CAVANAUGH BAY GRANT ENSURES GREEN GRASS

Cavanaugh Bay Airport, 66S lies on the shoreline of Idaho’s pristine Priest Lake. “It offers wonderful campsites and access for fishing, hiking, boating, golfing, Cavanaugh Bay Resort, and a place to celebrate campfire food,” RAF Idaho Liaison Sparky Parker says. “Camping and the views are spectacular and the airport is actively used by general aviation,” he added. Parker was awarded an RAF grant toward a three part fertilizer application process to keep the grass green all summer. 

The airport is owned by Idaho Department of Aeronautics, and is a good example of cooperation between groups. Idaho Aviation Association, of which Parker has held positions at both the state and chapter level, has always stepped up to help. Last fall, the Aeronautics Department completed a timber sale to remove encroaching trees, and in April, volunteers from IAA assisted Cavanaugh Bay home owners to help remove the slash and branches from the tree cutting work.

Cavanaugh Bay Home Owners group had paid for the first of the three necessary fertilizer applications; Idaho Department of Aeronautics will provide the third; and the RAF grant provides fertilizer for the second. The Home Owners group will provide the volunteers to apply the fertilizer in late spring or early summer. Going forward, retaining turf quality will require far less fertilizer application. 

“This cooperative plan will ensure that the grass will remain vibrant during the heat of the summer months, thereby preserving the integrity of the airstrip for all users,” Parker said. In addition to recreational use, healthy turf will benefit state and federal firefighting operations, Parker pointed out.

For more information on this spectacular fly-in destination, see the  Airfield Guide.

Submitted June 14, 2022

Posted in News, Uncategorized

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STEVE JONES

By lellington • June 25, 2026
Steve Jones was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio just an hour from the birthplace of aviation. He fell in love with airplanes at an early age and has been flying ever since. That passion grew exponentially when he landed off-airport in a tailwheel airplane for the first time and discovered the world of backcountry aviation. He first encountered the RAF while attending a “Peaks to Pavement” seminar in 2019, where he met Ohio State Liaison Christine Mortine. Since that time he has enjoyed supporting the RAF including getting his hands dirty helping with campsite improvements at Noble County Airport. He has also supported technology projects for the HQ team and RAF volunteers. As a State Liaison for Ohio he will be focused on initiating new grant projects, adding more recreational airports in Ohio to the RAF Airfield Guide, and increasing RAF engagement and collaboration. Steve is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a BA in Aviation Management and is a loyal Ohio State Buckeyes football fan. He works in Flight Operations for a large private aviation company where he has worked for the past twenty years. He resides in Pickerington, Ohio with his wife Kasey who is also an aviation enthusiast. Steve can be reached at sjones@theraf.org (614) 353-8895 

RAF VOLUNTEER STEVE JONES STEPS INTO OHIO RAF LIAISON ROLE

By lellington • June 25, 2026
Joining RAF Ohio Liaison Christine Mortine is Steve Jones, who is stepping into a Liaison role from having volunteered on RAF technology projects. Raised in Columbus, Ohio just an hour from the birthplace of aviation, Steve fell in love with airplanes at an early age. That passion grew exponentially when he discovered the world of backcountry aviation. He first encountered the RAF while attending a “Peaks to Pavement” seminar in 2019, where he met Christine. Since then, he has enjoyed supporting the RAF by helping on campsite improvements at Noble County Airport. As a new Ohio Liaison, he will focus on initiating new grant projects, adding more recreational airports in Ohio to the RAF Airfield Guide, and increasing RAF engagement and collaboration. Steve is a graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in Aviation Management and is a loyal Ohio State Buckeyes football fan. For the last twenty years, he has worked in Flight Operations for a large private aviation company. He resides in Pickerington, Ohio with his wife Kasey who is also an aviation enthusiast. Steve can be reached at sjones@theraf.org

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