Lisa Ellington, Author at Recreational Aviation Foundation

R.M. “BOB” BURLEY

Vermont State Liaison What began as frequent 12 mile bicycle rides to a local Vermont airport in the early 1950’s quickly evolved into a full-fledged airport rat manifestation. Along the way, peripheral excursions have included: retired international corporate executive (F-10 company), former Air Force officer, pilot, stints as Highway Engineer, logger, Operations Director for a…

Jeff Smith

Kentucky Ambassador Day job: Architect Favorite strip: Locally is Lee Bottom, IN, but I love all the strips represented as FlyOZ! Next adventure: Oshkosh and Door County, WI

RAF HONORS VOLUNTEERS DURING NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

April 16-22 is this year’s National Volunteer Week and the RAF proudly recognizes and honors its corps of outstanding volunteers. RAF Board Chairman John McKenna put it this way in his “Worth the Read” essay last month, “ ‘I got it’ was what built the RAF, and continues to propel it forward.” The RAF counts…

Bob Martin

Three things stand out among RAF supporter Bob Martin’s passions: aviation, his devotion to Havana Regional Airport, and the newspapers his family started in 1855. Bob is the fourth continuous generation to publish these Illinois community newspapers.Very few people can talk about how their family members were contemporaries of Abraham Lincoln long before he became…

Pete Smith

Pete cut his teeth on light metal fabrication in the business his father started in northern Virginia 50 years ago. They moved it to the central Montana town of Lewistown 32 years ago, and are now a substantial employer, with over 40 employees in the town of 6,000 folks. Called “HCR” (for Horizontal Curvilinear Re-circulator), their…

ANDI HOWELL

Andi Howell has been co-piloting (ok, sleeping) in the right seat of their RV9a since her husband, Pete, finished building it in 2006. Finding the RAF has allowed them to unite their interests: Andi’s for camping, hiking and the outdoors, and Pete’s for flying. Her other hobbies include reading, puzzles, games, theater and travel. Submitted on March…

VOLUNTEERS REOPEN SACATON AFTER DECADES OF CLOSURE

“After FAA approval and no objections from Forest Service Fire and Aviation, the District Ranger approved Sacaton Landing Strip for recreational access this morning,” RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller reported on January 9, and his dream that Sacaton reopen by New Years was fully realized. This airstrip had lain unusable for three decades. “At least a…

FAA CLARIFIES CHARTING TERMS

A September 2022 announcement by the FAA stirred up social media chatter and piqued AOPA and RAF attention over the possible removal of a sector of private airfields from charts. On chart legends, the open magenta circle “R” was labeled Non-public use having emergency or landmark value. The FAA bulletin stated that “only private airports…

ALLIGATOR ARMS

Ever hang out with an alligator? I was at lunch the other day with my older sister. It is somewhat of a joke in our family that she always forgets her purse, or as we say “she has alligator arms.” You know the type. They are the person that allows the check to lay in…

HEATHER HAIR

Day Job: phone care physical therapist Favorite Airstrip: That’s a secret Next Adventure: Every day is a chance to make a crazy new adventure Submitted on February 16, 2023.