RESTORATION, IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE AT LONE PINE WITH ANOTHER RAF GRANT

The RAF has awarded California Liaison Katerina Barilov another grant to help fund continued improvements at California’s Lone Pine Airport. This 2025 project will continue the upgrade to the original terminal building that serves as a pilot shelter, meeting room, and kitchen for visitors. The terminal building had fallen into disrepair over several decades. The nonprofit Friends of Lone Pine Airport, (FLPA) saw its cultural, historic, and economic value and in 2022 coordinated with Barilov to help fund materials and organize volunteers to begin restoration. A previous RAF grant helped fund FLPA volunteer efforts to improve the outdoor restrooms, damaged doors, and windows.

In addition to the 2025 RAF grant, this project will be funded with a financial contribution from Inyo County, and community project sponsorship program funds, with FLPA volunteers providing labor. They will undertake more extensive restoration of the building, both inside and out. Plans are to complete refinishing of the pilot’s lounge and front office floors, install tongue and groove ceilings, repair and paint interior walls and trim, install floating floors in the kitchen and county office, and install new lighting. The project will also secure the area that houses the AWOS system.

Located between the depths of Death Valley National Park and Mount Whitney’s 14,505-ft peak, “Lone Pine Airport, serves pilots arriving from all over the US and Canada, with many staying for multiple days,” Barilov said. Lone Pine Airport hosts an annual October Backcountry Fly in, which has received national recognition.

“Together, we aim to make this airport the aviation gem of the Owens Valley,” Barilov said. The FLPA wrote, “By restoring the terminal building, FLPA will be taking the first step towards making the airport an even more attractive aviation destination, as well as providing substantial benefits to the rural community. We are excited to revitalize this aviation gem.”

For more information on Lone Pine Airport, see the Airfield Guide.

Submitted January 13, 2025
By Carmine Mowbray

Posted in News

ROB KEANE

February 24, 2026

FLORIDA AMBASADOR

HOWIE BOHL

February 24, 2026

CALIFORNIA AMBASSADOR

RAF AWARDS GRANT FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF HCRC

February 24, 2026

Oregon RAF Liaison Bill Ables has been awarded a $5,000 RAF grant to retain RAF membership in and support the Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative (HCRC) for the next five years. The HCRC was organized in 2016 at the request of Idaho’s Congressional Delegation as a framework for the various recreational user groups to collaborate with the US Forest Service within the 652,488-acre Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Ables, a past Director and current member of the group, explained that HCRC membership is a cross-section of user groups from both the private and commercial sectors, including river rafters and jet boaters, backpackers, horse packers, aviators, and governmental management agencies. Providing ongoing support ensures continued aviation representation. The rugged Snake River canyon region hugs the borders of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho, and includes nine backcountry airstrips within the Recreational Area. All are maintained by volunteer aviation groups in collaboration with the USFS: Cache Creek, Salmon Bar, Dug Bar, Temperance Creek, Pittsburg Landing, Sluice Creek, Lord Flat, Memaloose, and Big Bar. “Our support of HCRC, combined with the other involved aviation groups, ensures ongoing maintenance and improvements at each of these nine airstrips. It benefits general aviation by preserving access to enjoy the beauty of the Hells Canyon area, which directly speaks to the Mission of the RAF,” Ables said. For more information on Dug Bar, Cache Creek, Big Bar, and Memaloose, see the Airfield Guide . Pittsburg Landing, Sluice Creek, Temperance Creek, and Salmon Bar are not listed in the Airfield Guide at this time. Submitted February 24, 2026