A note from leadership: Buckeye Aviation Today newsletter updates
2024
Nearly seven months ago I on-boarded as director of The Ohio State University Airport where I was graciously welcomed. It’s a pleasure to lead such a terrific team, and I have been enjoying the challenge of the breadth of activity that occurs every day at KOSU.
This season that activity includes significant construction aimed at enhancing safety and access. Both the terminal apron and Taxiway A will have total pavement removal and replacement, thanks to funding from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program. The old pavement was well worn after years of use. Project phasing will allow the airport to receive the many eager travelers who visit northwest Columbus each year for The Memorial golf tournament, which is annually our busiest time.
I’m also pleased to report that the next batch of Buckeye aviators are ready to embark on their careers, helping to alleviate the global critical pilot shortage. This spring nearly 20 student pilots are expected to matriculate from our program.
As you read the spring edition of Buckeye Aviation Today, I hope you enjoy learning about the impactful activities happening not only at the airport, but also at the Aerospace Research Center and Center for Aviation Studies.
Sincerely,
Karl Von Hagel, AAE
Airport Director
Thank you to everyone who has extended a warm Buckeye welcome during my first few months as director of the Aerospace Research Center. An alumnus of this program, it’s a distinct pleasure to now serve in the dual role of faculty member and leader. My gratitude goes to Assistant Director Jim Lawson, who acted as interim director for three years.
Our team has both broad and deep knowledge, and I continue to be impressed by the impacts we’re making across the aerospace and air transportation fields. To further expand our reach, experts from many of our 10 labs will coalesce to launch a new hypersonics research thrust over the coming months, joining our existing three pillars.
Momentum from last year is carrying us into 2024. You may have enjoyed recent coverage of our drone lab in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine, on the Now at Ohio State podcast and featured on the university home page. For more updates such as these – including our recent testimony to Ohio’s Aviation and Aerospace Committee – follow our LinkedIn page.
But, we’re not the only ones making headlines. I invite you to also read about the successes of the Center for Aviation Studies and The Ohio State University Airport in this quarter’s Buckeye Aviation Today.
From all of us at the Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus, Happy New Year!
Jesse Little
Director
Aerospace Research Center
2023
Autumn 2023 marks a historic chapter in aviation at The Ohio State University with three new directors taking flight in Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus units. Join us as we welcome Blake Stringer (Center for Aviation Studies), Jesse Little (Aerospace Research Center) and Karl Von Hagel (The Ohio State University Airport). Click on each news link to read more about how they plan to chart the course for the future.
New director aboard at Center for Aviation Studies
The College of Engineering has named D. Blake Stringer, PhD, as director of the Center for Aviation Studies. He began to serve in his new role on August 1 and will assume full-time responsibilities in January 2024. Stringer is an engineering professor, licensed pilot and Army veteran. “The State of Ohio has a rich tradition of innovation in aviation and has positioned itself to maintain its leadership in addressing current challenges and modernizing the industry. The Ohio State University’s Center for Aviation Studies plays a big part in that,” Stringer said.
Professor Jesse Little begins tenure as director of the Aerospace Research Center
The Ohio State University Aerospace Research Center announces Professor Jesse Little, PhD, as its new director, effective August 15, 2023. Little will provide leadership to the interdisciplinary center’s world-renowned research activities focused on aerospace technology. “ARC faculty have been very successful in both basic and applied research,” Little said. “By building larger, more interdisciplinary efforts, leveraging our combined expertise and engaging a variety of partners, we will enhance our impact globally.”
New director Karl Von Hagel to lead The Ohio State University Airport
Cincinnati, Ohio native Karl Von Hagel has returned to his home state to serve as director of The Ohio State University Airport. His first day on the job was September 25. He will oversee both strategic development and day-to-day business operations of central Ohio's premier executive airport. “I am honored and excited to begin my role as director of KOSU, one of the premiere university airports in the country,” Von Hagel said. “I look forward to contributing to an organization that is shaping the future of aviation.”
In addition to the messages from leadership, enjoy a variety of news updates and exciting accomplishments in this Buckeye Aviation Today newsletter.
Greetings from summer semester! While most of the students are taking a breather, we still have many that are taking advantage of the weather to further their flight training. We are also offering our remote pilot ground school and air traffic control fundamentals class to even more students.
