HERREN-BESS HOLLOW UPGRADES WITH RAF GRANT

Herren-Bess Hollow airport, LL77 at Kamaroo Farms is as interesting a place as its name. Located near Kampsville, IL, the airfield has hiking trails, fishing ponds, and a “gold mine” for kids to explore. Exotic farm animals such as camels, kangaroos ostriches, and emus make this a family friendly destination. You can camp under an old walnut tree and soon…

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RAF AT AIRVENTURE 2024

We’ll be at AirVenture again this July, and hope to see you throughout the week! Join us on Tuesday, July 23 from 9 am-11 am on Hartzell’s rooftop (#296) for coffee and Manderfield’s gourmet donuts. Enjoy sharing the love of aviation with folks from all over the country during this popular standing-room only event! Throughout…

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RAF-BRANDED HUSKY STOPS IN AT RYAN FLY-IN

The conversation was as lively as June’s dynamic weather for the June 28-30 Fly-in this year at Ryan Field near West Glacier, Montana, especially when RAF Director Tim Riley landed and parked the spectacular RAF-branded Husky in front of the barn. Matt Hoefeldt from Aviat had arranged for this special aircraft to make an appearance…

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SEASONAL WORK COMPLETED AT LAKEWOOD LODGE; UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Nearly 40 volunteers pitched in for what RAF Director Jeff Russell called, “A very successful RAF work party,” in early June at Gillette’s Lakewood Lodge, 14WS in northern Wisconsin. “One small measure of this success was the turnout of so many volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves and dig in to help. Attendance was more than…

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MIKE GINTER TO HEAD AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

The RAF congratulates and welcomes friend and active GA pilot Mike Ginter as he takes on leadership of AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. Mr. Ginter earned his private pilot certificate at 18. He continued flying GA aircraft, including owning a T-6 Texan. Ginter then served in the U.S. Navy as an aviator with more than 5,300 flight hours and 555 carrier landings.…

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CONNECTICUT AIRFIELDS AWARDED RAF GRANTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS

Improvements at two Connecticut airfields, Goodspeed, 42B near East Haddam, and Waterbury, N41 near Plymouth have been funded by RAF grants, thanks to RAF Connecticut Liaison Brian Thomas. At Goodspeed, Thomas has lined up volunteers, and will use the grant to purchase materials for four 10-ft x 10-ft tent platforms to establish a desirable camping…

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IMPORTANT STEPS TO SAVE BACKCOUNTRY FLYING – CLAY SIMMONS PODCAST WITH BILL MCGLYNN

Fourth-generation pilot, aircraft broker, and builder Clay Simmons sits on the RAF’s new Backcountry Etiquette Team. The group formed out of concern for the growing impact of increased backcountry activity by a variety of users. On the RAF podcast hosted by RAF President Bill McGlynn, Clay explains experiencing Idaho’s backcountry as a very young passenger. When his dad survived a serious airplane…

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Jim Hanson

For a fellow who’s flown every sort of aircraft, and has landed all over the world with the late Hall of Famer, Buzz Kaplan, Mr. Jim Hanson of Minnesota still finds complete joy in flying low and slow, and sharing the joy with others. He loves flying his Lake Amphibian among what he claims are…

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VOLUNTEERS CONTINUE IMPROVING HISTORIC WATERBURY

“Thanks to a group of thirteen volunteers, we were able to have a successful RAF work party,” Brian Thomas, RAF Connecticut Liaison reported of the June 23 gathering at the Waterbury Airport, N41. He reports that the airport owners are very appreciative of the collective efforts from the local pilot community to keep Waterbury looking…

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CALL TO ACTION: SAN RAFAEL SWELL TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN

We need your help to preserve Utah’s scenic backcountry airstrips. Due to the 2017 lawsuit settlement with an environmental group, the BLM is obligated to revise 13 Travel Management Plans (TMPs) in Utah. Each requires public comment periods. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig says, “Please hang in there and keep sending your comments. Every voice counts.”  Draft San Rafael Swell TMP…

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