RAF and SuperCub.org member Mike Sisemore of Big Cabin, OK recently reported that his very popular “Tail-Dragger Fly-In” (OK18) will resume on Oklahoma soil again, thanks to the enactment of HB 1009 which amended the Recreational Use Statute, adding aviation activities to the statute.  “With the help of Forrest Woods from the Tenkiller Lake Airport we “made the right contact with Rep. Mike Brown. He quickly saw the benefit of this legislation,” Sisemore explained. “We then contacted Sen. Sean Burrage who was willing to carry the bill in the Senate, and that gave us the momentum we needed,” Sisemore added. “I want to thank the RAF, AOPA and especially Forrest Woods, Ed Fogle, Kirby Crowe RAF state liaisons, Steve Thompson, from Oklahoma and Dave Myrick of Arkansas for blazing the trail for us. This makes Oklahoma the twentieth to add aviation to its recreation law.” Sisemore points out additional language that – so far – is unique to Oklahoma: This bill provides attendees can contribute toward food and expenses without triggering “commercial use” status. This is significant, and will serve to encourage similar events that cost money to host.

Sisemore’s event is wildly popular, seeing 60 or more airplanes from as far away as California, New York, and many states in between. One look at the strip and you can see why it draws such a crowd. Sisemore added, “Because Arkansas had already passed their pro-aviation bill, we had to move the event across the state line to Gastons at Lakeview, AR. In celebration of our own recent success, we hosted the OK18 Fall Fly-In Nov. 1—3, 2013 here again.” 

Rep. Mike Brown concluded his official statement about the new legislation, stating that the bill “is a win for pilots, landowners, the public, and the economic development of Oklahoma.”

Sisemore will host the 2014 annual Tail-Dragger Fly-In (OK18) on Memorial Day weekend, and again it will feature a poker run to benefit the Recreational Aviation Foundation. Naturally, many of the friends he’s made on SuperCub.Org enjoy the OK18 “Tail-Dragger Fly-In, but Sisemore – currently the owner of a pair of C-182s – quickly points out that all makes are welcome to enjoy the event!

Ben and Butchie Ryan, Recreational Aviation Foundation donors of Ryan Field near West Glacier, Montana, were featured in full color in Sunday’s Daily InterLake, published in Kalispell, MT. Their remarkable life story was the main feature in observance of Veteran’s Day.

The newspaper story begins with how the couple met after Ben ejected from his mid-air damaged P-38 near the Panama Canal in World War II. Butchie was an Army nurse at work on board the hospital ship that treated him. Ben and Butchie, now aged 90 and 91 respectively, have a lot more fascinating history, and the story recalling “one heck of a life” appears here:  Daily InterLake

The RAF had the honor of meeting Ben and Butchie in 2002 when Montana pilot Mike Kuefler introduced them to the RAF board. Ryans indicated their wish to preserve and share the picturesque 2,500-ft airstrip that Ben had created from his property in the mountains near the west entrance to Glacier Nat’l Park. The RAF has added pilot improvements and camping amenities, with volunteer help and cash contributions from folks from all over the country.

Since that first meeting, many RAF friends and supporters have flown in to enjoy Ryan Field, and visit with Ben and Butchie. That special privilege has changed, since Ryans moved into the Montana Veterans Home at Columbia Falls in May of 2012.  Drop them a note sometime - they would love to hear from you.  400 Veterans Drive, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.

The field appears on charts as 2MT1. (The RAF requires pilots to obtain a safety briefing prior to landing there; click here for details.)  Above photo taken by Eric Anderson.

One correct answer is: “Flying into Mineral Canyon airstrip in Utah”.

That is what the Recreational Aviation Foundation’s newest volunteer state liaison, Tom Haefeli thinks.

Tom is from Del Norte, Colorado, and joins current state liaison Patrick Romano in working for the RAF mission of preserving and creating public use airstrips.  Tom hopped in the family’s Cessna 206 with his wife Laura, daughter Emilee, age 13; son Luke, 16; and son John, 18. “It was a rare weekend, where the weather and kids’ school activities were such that we could all get away together,” Tom said.  Sharing the “better than Disneyland” adventure was friend Randy Riggs and his son Justin, age 16, from Creede, CO, in their '59 Cessna 182. 

