RAF TRAIL IN PENNSYLVANIA

Our first RAF Trail event in Pennsylvania is now history, originally scheduled for the last day of September. High up on the Allegheny Plateau about 20 miles northeast of Williamsport is Eagles Mere, PA, and the Air Museum on Merritt Field (4PN7). The Museum is owned and operated by George Merritt Jenkins who tackled the job of amending Pennsylvania’s RUS to include aviation activities.  

The day’s weather was “iffy” with a direct crosswind and low ceilings, so we moved the event to the following day. That didn’t stop two folks, one from Indiana and another from D.C. who braved the conditions on the scheduled day. Weather on the postponed day was fantastic with twelve people in nine airplanes and one gyrocopter arriving.  We toured all the buildings and had a chance to meet Mr. Jenkins and view fly-bys of some beautiful aircraft.  An amazing specimen was the oldest Cessna flying, a 1928 Model AW. All but one in the fly-in group had flown in from northern New Jersey in an attempt to avoid the persistent Presidential TFR.  On departure, “Thanks”  and other words of appreciation were heard on the frequency, and the comment, “Let’s do this again!”

Submitted on October 10, 2017.