Meacham International gets funding to boost eVTOL charging network

Technology is changing the way we think about aviation, and Fort Worth Meacham International Airport will soon be equipped with the infrastructure needed to power the future of flight.

The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) recently approved $477,500 in local funds through the Advanced Air Mobility Readiness Call for Projects to help Meacham and three other North Texas airports install charging infrastructure to support the growth of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The chargers will be installed at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, Denton Regional Airport, Granbury Regional Airport and Greenville Municipal Airport. Greenville Municipal was awarded the maximum of $200,000 for its project, while the other three will each receive $92,500 for charging infrastructure.

This funding will expand the regional network of electric aircraft charging infrastructure and improve the ability of the airports to support future eVTOL and other advanced air mobility operations.

Technology takes flight at Meacham

Roger Venables, director of aviation for the City of Fort Worth, said acquiring the charging equipment will provide Meacham with the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of electric aircraft and to participate in Project Nexus, Texas’ eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.

Led by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Project Nexus is designed to demonstrate and evaluate how eVTOL aircraft can be safely integrated into the existing aviation and transportation system.

“The charging equipment will be installed in an operational area at Meacham capable of accommodating compatible (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) eVTOL and (Electric Conventional Takeoff and Landing) eCTOL aircraft, allowing aircraft to recharge between flights and provide an important link to other airports participating in the North Texas advanced air mobility network,” Venables said.

About Project Nexus

In August, TxDOT introduced Project Nexus at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport as part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. The Alliance kickoff included flight demonstrations and marked the beginning of real-world operations intended to help the FAA and its partners understand how to safely integrate these aircraft into the existing aviation system.

“This investment will give us the infrastructure to support Project Nexus and emerging electric aircraft while creating opportunities for new aviation services and technologies in Fort Worth and throughout North Texas,” Venables said.

“As advanced air mobility technology continues to mature, the infrastructure at Meacham could support a range of future applications, including air taxi services, cargo and logistics, emergency medical transportation and other business and aviation uses.”

High-flying interest

Community interest in these technologies continues to grow, as evidenced by the recent North Texas Drone Demonstration Day, sponsored by the RTC. Held Sept. 16 at the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center at Dallas Executive Airport, the event drew more than 800 attendees, from local students to area businesses, to an interactive showcase highlighting uncrewed cutting-edge aviation, advanced air mobility, public safety tech and STEM education.

Complementing these efforts, North Texas’ airport readiness initiatives are closely tied to the Center of Advanced Aviation Technologies. This initiative accelerates AAM implementation through strategic planning, infrastructure development, operational integration, and workforce pipelines, establishing the region as a national hub for research, testing and technology development.

The RTC https://www.nctcog.org/trans/about/committees/regional-transportation-council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policymaking body for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The RTC’s 45 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers.

Photo: Fort Worth Meacham International Airport received $92,500 for aviation charging infrastructure.

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