Posts by Lisa Ellington

The Recreational Aviation Foundation is pleased to have teamed up with AOPA’s Air Safety Institute on more than fifty of their in-person live seminars, “From Peaks to Pavement: Applying Lessons from the Backcountry”. This ambitious six-month series just concluded, with 88 separate two-hour sessions held across the country. A total of 8,526 people attended the seminars. Thirty-five key RAF…

In Oregon recently, the RAF worked in collaboration with the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA) to maintain McKenzie Bridge State Airport (00S), a premier backcountry airfield located in the Cascade Range.   “We had an excellent turnout, everyone contributed and had a good time,” RAF Oregon Liaison Richard Mayes said of the June 1 work party. Approximately 30…

RAF Minnesota Liaison Kurt Pennuto reports that the May 31-June 2 Bowstring work party weekend was “a huge success.” Volunteers completed two campsites, one with four tent pads and one with five tent pads. Each site now has an RAF fire ring, a picnic table and is just a short walk to a newly constructed outhouse. They…

The RAF is primarily volunteer-driven, meaning your donations go directly toward on-the-ground projects that further the RAF mission to preserve, maintain, and create airstrips for recreational access. Volunteer RAF state liaisons identify projects, then apply for RAF funds. A grants committee – made up of State Liaisons, RAF members and an RAF Director – then reviews…

“This year’s annual Winter’s Finally Over (WFO) hangar party saw the biggest attendance we have ever had with well over two hundred people,” RAF Wisconsin Liaison Jeff Russell reports. The gathering happened on Saturday, May 18 at Morey Airport in Middleton, WI, and “was very successful and generated a lot of interest in the RAF, and $3,500 in…

RAF Wyoming Liaisons Lori Olson and Chris McAtee report on another successful spring work party at the Miracle Mile airstrip. RAF volunteers were joined by those from Casper and Cheyenne EAA Chapters and put in some solid work the weekend of April 27-28.  This airstrip is located on the Miracle Mile section of the Platte River,…

RAF Oregon Liaison Richard Mayes received a $1,400 RAF grant to advance the RAF mission with the Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative (HCRC).  The Hells Canyon National Recreation Area encompasses 652,488 acres of backcountry hugging the borders of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho. Six primitive airstrips along the Snake River are formally recognized as public use. Richard and…

A dozen volunteers pitched in on Saturday, April 6 for a work party at Minietta Mine airstrip in California’s Panamint Valley, just west of Death Valley National Park.  The airstrip provides access to a historic mining district. “There are numerous elaborate mining-era ruins, including Lookout City atop the nearby hill,” event captain Dustin Mosher said. He reported that…

Seventeen volunteers took up tools the weekend of March 22-24 at Florida’s beautiful 4,000-ft turf Blackwater Airfield (8FD3) in the mixed pine forest near Munson, FL. Leeanna and “DC” Nowling started early by delivering tools and materials and made a truck available for the task. Florida RAF Ambassador John Hall arrived, followed by Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi and…