Summer is also the time that we use to start preparing both classes and events for the next academic year. We are working on a back-to-school event in conjunction with United Airlines, partnering with the OSU Aviation Alumni Society on their first in-person reunion since the pandemic, followed shortly thereafter by our popular Aviation Industry Night event. Throughout all of this we are also working with a couple industry partners for some planned talks to help demonstrate to students the breadth of aviation career options.
Next year, we will also be trialing new classes, including a one focused on UAS beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, another air traffic control course, and some revamped capstone offerings. We have more classes being proposed as well, to continuously improve the curriculum.
If you would like to be involved in any of these events or if you have ideas for others, please connect with me (strzempkowski.1@osu.edu).
Enjoy this edition of Buckeye Aviation Today, featuring content from the Center for Aviation Studies, Aerospace Research Center and The Ohio State University Airport.
Go Bucks!
Brian Strzempkowski
Interim Director
Center for Aviation Studies
Spring at The Ohio State University Airport signifies not only a time of transition in weather – perhaps best noted by the Airfield Maintenance team swapping snow gear for runway painting equipment – this year it has also marked a time of leadership transition.
With the recent departure of Airport Director Adam Wolf, I’ve agreed to take on the interim role in addition to my duties as assistant director of airport operations. The College of Engineering will be conducting a national search for a new director. As a 34-year KOSU employee, I’ve experienced a number of changes over the decades. One thing that remains consistent is our commitment to serve as a hub to regional industry members, a learning lab for future aviation professionals and a core facility for university research.
The coming months will be busy with airfield maintenance projects, welcoming the Memorial Tournament to town and preparing for the 2023 Don Scott Trot: 5K on the Runway (registration is live!). It’s set to be a busy season for the avionics shop as well – the team is now accepting customers in its new Hangar 5 location.
I invite you to read this quarter’s Buckeye Aviation Today newsletter highlighting a range of activities from the Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus. Be inspired by stories from the airport, Center for Aviation Studies and Aerospace Research Center.
Sincerely,
Dale Gelter
Interim Airport Director
Assistant Director, Airport Operations
The Aerospace Research Center begins 2023 ready to continue innovating across the spectrum of air transportation challenges.
Numerous active ongoing research projects are set to keep our faculty, staff and students very busy this semester. We continue to conduct uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) off-nominal-simulation exercises in preparation for flights in the Route 33 Smart Corridor as part of our project to deploy uncrewed traffic management solutions for the State of Ohio. These exercises are necessary as we move toward operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Through engagement with nine different research projects, we are very active in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). This research informs policy, rules and regulations to support the safe and efficient integration of UAS in our nation’s airspace.
In addition, recent faculty recognition includes Kiran D’Souza, PhD, director of the Nonlinear Dynamics and Vibration Lab, who was elected to the class of 2023 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate Fellows.
Read on for more about the center’s recent highlights, along with accomplishments from the Center for Aviation Studies and university airport in the January edition of Buckeye Aviation Today.
I also invite you to connect with the center via our LinkedIn page (click here).
Happy New Year!
Jim Lawson
Interim Director
2022
The new academic year always brings about a sense of renewal. Campus comes back to life after being empty for three months, new ideas are exchanged and we get to welcome the students, both new and returning, back to campus. While the experienced students have already begun to figure this out, the new students are about to learn that this is an exciting time to be in the aviation industry. The advancement of technology is only increasing, and some of them are preparing for jobs that may not yet exist. As an academic unit the Center for Aviation Studies is committed to not only preparing our students for the jobs of today, but also providing them the tools to succeed tomorrow.
As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate, we must focus more on the transferable skills that the industry needs while not losing focus on our legacy. New courses in advanced aircraft automation, virtual reality simulation, aviation policy, remote piloting, air traffic control and human factors are crucial components. Expanding our curriculum offerings ensures that we produce the entrepreneurs that will help define the aviation industry of the future.
As a final thought, I would like to invite all of you to help with educating the future workforce. If you know of employment or internships opportunities, please share them. If you have interest in being a guest speaker or mentor, please reach out. We would be happy to have you connect with the students in whatever way you feel comfortable, and I think you’ll find it’s a rewarding experience for everyone.
This edition of Buckeye Aviation Today features impactful stories from not only the Center for Aviation Studies, but also the university airport and Aerospace Research Center. We welcome your questions and comments at aviation@osu.edu.
