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The weekend of May 15-17 saw 39 people arrive at Gillette's Lakewood Lodge, 14WS in Wisconsin, to help clean up winter-damaged broken, downed, and dying trees and ready the property for the summer flying season. They also erected the 18-ft canvas tipi that is available in the summer months for guests to enjoy Owners Bob and Judy Gillette are passionate about aviation, after respective careers in the industry, and welcome visitors to their airfield with camping, canoeing, cycling, swimming, and fishing, all accessible from the 2,137-ft turf runway. Multiple volunteers returned who have been to every work party in the past. RAF Supporters Paul and Diane Iverson drove in from California to help out at the event. There were some new faces as well. First-time volunteer Clay Adams of Rosemount, Minnesota, flew in and camped. He’d cut trees professionally and was a huge help, according to the work party's organizer, Director Jeff Russell. “The volunteers all have the same work ethics as I do, just get it done and have fun while you are doing it,” Adams said, adding, “I joined the RAF last year and heard about Lakewood Lodge. It was a neat place and a lot of fun , and I look forward to helping out again.” Volunteers mostly drove in, with a half a dozen planes bringing more volunteers. Lunch and dinners were graciously provided by Judy  and Gillette's nephew, Max. Russell said, "We rented a wood chipper for two days, and it never stopped running. I'm amazed by how hard people work. I'm hugely grateful.” Find more about Lakewood Lodge in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 26, 2026

The RAF Airfield Guide should be your first stop. It’s a directory of destinations with recreational and backcountry opportunities. It’s free to use, and ad-free. If you haven’t yet signed up, that’s quick and easy, too! You’ll find information on runways and amenities, safety briefings, photos, and videos on over 400* public airstrips and private airfields. You can create your own multi-stop Route that includes all the Airfield information. Foreflight users can easily convert Airfield information into a Content Pack that is uploaded automatically into ForeFlight, all at the click of a button. We invite you to add your own comments about an airfield once you’ve visited it. So no matter when your flying season gets going, the RAF Airfield Guide is your first go-to source for information and safety briefings, and it’s available online year-round. To get logged into the Airfield Guide, visit this link , and bookmark it for the future! * More listings are added as they become available. Submitted May 26, 2026 Photo Credit: Laura Benton, Trigger Gap, AR By Carmine Mowbray

Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Steve Johnson, former RAF Director, Supercub.org founder, and Gold Seal CFI/MEI.

Lock Haven Airport, or William T. Piper Memorial Airport (KLHV), has a legendary past. From 1937 to 1984, it was the home of Piper Aircraft, where the Cub was born. The vintage aircraft community celebrates to this day with its annual “Sentimental Journey” pilgrimage fly-in, and fills the parking areas along both its paved and turf runways. For recreational pilots, it’s a great base location for fly-outs, including scenic flying opportunities over the mixed hardwood forest along the Susquehanna River. The year-round camping area has working restrooms, a pavilion to escape the elements, and a bath house that had deteriorated. RAF Pennsylvania/West Virginia Liaison Chip Vignolini and RAF Pennsylvania Liaison Andy Turner assessed the deteriorating bath house and decided to do something about it. They have been awarded an RAF grant for upgrades and refurbishment. “Our goal is to bring the bath house back to full operational capacity and improve the site’s utility,” Vignolini said. “By replacing damaged siding and applying fresh paint, the project halts deterioration. The other planned bath house and campground improvements ensure that the environment matches the prestige of the aircraft that visit.” The Sentimental Journey Board organized an initial work party in April. Volunteers have provided the specialized machinery and tools to complete the structural work and site preparation. Vignolini and Turner are now ready to line up volunteers to replace an insufficient water heater, install privacy dividers, and integrate an RAF fire ring and RAF information box. CAP volunteers will help with the project. Volunteers will be the primary workforce, bringing their own tools and expertise to the field, from licensed plumbers to seasoned handymen. “Lock Haven has always been built by the hands of those who fly there,” Vignolini said. Work will continue in May, with the goal of being completed for the 2026 season. “The campground and fire ring serve as the ‘social hangar’ where elder pilots pass down knowledge and stick-and-rudder skills to the next generation of aviators.” Vignolini added. Lock Haven Airport can be found in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 14, 2026

“Wow, did they ever get lucky!” When something good happens to a person or an organization, how many times have you heard that phrase? Or maybe even said it yourself? When, in reality, there’s been long term effort building skills, cultivating a growth mindset, expanding networks, and building relationships. When all is added together, this preparation creates a situation where opportunities are likely to arise. Or said another way, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It may appear to the casual observer that the RAF is about to get real lucky real soon. We think we are about to have the year we have been waiting for – well, maybe not waiting for – but rather preparing for. Over the course of the next 12-18 months, we will be announcing more airstrip possibilities and projects than we have ever experienced in a similar period. Leadership has been thinking about this for a good long time, and we have worked hard to be ready. What does that mean? It has meant building what I believe is one of the finest groups of people in aviation. People who are ready to step up and who bring and invest the skills needed to make things happen. It means having saved some money, which gives us the ability to say “Yes” and accept opportunities and the responsibilities they bring. It means having the relationship capital with our partners, be they private or public, that is required to make progress. We want you to know that we will be calling on all of us to give our best effort so we don’t miss our chance to get “lucky.” We will need people to take charge of projects just like you have in the past. We will need people to give some time – or maybe a lot of time – if they can spare it. We will need financial resources to meet the demands that we will be called upon to provide. I think we are ready, and I further think this is going to be one of the most exciting periods we’ve seen in the RAF timeline. I hope you are all in. Since the RAF was founded out here in rodeo country, it only seems appropriate that just before the chute is opened, a simple nod of the head throws it open and signals that big action is about to happen. Here’s to a little “nod of the head.” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted May 13, 2026

