DIFCO Inc., Davenport, Iowa, initiated construction on America's first electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) vertiport facility in Rock Island, Illinois. Officially named The Corporal Jason G. Pautsch Vertiport, the site is located centrally within the four Quad Cities metropolitan area and will include corporate hangar facilities for lease, refueling services, an executive pilot lounge, prototype visual navigational aid beacon, and an area navigation (RNAV) instrumentation approach and departure egress. DIFCO, Inc. partnered with Hughes Aerospace and Five Alpha L.L.C. on the development in early 2021.
DIFCO Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jake Pautsch announced the project to help familiarize the community with eVTOL and VTOL and the future resources available to them by anchoring a significant hospital's aero-medical aviation division to the site.
In a public announcement, Pautsch said, "We are excited to be pioneering with our team. The vertiport will supply QC metro medical patients with safer and faster high-end access to aero-medical transport. In addition to supporting traditional rotorcraft the state-of-the-art facility will support the rising, electric battery-powered eVTOL aircraft."
Pautsch also noted, "Numerous, one-of-a-kind components of the project are unheard of in this industry and will increase safety. In addition, use of advanced technology will manage power production demands that eVTOL aircraft require without drawing from traditional energy grid power. Evaluating the massive power demands of electric aircraft is a moral responsibility. We have integrated components to be renewably conscience."