From Mineral Canyon, they flew to Escalante, where the new pilot shelter was completed in September.  

“There is nothing quite like a weekend of camping to recharge your battery and reconnect with family and friends,” Tom said.

On Thursday October 3, RAF Director Tim Clifford and Maryland Liaison Craig McCullough were invited to participate in a US Congressional round table discussion regarding general aviation's impact on small business in America. 

Joining the RAF on the panel were new AOPA president Mark Baker, GAMA president Pete Bunce, NBAA's Ed Bolen and executives from other major aviation organizations.   These industry leaders were invited to appear before members of the House Committee on Small Business that included Chairman Sam Graves, and Rep.Blaine Luetkemeyer as well as Rep. Frank LoBiondo who also sits on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

Although the group convened under the cloud of the government shutdown, according to Tim, "It was business as usual for these legislators who genuinely wanted to learn about the far reaching economic impact of GA."

While much of the discussion centered around regulation and rule making that impedes the growth of aviation manufacturing and use, the RAF team took a different approach.  Recognizing that many members of congress have little or no knowledge of recreational aviation, the RAF team drew analogy to other more common motorized recreation including boating and motor home travel.  Comparing to motor home travel, it was discussed that today you can purchase either a used Luscombe airplane or a Winnebago camper for less than $20,000; you can also buy a new Kodiak aircraft or Prevost motor coach for $1.5 million. Both forms of recreational vehicle are available for just about any price in between.  In this way it was emphasized that aviation is not so different from other forms of recreational travel, should not be excluded from public lands and is certainly not just the realm of the wealthy and elite!

In discussion of recreational aviation's economic impact, it was explained that our type of aircraft are usually built or re-built, hangared and maintained by small businesses. An aircraft sitting in a hangar, before it ever flies, has significant economic impact in the forms of hangar rent, insurance, annual inspection and periodic maintenance. And, when we travel we land at small airports, patronizing small businesses in small town America on our journeys. 

Like the motor home enthusiast, recreational aviators use their chosen form of transportation to arrive at some fun destination.  The conclusion was drawn for the panel that while both travel for the same reason, when the destination happens to be the federal system of parks and forests, the motor home is most often welcomed with substantial facilities improvements to accommodate their stay while the aircraft is heavily restricted in, discouraged from or denied access to use of any facilities.

It was also noted that the one significant difference is that these other forms of recreational transportation can have a far greater negative environmental impact utilizing generators and driven tires as opposed to our group of tent campers leaving only a 30 second sound signature when we depart.

The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) was selected to  receive one of AOPA Foundation’s $10,000 awards from its “Giving Back” program. The RAF was one of ten charities who “do good work through general aviation, keeping pilots safe and safeguarding the future of GA,” according to today’s AOPA Foundation announcement.

The RAF has committed to match the grant with an additional $10,000 and will seek contributions from associated organizations. The funds will pay for a scientific study of the impact of aircraft noise on wildlife, and form a credible basis for productive discussion regarding aviation access to some of our nation’s special places.

The application process was led by RAF Florida state liaison, Jack Tyler with input from the Science & Environment Advisory Committee.

RAF's Science & Environment Advisory Chair, Dr. Ric Hauer, is Professor of Limnology and Director of the Institute on Ecosystems at the University of Montana. Under his direction, the study will commence summer of 2014.  Field research will be conducted in backcountry airstrip settings; wildlife trapped, blood samples collected; decibel levels measured. The completed study is scheduled for peer-review April, 2015.

Using best scientific practices in research design and analysis, the goal of the study is to develop the first valid measures of stress-producing corticosteroids in birds and mammals attributable to noise from small aircraft in multiple backcountry airstrip settings. Publication in peer reviewed science publications will widely validate these measurements to land managers and the general public.