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Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., visited Aims Community College’s Flight Training campus at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) in Loveland today (Sept. 3). The college offers two-year degrees in professional pilot careers, air traffic control and unmanned aircraft systems and has plans to add a degree program in airframe & powerplant maintenance, with classes set to start in 2026 at a new Aircraft Maintenance Training Center.

California is a governor's signature away from banning leaded aviation gasoline statewide. Politico Pro is reporting the California state Senate on Thursday passed bill that would outlaw the fuel starting in 2031. California is the first state to pass a leaded fuel ban. Several other states have similar legislation moving through their legislatures. The Senate vote passed 30-8. The day before, the House passed the bill, SB1193, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Caroline Menjivar, by 59-11. It now goes to Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign. He could veto it but based on the two votes it would pass anyway with the required two-thirds majority to defeat a veto. Newsom has until Sept. 30 to sign or veto the bill.

Boulder’s 2024 local election just became much less contentious.

Organizers with the ballot measure committee Airport Neighborhood Campaign announced Aug. 27 that they have withdrawn their controversial measure to decommission the Boulder Municipal Airport from the November ballot. A separate but related measure to redevelop the land into affordable housing, which had also qualified for the ballot, is also being withdrawn.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) -Today ground broke on a new Aerospace business center at Bradley Rd and Foreign Trade Blvd that is expected to create at least 250 jobs.

According to the developers, AZ Opportunity Fund and ARCO/Murray the business complex will be 320,000 square feet and is meant to serve aerospace companies and advanced technology companies of varying sizes.

GAMI founder George Braly offers responses to a series of criticisms and questions about G100UL, his company’s unleaded replacement for 100LL.

The only candidate trying to develop an alternative to 100LL that's following the clearly preferred method of obtaining approval says it's impossible to make a "drop-in replacement."

The city of Boulder, Colorado, filed a lawsuit seeking relief from the obligation to maintain the property as an airport in perpetuity. The obligation stems from past purchases of land and a property easement for the airport using FAA grant funds.

What initially began as complaints about airport noise suddenly has become a pitched battle over saving one of Boulder’s most valuable transportation, public safety, scientific research and economic vitality resources … all in pursuit of a red herring.

After a flight cancellation, a group of exhibitors from Colorado rented a car and drove more than 1,000 miles to attend EAA.

The City of Boulder, Colorado, is taking the FAA to court saying a clause in its grant obligations to the agency is constitutional overreach. The city has already stopped accepting grants with an eye to closing the airport in 2040 when the last obligations reach their 20-year expiry, but the FAA says it may never allow the airport to be closed. That’s because three grants, one of them from 65 years ago, were used to buy land for the airport, and that triggers a clause that requires the airport to be operated in perpetuity unless the FAA agrees to release Boulder from those obligations.

Brad Walker, a longtime pilot at Jefferson County, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport (KBJC; also known as “Jeffco”), has actively challenged efforts by homeowners to sue the county over noise and lead pollution associated with the airport. Most recently, he filed a request under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) statute (similar to the federal Freedom of Information Act) to acquire a noise study commissioned by his hometown of Superior, Colorado, which abuts the airport property. His request had been denied, based on attorney-client privilege, but Walker recently acquired a copy of the report and shared it with AVweb.

Notwithstanding the lack of detectable lead in air and surface samples taken in three Colorado communities near Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in 2023 (findings that came to light only after pilots obtained the reports via freedom of information requests), the legislature is now considering a nakedly anti-aviation bill that AOPA will vigorously oppose.

A series of studies commissioned by the town of Superior, Colorado, found virtually no evidence of airborne and surface lead contamination in three towns nearby Jefferson County’s Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (KBJC – also known as Jeffco Airport). But it took a Freedom of Information request to bring the test results to light. In all but one case, the levels found at the sites were too low to register. Air and surface swab samples were taken from indoor and outdoor locations in Superior, Louisville, and Lafayette, Colorado, between May and November last year.

Denver, Colo. – The Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA) and Colorado Pilots Association (CPA) released the following statement welcoming the findings of no lead contamination in communities near Rocky Mountain Metro Airport, and reaffirming the commitment of the aviation industry to safely replace leaded aviation gas by 2030:

The plan is the Airlift will occur over a three-day period of November 14, 15, and 16 (Thursday through Saturday). The consideration is to attempt to simplify the Airlift, and manage the Airlift exclusively into Gallup KGUP. We know the Gallup tarmac has plenty of ample space, with KT Aero having both fuel truck and Self Serve fuel available. Additionally, Gallup- provides ready walking access to the likes of El Charitto for a Brunch and such if desired.