AL CLAYTON

Alaska State Liaison

Al was born in Alaska and has been stuck there ever since.  As a teenager, he got a ride in the back seat of a Super Cub to a remote hunting camp in the Wrangell Mountains, which convinced him he needed wings.  He went off to Oregon for college with a plan get smart and make money so he could afford them.


There he met Beth, his tolerant wife.  She thoughtfully gave him a pilot’s logbook for Christmas, apparently without realizing that the $10 book was a money gobbling monster.  There are now two and one half planes in the Clayton collection.  They include a Cessna 182 which is shared with a partner, a Cessna 170B that had been wrecked and was restored by Al and his friend Rob Tasker, and an experimental SuperCub, built by lifelong Alaskan Kirk Ellis.

Frequent flight destinations for Al and his family include airstrips in the Wrangell –St. Elias National Park near McCarthy, lakes and ponds of southwestern Alaska, and a small strip near Skwentna, where leopard-spotted rainbow trout abound. These trout eat mice.

Al is a member of the “Pioneers of Alaska,” the Alaska Airmen Association, the Alaskan Aviation Safety Foundation, the Seaplane Pilots Association, AOPA, and EAA. He is currently the President of Lake Hood Pilots Association and has a leadership role with the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. He is President of Dairy Airpark Homeowners Association which owns an airstrip on the west bank of the Kennicott River. As a RAF Alaska Liaison, Al is excited about the opportunity to advance its mission in the Last Frontier.

907-276-2999
aclayton@theraf.org

    Recent Posts

RAF FIRE HUB INSTALLED AT BEECHCRAFT HERITAGE MUSEUM

October 21, 2026
The Beechcraft Heritage Museum at Tullahoma Regional Airport is the site of a new RAF Fire Hub, provided by an RAF grant submitted by Tennessee Ambassador Steve Lewis. The Parish family, who own the Beechcraft Museum, along with other RAF volunteers, contributed to the preparation and installation of the fire hub. They completed the project in time for folks to enjoy it during the annual Beech Party event over the October 10-11 weekend. The 20-foot diameter permanent concrete base was provided by a private donor. The fire ring and three 10-foot-long propeller blades were designed and fabricated by RAF Volunteer Pete Smith of Lewistown, Montana, with design assistance from Pete's son Matt Smith of Bozeman, Montana. The structure lies east of the 2,775-ft turf Parish Aerodrome runway adjacent to the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. “This permanent installation will showcase the RAF mission as the Museum draws visitors from around the country,” Lewis said. For more information on the airport, see the Airfield Guide . Submitted October 21, 2026

MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS WORK AT HANLEY

October 21, 2026
Michigan RAF volunteers had a very successful work party at Hanley Field (5Y7) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula the October 10-11 weekend. Led by Michigan Ambassador Ryan Minnick, the crew, including Michigan Liaison Tanmoy Ganguly, cut and stacked firewood, repaired the sink and water heater, and relocated the airport sign along the road for better visibility. “We had a great weekend and got a good amount of work done. It was great connecting with supporters from the area,” Minnick said. “The assistant airport manager was there and was very happy with the results that came out of the work party.” Fourteen remained to camp Saturday night. Find more about Hanley Field in the Airfield Guide . Submitted October 21, 2026

TONI WRIGHT

By lellington • October 18, 2026

RYAN SHEPHERD

By lellington • October 18, 2026

JERRY LATVALA

By lellington • October 16, 2026