Three Pivotal BlackFly electric aircraft will duel in precision maneuvers, pinpoint landings and head-to-head challenges Saturday as Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport hosts the Great American Electric Air Race, a free public event organizers say is meant to let people see, touch and feel where aviation is headed. The race is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday off West Blee Road, with races and flight exhibitions at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence starting at 9 a.m. If weather forces a postponement, organizers have set a rain date of Sunday, Oct. 18.
The day's lineup includes a precision-landing competition in which pilots try to touch down on an exact spot, a relay-style Milk Run that tests speed and motor temperature control among three competing teams, and a closing Circuit Dash, according to the Springfield News-Sun. Beyond the racing, the event will offer biplane rides, a free FAA TRUST certificate course, an eVTOL simulator experience, food trucks and live music, per JobsOhio. Admission is free to the public, though the first 100 registrants will receive a gift, and attendees do not need to register ahead of time.
A Showcase Built Around BlackFly's Local Test Flights
The BlackFly aircraft at the center of Saturday's competition has history at this airport. Pivotal, a technology company based in Palo Alto, California, and Beavercreek-based defense contractor Modern Technology Solutions Inc. tested the BlackFly in Springfield during the summer of 2024, including trials of remote control and portable charging using a DANNAR battery energy storage truck. A BlackFly was photographed being recharged by a mobile, remotely controlled DANNAR vehicle at Springfield-Beckley Airport on June 17, 2024, according to DVIDS, with AFWERX, the Air Force's innovation arm, showcasing the aircraft as part of that collaboration. AFWERX has separately investigated the BlackFly's capabilities, and the Air Force research organization has said one- to two-person eVTOL aircraft could eventually support missions including special operations, surveillance, and disaster and emergency response, per Pivotal.
Ted Angel, who leads the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence in Springfield, told the Springfield News-Sun he expects electric flight to find a lasting place in American aviation, and that the race is designed to expose the public to the technology and build trust in it. He said electric transportation could someday be as critical as today's transportation modes and could save people time. Angel also said he avoids calling Saturday's event an air show, citing the insurance costs that label can carry.
More Than Racing: Simulators, Helicopters and Golden Age Planes
Organizers have packed the airfield with attractions beyond the race itself. Sinclair College will offer a Pivotal BlackFly simulator experience, and Higher Ground Helicopters will run scenic helicopter flights over the airport and surrounding area, according to aamohio.com. Classic Golden Age airplanes will be on display for visitors to get close to, and anyone 13 or older can take a free FAA TRUST certificate course for recreational drone flying with no prior experience required. The broader event will feature BlackFly electric aircraft flights, aircraft competitions, technology displays, STEM activities, flight simulators, pilot meet-and-greets, live music, food trucks and family entertainment, per the Springfield News-Sun's account.
Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport sits at 1323 W. Blee Road, and the race grounds are anchored by the 55,000-square-foot National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence, a facility built around the region's growing bet on electric and hybrid-electric aviation, according to JobsOhio. That bet has drawn real dollars: Joby Aviation plans to hire 2,000 people to help build electric air taxis near Dayton's airport, while Electra plans to add another 2,000 jobs near Springfield's airport building hybrid-electric planes for short trips, according to WHIO.
Reviving a Century-Old Race for the Electric Age
Saturday's event follows last year's Pulitzer Electric Aircraft Race, which ran Oct. 10 through 13, 2025, at the same airport and which organizers described as the world's first crewed all-electric air race, according to AVweb. Five teams flew three aircraft in that race, including two Pipistrel Velis Electros and a Beta Technologies Alia eCTOL. Springfield won the right to host that revival after earning a composite score of 96.3 in the site-selection process, per Aviation Trail Inc. The original Pulitzer Trophy Race ran annually from 1920 to 1925, with the 1924 contest held at Wright Field, now part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, according to AOPA.
Industry forecasts attached to the sector are substantial: the U.S. advanced air mobility market is projected to reach $115 billion annually by 2035 and support more than 280,000 jobs, according to a release carried by GlobeNewswire. Angel has said the industry still faces challenges around certification, supply chains, infrastructure and public acceptance as it shifts from demonstration projects toward production, per JobsOhio. Federal regulators are still working through parts of that certification puzzle — the Government Accountability Office has said the FAA was evaluating electric aircraft and engine designs on a case-by-case basis as of March 2026 while considering longer-term regulatory approaches. Registration information for Saturday's race is available at aamohio.com/electric-air-race.