Go Bucks!
Brian Strzempkowski
Interim Director
Center for Aviation Studies
Located on the university’s Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus, the Aerospace Research Center leads interdisciplinary research to address current and future air transportation challenges. ARC’s most prominent research areas are in unmanned aircraft systems, aerodynamic flow control and gas turbine engines.
Our team of high-achieving faculty, staff and students is focused on advancing knowledge and technology, as evidenced by our groundbreaking discoveries that are now fueling some of industry’s latest improvements. From our early beginning in 1948 inside Hangars 1 and 3 at Don Scott Field, our expenditures have grown to $7.7M in fiscal year 2020.
Success in research and outstanding graduate and undergraduate student education punctuate our current projects. Buckeye Vertical, Ohio State’s design-build-fly drone team based at ARC recently flew to first place in a national competition. In addition, our UAS research group continues to monitor traffic and roadway conditions from the air along U.S. Route 33 as a core partner in central Ohio's Smart Mobility Corridor project.
It’s my pleasure to share with you this installment of Buckeye Aviation Today. Read on to learn what’s happening at the Aerospace Research Center, The Ohio State University Airport and the Center for Aviation Studies. Visit our websites or social media channels—including ARC’s new LinkedIn page—to connect further.
Sincerely,
Jim Lawson
Interim Director
As the nation’s premier university-owned and -operated airport, The Ohio State University Airport not only supports the development of future aviation professionals, but is also a regional travel hub and economic driver in central Ohio.
Over the years we have grown from a World War I pilot training program to be a premier executive airport. Our airfield – Don Scott Field – provides convenient access to aviation enthusiasts, corporate travelers, medical transport and service organizations. Throughout the pandemic we have filled a critical transportation gap, leading Ohio’s airports with the most takeoffs and landings in 2020.
Our success continues today at the start of our busiest time of the year. In May we host the prestigious National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Safety Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON), with 28 high-performing university flight teams invited. Just a few weeks later, we join Dublin, Ohio to welcome the Memorial Tournament fans and players to town. I’m grateful for our hard-working team who lifts us to achieve landmark after landmark.
Please enjoy this edition of Buckeye Aviation Today. We feature stories from across the Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus – research initiatives led by the world-renowned Aerospace Research Center, academic accomplishments from the Center for Aviation Studies and the impact of the campus’ hub, The Ohio State University Airport.
As always, feel free to connect with all three units by emailing aviation@osu.edu or via our social media channels linked at the end of the newsletter.
Sincerely,
Adam Charles Wolf, C.M., ACE
Airport Director
Since 1917, aviation-related programs at The Ohio State University have grown to encompass flight training, academic majors spanning three colleges, internationally recognized academic research, testing and engineering services, and a $15-million executive terminal and learning center made possible through the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation and many other supporters. Many of our #OSUAviation activities are concentrated at The Ohio State University’s Air Transportation & Aerospace Campus located in northwest Columbus, Ohio.
Today’s vibrant aviation industry forms an indispensable part of the integrated global economy. Built on Ohio’s rich aviation heritage, The Ohio State University’s aviation programs honor the past while preparing students to become tomorrow’s industry leaders. Our mission is four-fold: To continually improve the experience of every student; to perform research with ever increasing scope, scale and importance; to build better value and integration for our many stakeholders; and to build a vibrant, healthy, diverse and opportunity-rich aviation and aerospace community for all.
In support of this mission, we’ve launched the quarterly Buckeye Aviation Today to share exciting news from across our areas of expertise and to further our engagement and impact across the aviation industry. Your engagement is encouraged. Each newsletter installment will feature a note from one of our administrators, who will highlight #OSUAviation happenings from their perspective.
Opportunities abound for participation and engagement in the #OSUAviation community. From alumni events and industry networking to student recruitment, research and community involvement, we look forward to dialoging with you.
I invite you to explore our digital presence on our websites – Center for Aviation Studies, The Ohio State University Airport and the Aerospace Research Center – and to connect with us via our social media channels listed at the end of this newsletter. Together we are #OSUAviation.
Blue skies,
John M. Horack, PhD
Director, Center for Aviation Studies
Professor and Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy
Senior Associate Dean, College of Engineering
P.S. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments at aviation@osu.edu.