The Minnesota Electric Aviation Network (MEAN) Study, led by the MnDOT Aeronautics office, has identified 27 airports which could be used as the basis for a state-wide electric aviation network.
“The MEAN Study identifies a strategic network of Minnesota airports that are best positioned to support electric aircraft operations within the next decade,” said the study executive summary. “The study does not prescribe immediate infrastructure investments. Rather, the study establishes a foundational framework to guide meaningful stakeholder engagement, future infrastructure planning, policy development, and investment decisions that advance Minnesota’s goals for sustainable aviation.”
The study has been built around three use-cases: short-haul cargo, pilot training and medical transport.
“To ensure the resulting network was both efficient and geographically balanced, a connectivity analysis was conducted,” continued the report. “This analysis evaluated how well candidate airports linked together based on the flight range of a reference electric aircraft. Airports located within 30 miles of one another were reviewed for potential redundancy, and in such cases, the lower-scoring airport was removed from the initial network. In the Twin Cities metro area, seven airports operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) were consolidated into a single “MAC node” to reflect shared operations and planning efficiencies. This approach helped maximize geographic coverage, minimize redundancy, and strengthen the overall value and cohesion of the MEAN.”
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