OKI Executive Board Greenlights Initial Phase to Ready Local Airports for Advanced Air Mobility

In a pioneering move potentially unparalleled nationwide, the Ohio–Kentucky–Indiana Regional Council of Governments (OKI) has launched a strategic initiative to ready five southwest Ohio airports for the upcoming era of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). At its March 13 meeting, OKI’s Executive Committee unanimously approved contracting a specialized firm to design electrical infrastructure plans for these airports’ transition to support AAM operations.

The effort focuses on preparing for new electric aircraft—such as electric Vertical Take‑Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles—capable of transporting cargo and passengers using vertical lift. The airports involved include Butler County Regional Airport; Cincinnati Municipal Airport (Lunken Field); Clermont County Airport; Miami University Airport; and Middletown Regional Airport (Hook Field), each overseen by local public entities.

Robyn Bancroft, OKI’s Strategic Initiatives Manager, explained that selected consultants will create customized plans detailing current electrical capacity, future upgrade requirements, and projected costs. These blueprints aim to position each airport to move forward with the infrastructure needed to support electric aircraft operations, accelerating their economic development potential.

OKI CEO Mark Policinski highlighted AAM as a “now-generation” mobility technology with significant potential. From enabling rapid delivery of medical supplies to expanding passenger transport options, AAM presents transformative opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural regions. With truck traffic in the region projected to increase 46% by 2050, OKI views AAM as a tool to ease congestion, enhance air quality, improve safety, reduce road wear, and drive economic growth.

Both OKI and Duke Energy, in collaboration with representatives from the five airports, will evaluate proposals and select the firm to develop and oversee these foundational AAM infrastructure plans. Bancroft noted the initiative appears to be among the first of its kind in the U.S., potentially marking the nation’s first metropolitan planning body to take such a forward-thinking approach to airport modernization.

Original article: “OKI Executive Board Approves First Step Toward Transforming Local Airports for Future of Air Mobility,” OKI.