Christine Mortine had a twenty-five year career as a classical musician before shifting from conducting instruments to flying by them. She is a full time flight instructor and FAA appointment designated pilot examiner. She was fortunate to grow up camping and backpacking for weeks at a time, and continues to this day. She volunteers as an RAF Ohio Liaison.
WORTH THE READ: CHRISTINE MORTINE GUEST EDITORIAL
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 month’s guest editorial is by Christine Mortine, a CFI and an RAF Liaison.
A Family of Independents, A Community of Joy:
If you hang a suet feeder for woodpeckers, use the type with an extender for their tails. Bluebirds and chickadees don’t need it, but the woodpeckers do. I love seeing a Downy swoop in, land, using three points of contact – two feet and a tail – mains and a tailwheel.
I connect with woodpeckers, as they are often solo, at the feeder or navigating through the forest. I enjoy flying solo too, especially cross country. A former flight student reached out and asked if he could join me flying from Ohio to Ryan Field, Montana. I didn’t reply right away, and he wisely sent another note saying, ‘What was I thinking! I know you covet alone time in your plane!” Thanks to his follow-up note, we did fly that cross country together. And it was great. Maybe I should do that more often.
I see my bird feeders stay unused for hours, then suddenly, like a dinner bell for birds’ ears only, they all come at once. Call me crazy, but I also relate to that as a pilot. We are scattered everywhere and when a fly-in gets organized, we converge all at once. Those are the times lifelong memories are made.
While at an RAF Fly-In at Bob and Judy Gillette’s Lakewood Lodge, I declined the gracious offer of a bed in a bedroom in favor of my tent, to their utter surprise. Sleep eluded me that night as I didn’t want to miss a thing in the delicious space away from a city. I was rewarded with a long, melancholy owl duet in the middle of the night, all under a bright full moon. What is it with me and birds?
Pilots, by the very nature of the job, are independent. To land in a backcountry field and have all you need for days requires that skill. Herding a bunch of independent types and creating one of the best darn organizations around is just what the RAF has managed to create.
I flew two RAF-interested pilots to North Fox Island, 6Y3. Before heading out I called Brad Frederick to check conditions and see if there was anything I could do while there. He said everything was pretty good and to let him know how high the runway turf had gotten. Our trip day arrived, and while flying over the runway for a healthy look, we spied a parked aircraft. I’ll be darned if Brad hadn’t shown up that morning to mow the field for us. That’s the RAF Way.
When I needed a new C185 to replace the one that took care of me in an unplanned off-field landing, it didn’t take long for our RAF family to find an amazing replacement, from an amazing RAF member. So “Red Fox” stays in the family.
When I was invited to write this piece, a part of me thought I should write about flight instruction and such, as I’m blessed to be serving in that profession. But I keep coming back to the RAF community. Yes, there’s significance in the places we save, news we spread, the safety we promote. But for this solo natured bird, the community is a highlight. A former concert soprano who showed up to rehearsals with no makeup and wearing hiking boots, I am a happy camper in this aviation world, and with the RAF family.
I love being a part of our honorable, kind, hard working flock. Unlike our backyard birds, we clean up our messes, leaving a place better than we found it, and with the joy of partnerships flying both near and far!
Posted in Guest Editorial, News
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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 Steve Johnson, former RAF Director, Supercub.org founder, and Gold Seal CFI/MEI.
