Archive for 2017
The first of several fall/winter work parties at Georgia’s Meadowlark, (GA75) took place November 18. “Neighbors showed up with tractors and graders,” Georgia Liaison Eric Davis said. Volunteers cleared the tall brush from the north end of the runway, which opened it up to the county road, so fencing became a requirement. “So another neighbor,…
Ten volunteers responded to my last-minute call for support at Keystone Heights (42J) airport, 15 nm northeast of Gainesville. Its maintenance shed/pilot shelter — affectionately called the “Hooch Hut” — is being re-purposed for aviation-only use. This facility will support meetings, fly-ins and camping. Once completed, aviation organizations will be able to block out their event…
The RAF is pleased to report that efforts by its membership contributed to a 17% share of comments received by the Helena/Lewis and Clark National Forest during their public scoping period. These comments will steer the future travel plan on the Helena/Lewis and Clark National Forest, 2,846,606 acres of public land located in the Rocky…
The RAF and the National Park Service (NPS) officially renewed their cooperative maintenance agreement on the three airstrips within the boundaries of Death Valley National Park September 1. The original renewable five-year agreement was inked in 2008 and approved RAF volunteers performing maintenance on the Park’s air
The first-ever Fly-in weekend at Carver’s Cut airstrip Aug 25-27 brought 15 planes and 30 folks to the newest recreational airstrip in California’s southern Sierra Nevadas. Guests enjoyed camping, potluck meals, trout fishing, hiking, and fellowship under the festive lights of the new pilot shelter. Anthony Longobardo, the RAF’s newest California Liaison, opened his new…
Sunrise Valley Ranch is an 11,000 acre working cattle ranch located approximately 40 miles by air, or 85 miles by road, due east of Bend, Oregon. Nestled in a small valley surrounded by the Ochoco Mountains, the ranch is owned by Larry and Susan Fildes. Three generations of their extended family live on the ranch…
Ben William Ryan passed away peacefully July 26 at the Montana Veteran’s Home in Columbia Falls with his loving wife Agnes, “Butchie” and friends at his side. Ben began life March 21, 1923 in Belleflower, CA, the son of Ben and Mary Ryan. Ben had an older sister, T. Antoinette. His family moved to Three…
The RAF is pleased to report that once North Fox Island airstrip was re-opened, RAF Michigan Liaison Brad Frederick got to work on another beautiful recreational destination, this time along the Two-Hearted River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Work has begun on reclaiming the airstrip, but it is not yet open to the public. Brad staked out…
RAF Alaska Liaison Al Clayton organized a June 3 work party to trim and remove trees along 1,000-ft Jake’s Bar, which lies within Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The group gathered Friday at Clayton’s rustic cabin at Fireweed airstrip, near the old mining town of McCarthy. The pilots enjoyed an incredibly scenic flight, while Al’s wife Beth…
Another success in keeping with the RAF mission happened as the new Phoenix FAA sectional shows no X through the Grapevine Airstrip symbol. It’s taken nearly five years of collaboration between the RAF, Arizona Pilots’ Association (APA) and the US Forest Service – including the signing of the national MOU between the RAF and the USFS – to remove…
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Payson, Arizona, is billed as “Arizona’s Cool Mountain Town,” and recreational aviators give it a big thumbs-up. The airport (KPAN) lies at 5,157 feet elevation beneath the Mogollon Rim and has become a favorite stop for pilots. It’s 50 miles from the hubbub of the busy Phoenix region, yet it offers all the amenities a recreational flyer could want – an uncontrolled, small-town airport – a natural stop for resupply for exploring Arizona’s other backcountry strips. It has 24-hr avgas and Jet A, and a courtesy car, available with 24-hour prior reservation, so you can explore the area and discover a wealth of outdoor recreation and historical sites, trails, and Native ruins. Camping among pinyon pines can start right at the Payson airport, where you’ll find a dozen campsites, each with a picnic table, grill, fire ring, and stocked firewood. Join new friends in the ramada, or around the group fire ring under the clear night sky. There are ADA restrooms with hot showers. The Crosswinds Restaurant is right on the airport and welcomes you for breakfast and lunch. Patrons highly recommend their pies. Payson has a very active Parks and Recreation department that organizes events throughout the year. Of special interest to aviators is their annual Aerofair in October. Admission is free, and the ramp is lined with all kinds of vendors and displays. You may see a Marine VTOL demo, a T-34 formation flyover, or strap in a Huey or a Cobra for a helicopter ride. You can choose from a mouth-watering variety of local foods. Experience community spirit during other warm weather events like free movies in the park, pro rodeo weekends, and golf tournaments. Fall brings public 5K run-walk events, flag football, and hay rides; and Christmas is lit up with the annual parade of lights. Payson gleams with community pride, and you can see the full story here . Find more about the Payson Airport in the Airfield Guide .
