Signal + Noise At The Aspen Airport

Happy Saturday!

Thursday I ran up Valley for Aspen's monthly Airport Advisory Board meeting.

Arrived early. Claimed a cozy seat in the center of the room.

By takeoff, 30-40 in attendance. A few more on Zoom.

The agenda: airport updates and the runway closure slated for April through November 2027. Voters approved the bond last fall. Total program cost is north of $575M. New runway, new terminal, a redesigned airfield phased over five years.

Next on the agenda: noise. A consultant group walked through findings on the airport's noise profile. 

Long. Boring. Like most board meetings.

Airports are public projects. I expect slow progress.

But here's what made me sit up. Board Chair Jacque Francis asked that experts in aviation innovation be invited to present what's coming next. Electric. Autonomous. Sustainable fuels. Hydrogen on the horizon.

That's a big deal.

Aspen isn't just any airport. It's one of the most-watched private aviation hubs in the country. Where trends start, others follow.

If ASE leans into aviation innovation, that's not a local story. That's a global signal.

I connected with Jacque after the meeting. Exchanged contact information.

She texted me two questions that often stump me:

What brought you to the Valley? What are you doing for work?

It’s a beautiful beginning to a much-needed 3-day weekend. Enjoy the rest. 

I’ll share thoughts on stocks soon.

Godspeed.