Flying Cars and Dinosaurs

Happy Friday Jr!

Summer’s almost over. We’re feeling cool, crisp mornings in Colorado. Autumn is here. Just a few weeks until the leaves do their thing. 

Tuesday, I sat in on the Grand Junction Regional Airport board meeting. 

I’m incredibly grateful for the transparency and public access of these meetings.

Much of the material is boring, but it’s great to connect with the individuals responsible for decisions that affect our transportation network. 

As someone who learns best by osmosis, airport board meetings are among the highest-leverage opportunities for me in 2026. 

I’m learning a lot. I’m in the right rooms, and flying cars are becoming a topic of conversation. 

Slowly, then all at once. 

I met with several board members and airport staff. 

The airport’s CEO, Angela Padalecki, and I learned that we share the same hometown. Small world. Angela also serves as Chair for CDOT’s Aeronautical Board. Great person to know!

The meeting focused on the approval of several grants for improvement projects, including a runway expansion, new signage, and the installation of a dinosaur! :)

Like most industry events, the real action is never the event // meeting itself. But rather the sequence before + after. 

The meet-and-greets that create meaningful relationships. The side-quests as the main quest. 

I was introduced to Spirit Engineering, a Special Light Sport Aircraft manufacturer based in Grand Junction, Colorado. I’d never heard of Spirit and am excited to learn more. 

Rumor has it, the aircraft sells for less than $70,000. A potential game-changer in personal aviation.

Today, I’m visiting Spirit for a tour of their manufacturing facility. 

Godspeed.