VOLUNTEERS UNDERTAKE REPAIRS ON NORTH FOX ISLAND

RAF Michigan Liaison General Grant reported that volunteers have met at North Fox Island on several occasions to take on clean up after a record early spring ice storm downed several hundred trees, many along the turf runway. “We’ve cleared the fire pit area and some tie down locations,” Grant said.  Please note the taxiways remain closed due to downed trees. “ This means that aircraft will need to back taxi on the runway to find a suitable tie down location,  so additional caution in the pattern is needed to avoid a runway incursion,”  Grant emphasized. 

Currently there are 10-12 tie down locations considered safe for use along the length of the runway. 

The storm had caused regional power outages for weeks, and ravaged North Fox’s fire pit and primary camping area. “We still have a lot to do, but the airstrip opened on schedule May 1 with a NOTAM reminding visitors of the obstructed taxiways and compromised tie down areas,” Grant added. 

Anyone familiar with the Great Lakes knows that any time of year, weather can whip up huge damaging storms. Historians say between 6,000 and 25,000 ships lie at the bottom of these five freshwater inland seas, most brought down by storms.

Volunteers who flew in to help Grant were Scott Anttila, James Sciple, and Daniel Findling. 

Please refer to the Airfield Guide for further information on North Fox Island.

Submitted on May 12, 2025.
By Carmine Mowbray

Posted in News

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