53 AirportImprovement.com July | August 2026 OPERATIONS SPI Innovative engineering for a better planet. With planning, engineering, construction support, consulting services and beyond, we are there for you every step of the way — now and in the future. Advanced Air Mobility Remote Digital Towers Control Room Camera Array LEARN MORE “Last-Mile” Connectivity One of the most compelling concepts to emerge from Hanson’s study is the potential for regional “spokes” to feed into a SPI “mini- hub.” In discussing such a network, Zellers cites the success of American Airlines using Landline buses to shuttle passengers from smaller markets to larger hubs. “I know they’re doing that in South Bend,” she says. “People clear security in a simpler manner, the parking is easier, and they end up right at the gate.” Even though transit occurs on the ground, the convenience of faster screening and ideal location provides a tangible benefit—one that Advanced Air Mobility could level up even further, says Zellers. Regional connections to smaller communities like Jacksonville and Litchfield are being considered by the team at SPI. In this “last mile” scenario, travelers could access the entire national transportation system, including connections to international flights, by taking 15-minute eVTOL flights from their local airports to SPI. Springfield’s location could be leveraged as a strategic asset, positioning the airport as a node between major Midwestern hubs. Zellers notes that its proximity to St. Louis, Indianapolis and Chicago is a significant factor, even though initial all-electric Advanced Air Mobility aircraft may not quite have that range yet. Still, she believes some of the larger hybrid-electric regional aircraft should have enough range, which positions SPI to take advantage of an opportunity to bring the technology to Springfield first. Legacy of Innovation As Hanna looks toward the next decade of his tenure at SPI, he views the shift currently in motion as a significant evolution. By “negotiating with themselves”—and calculating what manufacturers of Advanced Air Mobility aircraft will need before the standards are even fully written—he says SPI has jumped from being a regional player to a national blueprint. “With all that goes on in a given day at an airport, the question, ‘Where is my power coming from?’ has jumped from number 15 on the list to number one,” Hanna says. “Can we continue to buy it from the utility, or do we need to start generating our own?” By answering that question today, SPI is trying to ensure that when the first commercial eVTOL aircraft clear the horizon, it won’t just be watching. It will be a destination. For professionals who design and build airport infrastructure, the “Springfield model” offers a clear lesson: An airport’s most valuable asset isn’t necessarily its current traffic, but its willingness to imagine—and power—what comes next.
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