PAUL GAINSBACK

The state of Louisiana has passed HB718, which added recreational aviation to its recreational use statute. Now owners of the nearly 200 private use airports in Louisiana have an added level of liability protection. To advocate for this sector of aviation, RAF National RUS Liaisons John Nadeau and Rick McCraw, and AOPA Central Southwest Regional Manager Tom Chandler all monitored progress throughout the legislative process. New RAF Louisiana Liaison Marcel LeBlanc also provided letters to legislators, both as an RAF Liaison and constituent. The bill language states that an owner or manager of a “nonpublic use airport” has liability protection when others use their airfield for non commercial aviation activities. Louisiana defines a nonpublic use airport as one that is primarily used by the owner with access by others as permitted by the owner. “It is obvious that providing liability protections for the private use airport owner has the potential to open up a great deal of existing aviation infrastructure. This can happen at absolutely no cost to the state,” Nadeau wrote in his letter to one of the bill’s sponsors. Louisiana now joins the list of twenty-eight states that either include aviation language in their RUS or have similar owner liability protections in other state statutes. The RAF continues its advocacy for aviation-specific wording to be included in RUSs, and encourages supporters to get involved. For more information about Recreational Use Statutes, click here . 

“It was really nice to spend some time with Wyoming folks cleaning up a little piece of history,” RAF WY/UT Ambassador Karen Larson said of the May 30 work party at Medicine Bow airport, on the historic US airmail route. RAF Wyoming Liaison Joe Feiler organized the work and reports that about 15 people with a wide range of backgrounds arrived at 9 am to help. Attendees included RAF supporters, EAA Chapter 420 members, local residents, as well as Lee Cook, Medicine Bow airport board member and town council member.

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 

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