Spending her childhood outdoors with family in the mountains surrounding Butte, Montana, Tricia learned all there was to know about setting up a tent, cooking over a campfire and enjoying sharing stories around the fire under the night sky. Aviation was not something she spent much time thinking about. Along came boyfriend John, who became husband John, who introduced her to small airplanes. It was not love at first sight when it came to aviation and it took some time to overcome Tricia’s fear of flying. To get over that hesitation, Tricia took instruction in the family Cessna 185. Her fear subsided quickly and learning all there was to know kicked in. As they say “The rest is history.”
Tricia now owns and flies a 1988 Super Cub, and she and John enjoy accessing the backcountry in their C-185 together, throughout the country. She is passionate about the outdoors and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, skiing and just about anything you can do under Montana’s Big Sky.
Tricia has always had that volunteer spirit which led her to Special Olympics; serving on the Montana Board as well as chairing the North American board of directors. In her spare time she also serves as the Chair of the Montana Aeronautics Board of Directors.
It is the passionate volunteers that keep driving her interest in the RAF, Tricia says. “The people and places I’ve met through the RAF family fuel my desire to help further the mission.”
Anyone who’s met Tricia knows that John, her three children, a handful of dogs, and her desire to get all life has to offer keep this lady on the move.
JOHN J. MCKENNA, JR.
Chairman
A series of airplanes have served the McKenna family pleasure trips as well as John’s New York Life Insurance practice that has spanned 37 years. John’s wife Trish also flies and enjoys her Cub. They have three children who consider the airplane the family station wagon-it’s just “how you get there.”
The McKenna’s have enjoyed living in Bozeman since 1972, where a person can own their own airstrip in Big Sky Country and truly live the aviation dream. John and Trish characterize the backcountry pilot-they will pass on the fancy lunch, pressed slacks and shined shoes at the country club for the backcountry with tent, sleeping bags, well-worn hiking boots and a few groceries… and the dog.
John’s family also characterizes the spirit of volunteerism. In addition to serving long hours for no monetary reward as chairman of the Recreational Aviation Foundation, John and his family are passionate supporters of Special Olympics. His involvement with that organization provided relevant background for the formation of the RAF. It was this match of this passion for aviation-and his inability to wait for someone else to do it-that provided the momentum to form the RAF.
With a full tank of energy John looks forward to seeing where this flight will take him.
“It is the best journey I’ve experienced so far,” John says.
A series of airplanes have served the McKenna family pleasure trips as well as John’s New York Life Insurance practice that has spanned 37 years. John’s wife Trish also flies and enjoys her Cub. They have three children who consider the airplane the family station wagon-it’s just “how you get there.”
The McKenna’s have enjoyed living in Bozeman since 1972, where a person can own their own airstrip in Big Sky Country and truly live the aviation dream. John and Trish characterize the backcountry pilot-they will pass on the fancy lunch, pressed slacks and shined shoes at the country club for the backcountry with tent, sleeping bags, well-worn hiking boots and a few groceries… and the dog.
John’s family also characterizes the spirit of volunteerism. In addition to serving long hours for no monetary reward as chairman of the Recreational Aviation Foundation, John and his family are passionate supporters of Special Olympics. His involvement with that organization provided relevant background for the formation of the RAF. It was this match of this passion for aviation-and his inability to wait for someone else to do it-that provided the momentum to form the RAF.
With a full tank of energy John looks forward to seeing where this flight will take him.
“It is the best journey I’ve experienced so far,” John says.