RAF Virginia Liaison Paul Kosubinsky organized volunteers the weekend of May 8-9 to clean up the campsite and install new amenities at Front Royal Warren County Airport, Virginia, KFRR. Assisting were the Warren County Airport Commission and Friends of Front Royal. “Together, we accomplished an amazing amount in a short time. From removing loads of trash to installing the beautiful new RAF-branded fire ring, entrance sign, and flag pole, the campsite has already been transformed into a welcoming destination pilots and campers will enjoy for years to come,” Kosubinsky reported. The team also cut and stacked enough firewood to last several seasons to benefit future visitors. The volunteers also set up an RAF table and greeted visitors during the airport Wings and Wheels event. This public-use airport has a paved 3,000-ft runway and offers camping with access to a porta-potty, indoor restrooms, and a courtesy car. It’s known as a gateway airport to the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail. “Thank you again for helping make the KFRR Stokes Airfield Campsite something we can all be proud of. I look forward to many future gatherings around that new fire ring,” Kosubinsky added. Find more on Front Royal Warren County Airport in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 13, 2026

RAF New York Liaison Doug Turnbull organized a work party at Great Valley airfield, N56 near Salamanca, in southwestern New York on Saturday, May 2. The group of volunteers cleaned up the riverbank, performed seasonal maintenance, and added a new RAF windsock. They removed encroaching brush along the 3,200-ft turf runway to make the approach more visible. The airfield is privately owned but open for public use. “Owner Anna Northrup was very appreciative of the fellowship and that she didn’t need to worry about these things. She generously provided morning donuts and coffee and lunch from the adjacent Katy's Fly-In restaurant,” Turnbull said. “The many hands made quick work, and it was good to spend time with other RAF volunteers out in the field working on this strip,” Turnbull added. Find more on Great Valley in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 11, 2026

Along with volunteering his time and talents at RAF work projects, RAF supporter Orrin Banks and his family business have left a positive and lasting mark on airstrips across the West through donated windows and glasswork. When you think of a family business, maybe an old-fashioned country store or corner drug comes to mind. Banks Glass in Jamestown, California, is seeing its fourth generation stepping up, and it’s something Orrin Banks is very proud of. “My grandfather started this business in 1961. I have a large family, and many of them live in the area and work at our company,” he says. He and his cousin are third-generation and manage the commercial side of the business. They grew it right out of the original building into bigger quarters. Speaking of Jamestown, he says, “This was the perfect place to grow up on a ranch near the foothills. My cousin and I got into all kinds of trouble on three-wheelers. Now we’re still the best of friends.” Aviation has played a big role in the success of the business. In 1982, Orrin’s grandfather bought a new Cessna TU206 for corporate flights. Orrin’s dad flew it throughout the 90s when he added a Skywagon 180. Using aircraft for business and pleasure, he introduced young Orrin to flying. Orrin got his license and owned a Cherokee 140. He worked for the US Forest Service, and while working in Libby, Montana, he flew into many of the suitable airports in Montana and the Idaho Panhandle. He returned to Jamestown to work in the family business, and has really found his own mission there. 

A dozen volunteers in seven aircraft and a few cars arrived at Washington State’s Olympic Field on Saturday, May 2, to help with needed maintenance. They enjoyed mostly good weather, being Spring in the Olympic Peninsula. “A lot of things got accomplished in a short amount of time,” RAF Washington State Liaison RAF Ballantyne reported. The crews thinned an adjacent stand of trees to create about 500 feet of a “buck and rail” fence for runway safety. They trimmed around the runway lights and sanded and refinished a large circular table and several chairs for the camping area. The field is privately owned by Ryan Larrance and his wife, Marianne. “Marianne made delicious scones for the arrivals, and a great pulled pork on homemade bread with fixings for lunch,” Ballantyne said, adding, “We had a great time getting to know each other. Many hands truly make light work. We discussed current events in Washington, and even got to play a game for an RAF Yeti.” Olympic Field, near Port Townsend, has a 2,500-ft turf runway, bordered by an equally long pond for seaplanes to land. In 2025, using an RAF grant, volunteers built an off-the-grid bathhouse with a vault toilet and hot shower. The Larrances have a tradition of welcoming fly-in visitors to their field. See Olympic Field in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 8, 2026