The FAA last week recognized a new category of aircraft — electric-powered flying taxis, also known as eVTOLs, or electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles.
You’ve seen those terms before. Those are precisely the kinds of vehicles that Santa Cruz, Calif.-based Joby Aviation Inc. says it wants to build at a former postal sorting facility near Dayton International Airport.
We’re far from the kind of world Joby envisions, and yes, there are some skeptics. (Johns Hopkins University aerospace engineer Jaafar El-Awady says he’s not ready to be amazed by this type of aircraft just yet).
But if Joby’s vision is realized, it may have significant implications for how some of us travel — and for Dayton.
FAA recognizes a new kind of aircraft
The FAA recognized a new category of aircraft last week, electric aircraft that take off vertically and then fly like fixed-wing aircraft.
Why it matters: Joby Aviation Inc., which has manufacturing plans in Dayton, welcomed the news, saying the regulatory milestone lays the groundwork for commercial passenger service in the U.S.
What they’re saying: “The FAA will continue to prioritize the safety of our system as we work to seamlessly integrate innovative technology and operations. This final rule provides the necessary framework to allow powered lift aircraft to safely operate in our airspace,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement.
Heating bills expected to go up this winter
Homeowners and business owners can probably expect higher energy prices this winter.
Prices for home heating this winter are expected to increase by about 10.5% from last year’s winter heating season in the Northeast and Midwest states from $889 to $982, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.
A lot depends on the weather: The annual NOAA winter outlook is calling for “La Niña conditions” in the Pacific Ocean this winter, meaning a possible warmer and wetter winter in Ohio and near the Great Lakes.
But winter weather in the Midwest can be famously variable.
What they’re saying: “In that region, we expect a return to more normal temperatures that will outweigh the effect of lower energy prices and cause spending on heating fuels to rise by between 2% and 11%, depending on the energy source, in the coming winter,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
Dayton Live’s new leader strives for community-minded approach
Credit: KINDRED LIGHT PHOTOS
Credit: KINDRED LIGHT PHOTOS
When I heard Gabriel van Aalst speak at a recent press conference his accent really grabbed the ear.
van Aalst grew up in Australia and today leads the city’s largest performing arts organization.
Why this matters: As Dayton Live’s new president and CEO, van Aalst oversees a company that draws more than 400,000 guests to more than 400 events annually. It is also one of the largest property owners in downtown Dayton, contributing $25 million in economic impact annually.
COMMUNITY GEMS: Business leader helps those impacted by opioids
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
I’ve known Bruce Langos since his days as an executive leading Teradata’s Miami Twp. outpost. (Teradata moved to San Diego in 2018.) He has a quiet-spoken, matter-of-fact manner that can be disarming. When NCR spun Teradata’s big data business off in 2007, Langos was at the helm.
A true gem: It was Langos’ background in computer science that made him uniquely positioned to help fight opioids, writer Diane Erwin tells us.
Langos shifted from his former role as the chief operating officer of Teradata to developing the Criminal Intelligence Center for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, which captured local drug activity and shared it with 29 law enforcement departments.
Read more about how he put data to work for law enforcement.
SO MANY GEMS: In all, 52 people or organizations were named Dayton Daily News Community Gems this year: See who they are and what they are doing for their community. Explore them all.
To protect core downtown area, Dayton will add security cameras
What’s happening: City and police officials say Dayton is going to add security cameras downtown.
Why: Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein said downtown cameras recently helped police quickly identify and arrest two men who earlier this month allegedly tried to rob a TV cameraman.
What she said: Additional cameras will help ensure that the city’s “economic engine” is safe and people who commit serious criminal offenses will be caught and brought to justice, Dickstein said.
Contact Me: Thank you, as always, for reading this newsletter. We’d look pretty silly without you. You can reach me anytime at tom.gnau@coxinc.com. Also, please check out our Dayton Business page on Facebook.
Quick hits
Late-night dining option: There’s a new one in Riverside.
When the Air Force wants to make sensors smarter: They call these folks.
Five takeaways from Ohio State’s escape from Nebraska: And at least two reasons why I’m worried about the matchup with Penn State.
Wright-Patt’s original Fisher House: Has gotten a refresh. Just in time for its 30th anniversary.
New spots to eat in Miamisburg: We know of a few.
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