KARI DEFREEST

The annual Meadow Creek, Montana cooperative work party occurred on June 20. Volunteers from Montana Pilots Association, Montana Aeronautics, and the RAF flew in to do seasonal maintenance together on this popular NW Montana Forest Service airstrip adjacent to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. 

RAF New Hampshire Liaison John Meade originally came on board as Liaison in 2016 and has recently volunteered to add Vermont to his Liaison role. We are thrilled to have his help in both states going forward. John grew up in New York and had the Navy take him away; eventually depositing him in Massachusetts. John’s father-in-law was a pilot, and in the late 80s, John got bitten by the flying bug as well. Eventually, a SuperCub on floats became his pride and joy. It became a convertible with Bushwheels, skis, and floats. He credits his association with SuperCub.org for coast-to-coast friendships and finding a cadre of local New England pilots in search of backcountry adventures. John’s current airplane is a Bearhawk Patrol that he built. John and his wife Jennifer split their work week between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, where they have a home and airfield. Their Wentworth Aerodrome – affectionately known as the “WAD” – is located 12 miles from Vermont, where he flies routinely. John has one son and five grandchildren. RAF NH/VT Liaison John Meade can be reached at jmeade@theraf.org . Submitted July 14, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

RAF Supporter Chris Erkmann lives in Chesterfield, Missouri – about 20 miles west of St. Louis, midway between the airfields at Trigger Gap, AR and Henderson, IL. He has flown his 1962 Cessna 182 into both places to volunteer at work parties alongside other RAF supporters.

Utah, Tennessee, Kansas, Indiana, Maryland . . . Forest Service, BLM, private landowners . . . are just a few of the places, agencies, and individuals the RAF is involved with to generate new opportunities on our quest to “Expand the Map.” The fun is talking about destinations, maybe sitting around a campfire with a few folks, and thinking of new places to go. Working with partners and new people who might not have worked with us in the past, and seeing a project go from an idea to a place for all to enjoy. It is happening right now, and we are collectively Expanding the Map. But like our flying, when we expand our capabilities, we take on new responsibilities. Responsibilities we might not have felt at the prior level. From flying a fixed-gear aircraft to one with foldable wheels, we add the responsibility not to forget to put the wheels back down when we get ready to land. Very few incidents have been reported about forgetting to raise the gear when departing, but forgotten gear-down landings litter the reports. As we grow and Expand the Map we all need to make sure to do our best to plan for and conduct a successful outcome. We need to be responsible and remember to put the wheels down. The responsibilities of taking care of one nearby airstrip is not such a big task, sort of like flying a basic airplane. However, as we expand our options, there are levels of complexities that come with the territory. More levers to pull, and buttons to push, more things to remember in order to safely conduct the flight. So it goes with Expanding the Map. We need to pay all the more attention. Who will our partners be? How do we make sure the place stays in good shape? Who will take care of cutting the grass, cleaning the outhouse, changing the windsock, and maintaining online listings? What is there to do when we arrive, and for sure, how will we pay the bills? Expanding the Map is exciting, but it will be the little things all along the way that we have to keep our eyes on. “Cockpit Resource Management” if you please. We are so excited to be asking you to get even more involved, because we are going to need you. You have heard it before, but without you, Expanding the Map would not be possible, and frankly, without you, there would be no reason to Expand the Map. The RAF is on a roll, and just like the basics of flying, we all need to remember those things needed to make this work – Gas on, switch on, hang on. - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted July 15, 2026