Posts by Lisa Ellington

Need another good reason to fly to San Marcos, TX? The beautiful old city located between Austin and San Antonio is known for bountiful crystal clear water, and aviation innovator Redbird Skyport, right on the field (KHYI).  And thanks to Redbird’s generous corporate sponsorship, you can now enjoy one of the RAF’s attractive Fire Hubs on the…

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…

Signature Flight Support was in Bozeman, MT for the dedication of the Customs facility at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. John McKenna, President RAF, took a few of the Signature folks flying in the backcountry of Montana.  A quote below from Eric Hietala . “My first back country flight gave me a greater appreciation of the natural beauty…

Spring comes late to the high mountain pastures and when it does the blooms are spectacular.  Each year, the mountainside blooming of the rare alpine reprobates, propeller heads, nasenbohren and hineydraggers occurs with great anticipation and subsequent memories. Submitted on September 10, 2012.

In camp chairs circling the fire pit in NW Montana, the entire Recreational Aviation Foundation board advanced their strategic planning during a two-day working board meeting recently. Enjoying backcountry flying at their own expense, the board arrived from their respective homes as far away as Wyoming, New Mexico, Florida and Washington, D.C. Having climbed above 4,000 members, the…

Thirty-four people came together the weekend of Aug. 17- 19 to share the excitement of backcountry flying and the outdoors with kids at Ryan’s Field in West Glacier, Montana.  Seven airplanes flew in with 10 kids while another five arrived with parties who drove in for the fun-filled weekend. Parties came from all reaches of Montana and one from…

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…

“Meet me by the old oak at the brown arch”, for the dedication of another Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) “Legacy Rock”, on Wed. July 25th at 10:00 AM! Thanks to the foresight and vision of RAF sustaining supporter Gordon Rock of Mercer Island, WA, the RAF now has the opportunity to sell 37 tribute tiles beneath the…