Lock Haven Airport, or William T. Piper Memorial Airport (KLHV), has a legendary past. From 1937 to 1984, it was the home of Piper Aircraft, where the Cub was born. The vintage aircraft community celebrates to this day with its annual “Sentimental Journey” pilgrimage fly-in, and fills the parking areas along both its paved and turf runways. For recreational pilots, it’s a great base location for fly-outs, including scenic flying opportunities over the mixed hardwood forest along the Susquehanna River. The year-round camping area has working restrooms, a pavilion to escape the elements, and a bath house that had deteriorated. RAF Pennsylvania/West Virginia Liaison Chip Vignolini and RAF Pennsylvania Liaison Andy Turner assessed the deteriorating bath house and decided to do something about it. They have been awarded an RAF grant for upgrades and refurbishment. “Our goal is to bring the bath house back to full operational capacity and improve the site’s utility,” Vignolini said. “By replacing damaged siding and applying fresh paint, the project halts deterioration. The other planned bath house and campground improvements ensure that the environment matches the prestige of the aircraft that visit.” The Sentimental Journey Board organized an initial work party in April. Volunteers have provided the specialized machinery and tools to complete the structural work and site preparation. Vignolini and Turner are now ready to line up volunteers to replace an insufficient water heater, install privacy dividers, and integrate an RAF fire ring and RAF information box. CAP volunteers will help with the project. Volunteers will be the primary workforce, bringing their own tools and expertise to the field, from licensed plumbers to seasoned handymen. “Lock Haven has always been built by the hands of those who fly there,” Vignolini said. Work will continue in May, with the goal of being completed for the 2026 season. “The campground and fire ring serve as the ‘social hangar’ where elder pilots pass down knowledge and stick-and-rudder skills to the next generation of aviators.” Vignolini added. Lock Haven Airport can be found in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 14, 2026
“Wow, did they ever get lucky!” When something good happens to a person or an organization, how many times have you heard that phrase? Or maybe even said it yourself? When, in reality, there’s been long term effort building skills, cultivating a growth mindset, expanding networks, and building relationships. When all is added together, this preparation creates a situation where opportunities are likely to arise. Or said another way, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It may appear to the casual observer that the RAF is about to get real lucky real soon. We think we are about to have the year we have been waiting for – well, maybe not waiting for – but rather preparing for. Over the course of the next 12-18 months, we will be announcing more airstrip possibilities and projects than we have ever experienced in a similar period. Leadership has been thinking about this for a good long time, and we have worked hard to be ready. What does that mean? It has meant building what I believe is one of the finest groups of people in aviation. People who are ready to step up and who bring and invest the skills needed to make things happen. It means having saved some money, which gives us the ability to say “Yes” and accept opportunities and the responsibilities they bring. It means having the relationship capital with our partners, be they private or public, that is required to make progress. We want you to know that we will be calling on all of us to give our best effort so we don’t miss our chance to get “lucky.” We will need people to take charge of projects just like you have in the past. We will need people to give some time – or maybe a lot of time – if they can spare it. We will need financial resources to meet the demands that we will be called upon to provide. I think we are ready, and I further think this is going to be one of the most exciting periods we’ve seen in the RAF timeline. I hope you are all in. Since the RAF was founded out here in rodeo country, it only seems appropriate that just before the chute is opened, a simple nod of the head throws it open and signals that big action is about to happen. Here’s to a little “nod of the head.” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted May 13, 2026
RAF Virginia Liaison Paul Kosubinsky organized volunteers the weekend of May 8-9 to clean up the campsite and install new amenities at Front Royal Warren County Airport, Virginia, KFRR. Assisting were the Warren County Airport Commission and Friends of Front Royal. “Together, we accomplished an amazing amount in a short time. From removing loads of trash to installing the beautiful new RAF-branded fire ring, entrance sign, and flag pole, the campsite has already been transformed into a welcoming destination pilots and campers will enjoy for years to come,” Kosubinsky reported. The team also cut and stacked enough firewood to last several seasons to benefit future visitors. The volunteers also set up an RAF table and greeted visitors during the airport Wings and Wheels event. This public-use airport has a paved 3,000-ft runway and offers camping with access to a porta-potty, indoor restrooms, and a courtesy car. It’s known as a gateway airport to the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail. “Thank you again for helping make the KFRR Stokes Airfield Campsite something we can all be proud of. I look forward to many future gatherings around that new fire ring,” Kosubinsky added. Find more on Front Royal Warren County Airport in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 13, 2026
RAF New York Liaison Doug Turnbull organized a work party at Great Valley airfield, N56 near Salamanca, in southwestern New York on Saturday, May 2. The group of volunteers cleaned up the riverbank, performed seasonal maintenance, and added a new RAF windsock. They removed encroaching brush along the 3,200-ft turf runway to make the approach more visible. The airfield is privately owned but open for public use. “Owner Anna Northrup was very appreciative of the fellowship and that she didn’t need to worry about these things. She generously provided morning donuts and coffee and lunch from the adjacent Katy's Fly-In restaurant,” Turnbull said. “The many hands made quick work, and it was good to spend time with other RAF volunteers out in the field working on this strip,” Turnbull added. Find more on Great Valley in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 11, 2026
