PARALLEL AIRSTRIP IMPROVED IN CENTRAL MAINE

RAF Maine Liaison Steve Mason has reported on a successful improvement project at Norridgewock, Maine, KOWK. The municipal airport has multiple asphalt runways and a parallel turf airstrip. Mason learned that the town would not maintain the turf airfield, so he obtained an RAF grant to reclaim and enhance safety at the strip. “The grass…

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AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE BACKCOUNTRY WEBINAR AVAILABLE

RAF President Bill McGlynn was a panelist on the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s “Back to the Back Country: 2021 in review” live webinar November 18. This presentation was a segment of the Air Safety Institute’s Backcountry Safety Initiative that the RAF participated in last May. The free webinar was a reflection on recent backcountry flight accidents in…

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RYAN FIELD FALL WORK ACCOMPLISHED

The weather was September spectacular, and folks arrived to help with seasonal chores and projects at Ryan Field the weekend of September 24-26. It was a busy weekend for RAF volunteers across the country as other airfield improvements were in progress from California to Connecticut.  Winters are tough near West Glacier, and volunteers finished installing…

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RAF HELPS REOPEN TEXAS RIVERBEDS TO AVIATION

Not all RAF initiatives are accomplished by flying into the backcountry with work gloves and hand tools. RAF Texas Liaison Tres Clinton saw the need to commit some time within the halls of the Texas State Capitol wearing his best suit, with positive results.  In 2003, the Texas Legislature passed a law to protect riverbeds and freshwater areas from…

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AIRFIELD GUIDE ANSWERS TO NATIONAL DEMAND

The RAF and Tailwind Aviation Foundation are pleased to announce that the Airfield.Guide now lists over 300 airfields, with destinations in each US state. “The Airfield Guide began as a challenge to find all the grass strips in Arkansas,” RAF Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell said. Powell and RAF member and IT developer Chip Gibbons took up the challenge.…

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VOLUNTEERS PREPARE RYAN FIELD FOR SUMMER SEASON

Approaching Ryan Field at pattern altitude the weekend of June 12-13, the place looked verdant and ready for mowing. As RAF Director Mike Perkins cut big swaths with the John Deere tractor, Mike and Nancy Hines mounted their pair of John Deere mowers, and expertly steered around cones, trees, tents, and tight places to finish…

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Presley Melton

After years of experience flying his Boeing Stearman, Decathlons, an RV8, his award-winning 1943 Howard DGA, and a variety of other aircraft, RAF Ambassador Presley Melton of Arkansas says he has the most fun in his open-cockpit AirCam.  Years ago, Presley journeyed out west in his RV8, enjoying Idaho’s groomed turf airfields, but realized he wanted something that he…

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VOLUNTEERS RAISE PAVILION AT TRIGGER GAP

The open air pavilion is nearing completion at Trigger Gap Airfield in Arkansas, 17A. Volunteers came from 12 states representing RAF members, the Tailwind Aviation Foundation, and local Fly Oz friends, most of whom are also RAF members. “We had a very successful work party,” RAF Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell said. “All had a great time and enjoyed…

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IAA AND IDAHO AERONAUTICS SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT: HOODOO MEADOWS AIRSTRIP

Idaho Aviation Association (IAA) and Idaho’s Division of Aeronautics are seeking public comments in support of rehabilitating Hoodoo Meadows Airstrip. Hoodoo Meadows is located in Idaho’s Salmon-Challis National Forest. For the last two years the IAA has worked with the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), US Forest Service, Idaho Fish & Game, and RAF to help make…

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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…

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