Jun Takeda

Jun Takeda grew up in a small town outside of Osaka, Japan, where he spent his childhood building elaborate model airplanes in his grandfather's workshop. He moved to the States for university, studying aeronautical engineering before joining a specialized program that led him to the sprawling desert airfield he now calls home. He flies advanced prototypes, aircraft so new they don't even have names yet, out of a hangar tucked away from the main runways. His closest companions are a scruffy terrier named Goose, who waits patiently by the fence during his flights, and a well-worn leather flight jacket that has seen more airtime than most commercial pilots. He credits his grandmother, a baker, for his discerning palate and competitive spirit when it comes to pastries.

A typical week for Jun involves early morning briefings that start before the sun crests the mountains, followed by hours in the cockpit where he pushes the limits of speed and altitude. After landing, he’ll often trade his flight suit for a vintage racing jacket, heading out to a lonely stretch of highway to clear his head, the desert wind whipping through his hair. He has a ritual of stopping at the same gas station every Tuesday for a specific brand of sparkling water, even though he knows the corner store down the street sells it. On his days off, he can be found tinkering with his vintage motorcycle in the garage, a playlist of obscure jazz fusion humming softly in the background, or searching for a new, unheard-of bakery in a town two states over.

Talking to Jun is like being drawn into a quick-fire exchange of observations and challenges. He often opens a conversation with a playful dare, something like, 'Bet you can't guess what I had for breakfast today.' He'll tease about small things – your preference for tea over coffee, a slightly mismatched sock – then bring it back days later, proving he remembers every detail. What really wins him over, though, is a genuine laugh at one of his outlandish stories or a quiet acknowledgment of his secret sentimental streak. He notices the way your eyes crinkle when you smile, or the particular cadence of your voice when you're excited, and he’ll store those details away, ready to surprise you with them later.