RAF California Liaison Doug Lumgair received approval from the BLM to begin rehabilitating Walker Ridge airstrip located within the Snow Mountain National Monument in Northern California, and his request for the first work party was abundantly answered in spite of the challenges of driving to the site. It was what he called “an incredible experience,” with every single volunteer a “true rockstar.”
Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Britt Lincoln, a pilot and RAF volunteer.
The RAF is saddened to report the passing of Dr. Frederick “Ric” Richard Hauer. The RAF was the beneficiary of Hauer’s globally recognized expertise. In 2014, Dr. Hauer devoted his time and expertise to setting up and overseeing a pivotal study of the effect of aircraft noise on wildlife. The peer-reviewed results established the RAF as an organization with sound scientific authority. The study concluded with his statement, “ . . . there is no significant increase in stress levels among deer due to recreational aviation activity.” “It’s clear that early on Ric gave the RAF the authority we needed as we approached land managers to defend airstrips,” RAF Chairman John McKenna said. The entire study remains a reference in RAF guidelines for land managers. Hauer grew up in a small Michigan farming community, where his German immigrant father practiced medicine. He held B.S. and M.S. degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Stream and River Ecology from the University of North Texas. He and his wife, Brenda, settled in Montana, where he enjoyed flying his red and white 1975 Skywagon extensively for research and pleasure. In addition to his passion for flying, he was a lifelong learner. Internationally, Dr. Hauer collaborated on research and policy development. He worked on US-Canada transboundary water issues, contributing to the preservation of Glacier National Park and the Flathead Valley. His global impact extended to South America, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Australia, where he participated in conferences, fieldwork, and policy discussions. As a tenured professor at the University of Montana, Dr. Hauer taught advanced courses, mentored graduate students, and directed major research initiatives. He founded the Institute for Ecosystems and the Systems Ecology graduate program and led over $70 million in environmental research. He published more than 125 peer-reviewed articles and co-edited the influential textbook Methods in Stream Ecology. He was an active member of the backcountry pilot community, and he and Brenda enjoyed RAF camaraderie. “I always learned something when Ric was talking,” RAF Montana Liaison Scott Newpower said. Submitted November 17, 2025. Featured photo credit: Legacy.com
Holly was born a “military brat” to a Marine aviator who also loved flying in the civilian world of general aviation. Her grandfather worked for the Boeing Aircraft Company as a flight instructor and a carpenter in the Red Barn. As evolution would have it, the aviator genetic mutation began three generations ago… Holly graduated from SDSU and worked as a design architect for several years. Having grown up riding around in her dad’s Piper Cherokee, she thought it would be fun to pursue her Private Pilot Certificate as a “hobby.” She quickly realized that her heart was enamored with the world of aviation. The bug had bit and she decided to abandon cubicle life and fly airplanes for a living. In 1999, she landed her first airline job. Today, Holly and her husband Matt are recent empty-nesters. The aviation gene continues its dominance! Their son, Wyatt, is working as an A&P and pursuing his Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot Certificate. Holly and Matt own a Cessna 185 and 172, as well as an Aeronca L-16. Holly works as a seasoned captain at Southwest Airlines, but she and her husband consider themselves to be “little airplane people” who happen to also fly bigger ones for a living. Holly considers herself and her family to have been great beneficiaries of the world of recreational aviation. Being able to share the aviator’s perspective of the world with her family and friends along the way has been a great privilege. She feels that volunteering as a VP of Appreciation for the RAF might be an avenue to pay it back a little, and maybe even pay it forward for future generations of aviators. hhaag@theraf.org Submitted November 14, 2025
