10M contribution from the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation and the additional university and philanthropic funds, the Transportation Research Center and Don Scott Field, as combined industry-university research complexes, will continue to transform and grow over the next several years.

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