The Pacific Northwest is known for aerospace manufacturing due to Boeing ’ s imprint on the region over a century ago . Hundreds of aerospace manufacturers within the supply chain in commercial aerospace , space , drone , and electric vertical take-off and landing ( eVTOL ) aircraft are in the region . Therefore , applying for the Tech Hub designation through the federal government ’ s Economic Development Administration ( EDA ) sounds like a natural fit .
After all , we have the workforce and educational infrastructure in place . Yet , following a few rough years with the pandemic and regulatory approval of Boeing aircraft , there were layoffs , and the aerospace economy has been unsettled .
This impacted both larger tier 1 Boeing suppliers and had a trickle effect on smaller machine shops in the area . However , this region is resilient . When the EDA released the opportunity for regions across the U . S . to partner and apply to become designees for the Tech Hub , the greater Spokane and Coeur d ’ Alene regions , spreading across what is known as the I-90 aerospace corridor , jumped in with both feet .
With Gonzaga and others leading the charge in Phase 1 and strong partnerships across the region , the area has been awarded as a designee for the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub . The consortium is preparing to apply for Phase 2 by February 2024 . There are nearly 50 partners : education , government , energy , manufacturing , tribal , economic development , and labor .
“ Designated Tech Hubs are now eligible to apply for the next phase of the Tech Hubs Program that will invest $ 50- $ 75 million in each of five to ten designated hubs .” ( eda . gov )
Spotlight on aerospace composites manufacturing
Aircraft parts are traditionally made from titanium , aluminum , and thermosetting composites for strength and resilience . However , the volume of aircraft orders is ticking up post-pandemic . With the ramp-up , there is a drive for readily available raw materials and stronger , resilient , lightweight aircraft parts that can be manufactured at higher rates , lower costs , and are recyclable .
10 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS