February 2021 - Recreational Aviation Foundation

YEAR-END DONATIONS BOOST THE RAF MISSION

We wish to heartily thank everyone who responded to our once-a-year appeal to help fund our mission to preserve, improve, and create new airstrips for recreational access. Your response to our 2020 campaign is greatly appreciated. As a primarily volunteer-driven organization, your funds go toward the RAF’s grant program and mission-related projects, resulting in real,…

BILL STEINMETZ

Indiana State Liaison Bill grew up in a flying family. He graduated in 1979 from Purdue University in Indiana with a degree in Professional Pilot Technology. “I was teaching and flying Part 135 in what was then a horrible aviation job market,” he says. Eventually becoming engaged full time in a family construction business, Bill…

PLEASE WELCOME RAF’S NEW INDIANA LIAISON BILL STEINMETZ

Bill Steinmetz grew up in a flying family. He graduated in 1979 from Purdue University in Indiana with a degree in Professional Pilot Technology. “I was teaching and flying Part 135,” he says. Eventually becoming engaged full time in a family construction business, Bill flew a club Bonanza and a Cherokee Six to projects around…

AOPA STATE ADVOCACY TEAM AND RAF KEY VOLUNTEERS MEET VIRTUALLY

Mike Ginter, Vice President of AOPA’s Airports and State Advocacy anchored an RAF “Fire Hub Chat” session with State Liaisons, Ambassadors and the RAF Board on February 16. AOPA organizes its US membership into seven multi-state regions in order to focus on specific issues. (Only the Alaska region is comprised of a single state.) All…

LIGHTSPEED SURVIVAL SERIES

Our good friends at Lightspeed Aviation have put together a survival preparedness series. We wanted to share it with you because safety is of the utmost importance in our flying. Check out their survival gear contest and their informative news posts. This month’s newsletter highlights the importance of aviation survival preparedness with three stories from…

Alaine Olthafer-Lange and Andy Lange

You’ll notice a buzz of youthful activity at A&A Aviation at Platteville Municipal Airport, (KPVB) in southwest Wisconsin. The young couple Alaine Olthafer-Lange and her husband Andy Lange began with a Cherokee for instruction. They expanded into an FBO, adding another aircraft and pilot services. When the airport manager retired, they became airport managers, taking…

JOHN MCKENNA SOCIAL FLIGHT LIVE PRESENTATION

A recording is now available for RAF Chairman John McKenna’s one hour webinar that took place on SocialFlight Live Tuesday, Feb. 9. McKenna was the featured guest for the show “Back Country Flying with the RAF.” One the show, McKenna describes the RAF mission, and some of the places where the RAF has had an…

FEATURED AIRSTRIP: RESERVE, NM

Each month we highlight an airstrip where the RAF has had involvement. We hope that you will get out and enjoy these airstrips. This month’s Featured Airstrip is Reserve in New Mexico. Reserve Airport (T16) is a public use airport located approximately 6 miles west of Reserve, New Mexico. New Mexico State Liaison Ron Keller represented the…

MEGHANN MCKENNA

Vice President of Appreciation Meghann and her dog Roger are longtime friends of the RAF. Meghann owns and operates an insurance and financial planning practice based out of Bozeman, Montana. Roger is currently between employment opportunities and not looking very hard. While most of Meghann’s time in the air is spent sitting in an exit row…