Spring 2005

Volume 8 Number 2
A publication of Macon State College

Mike Hale, right, executive director of Macon State's Warner Robins Campus and interim director of the Aerospace Innovation Center, talks with Joseph Marks, director of planning and materiel for TIMCO Aviation Services. (Photo: Nick Oza)

In late 2003, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue announced the creation of the Aerospace Innovation Center for the Warner Robins/Macon area.

“Centers of Innovation bring together research and local assets in mid-sized Georgia cities to attract company interest and technology based economic development,” Perdue said at the time. “Combining the expertise and facilities in Middle Georgia with fresh ideas and new technology will directly benefit the region, the state and the nation.”

Today, there are five innovation centers around the state, each focused on a cluster of activity related to one of Georgia's strategic industries. The center in Columbus, for example, leverages that region's strength in the insurance and banking industries to support an Information Technologies Innovation Center. Augusta, with its large medical economic base, supports a Life Sciences Innovation Center, while Savannah is the base for the Maritime Logistics Innovation Center. Tifton, meanwhile, hosts the Agriculture Technologies Innovation Center.

Macon State hosts and provides administrative support for the Aerospace Innovation Center at the College's Warner Robins Campus. Central Georgia's aerospace cluster contains all the ingredients needed to capitalize on this economic development strategy: an environment rich in infrastructure, industry information, technological capacity, competing companies, applied university research, and private research and development surrounded by a pool of specialized talent in maintenance, repair and overhaul operations.

To link these critical resources, the Aerospace Innovation Center is charged with establishing partnerships between the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the state's University System, Mercer University, area technical colleges, private industry and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center.

Operating with support from the OneGeorgia Authority, the Center's specific missions are to encourage development of innovative new technologies that extend the productive lifecycle of aircraft, help attract new companies in aerospace technologies and promote entrepreneurial programs throughout the region. Of course, job creation is an important factor in all of these initiatives.

So how exactly does the Aerospace Innovation Center work?

The Center is a membership organization requiring dues or in-kind contributions. As incentives for potential members, the Center has launched four projects that are open to all participating companies. These projects include training for Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) certification, Lean Research with applied application, Software Simulation for Process Improvement and a Quality Verification Center.

The Center's charter member is TIMCO Inc., which has an operation in Macon at Middle Georgia Regional Airport and specializes in the repair, maintenance and overhaul (MRO) and modification of heavy jet aircraft. TIMCO is working with member institution Georgia Tech on a Lean Research project.

As a membership incentive, the state offers matching funds to companies participating in an Aerospace Innovation Center project with a research partner from a member school. Currently, two participants are involved in center projects while preparing requests for these funds. Macon State College is working on a matching funds request along with BAE Systems Analytical Solutions and the Georgia Tech School of Industrial Engineering in support of a project called, “Software Simulation for Process Improvement.” Mercer Engineering Research Center (MERC) is planning the Quality Verification Center and is also considering a matching funds request.

The message to prospective members is that they can leverage their internal research dollars by joining like companies in the pursuit of solutions to common industry problems - and have the advantage of aerospace research faculties that are ranked among the very best in the nation.

Prospective members and others interested in learning more about the Innovation Center may call (478) 929-6710.

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