Posts by Lisa Ellington

The airstrip at Grand Gulch, AZ, near the north rim of the Grand Canyon was the scene of a work party Mar. 16 headed up by Recreational Aviation Foundation southern Utah Liaison Wayne Loeber. Thanks to last year’s efforts by the RAF to commit to a maintenance agreement with the BLM and National Park Service, access…

The 89th General Assembly of Arkansas passed House Bill 1020 on February 7, essentially protecting private airstrip owners throughout Arkansas from litigation from non-commercial aviation activity on their land.  The bill added “aviation” to the other recreational activities listed in the state’s existing Recreational Use Statute. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Joe Jett (D) of  Clay County…

The New Mexico Pilot Association held its third annual Negrito Fly-In Oct. 5-7, 2012.  This year’s event marked the first year that NMP partnered with the Arizona Pilots Association to host the event.  The Negrito Airstrip (0NM7) is situated at 8,100 feet in southwestern New Mexico’s remote and beautiful Gila National Forest. Most mornings we were serenaded by bugling elk and…

Northeastern Washington at Sullivan Lake was the setting for a work party/fly-in this past weekend.  Over 30 airplanes arrived, some by floats on the pristine lake and others landed on the turf 1765’ airstrip.  (Metaline Falls, 09S.)  The airstrip was already in great shape, but the recurring gopher holes needed filling in, and weeds needed whacking, and we left…

RAF President John McKenna attended a planning meeting regarding a potentially new airstrip in an area of Minnesota known as the North West Angle, or as the locals refer to it as “The Angle.” The meeting, organized by James Hanson of Albert, Lea, Minnesota, was held Monday August 6th  in Baudette, Minnesota, which is the county seat…

Sixty-six years of separation evaporated when Ben Ryan climbed the ladder of the P-38, Glacier Girl, at Oshkosh 2012 — it was 1946 when Ben last flew a P-38 in the final days of World War II. In fact, on Columbus Day in 1945, Ben was overrun by his wingman, a fellow aviator in another P-38 in trail. The damage…

Located roughly forty miles west of the Tuweep airstrip in northern Arizona is the historical Grand Gulch Mine.  History has this as the first copper mine in Arizona, and you can admire the last remaining earthen smelter in the country amongst the ruins of this wonderful site. Taking the cue from aviation historian, and APA member,…

The Minam River Lodge (Minam Lodge sits deep inside the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area.  Use at your discretion), airlift was an outstanding success, with 25-plus volunteers in 20-plus planes flying multiple sorties between Joseph, Oregon, and the lodge, on April 14th and 15th. The volunteer crews ferried new supplies in and roughly 50 years of accumulated debris out. The effort was a mutual…

Both Utah and South Dakota have passed amendments to their state recreational use statutes to include aviation as a recreational activity.  Bills have passed both the house and the senate in each state and are being sent to the respective governors for signatures. Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) Member Dave Tunge led the effort in South Dakota and contacted Representative…

Bozeman, Mont. — The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) and BackcountryPilot.org (BCP), under guidance of the National Park Service (NPS), have combined efforts to successfully reopen the legendary “Chicken Strip.”  Thanks to a group of hard-working volunteers, the Chicken Strip, closed by the NPS in August, due to safety concerns, reopened on October 15. Following weeks…