ROB AHO

Ever since attaining his tailwheel endorsement “at the turn of the century” in Helena, Montana in a club Citabria, Rob Aho says he has been hooked on backcountry flight. He has flown many sorties into and near the Bob Marshall Wilderness with the express purpose of camping and fly fishing. As an environmental remediation engineer working on abandoned Montana mine cleanups, he was able to spend time in the air in Big Sky Country.


Rob later returned home to Michigan, taking a job in the Upper Peninsula – fondly called the Yoop – where his family has deep Finnish roots. He engaged in remediation work in the Copper Country of the UP as an engineer responsible for a $15 million Superfund project to stabilize mine tailings from a historic ore stamp mill operation. He then took on responsibility for assorted stream reconstruction projects in the Copper Country. 

Flying opportunity was limited and kids began to arrive, so he embarked on constructing his own taildragger with handling characteristics similar to the Citabria.  


“In 2011, I took flight in my Rans S-7S Courier, and it wasn’t long before I outfitted the plane with Bushwheels, skis and other Alaska mods,” he says. It was during this time that he became an RAF supporter. Ever since, he has flown each of his three kids into North Fox Island and Two-Hearted airfields, in addition to countless local frozen lakes and beaches. 

His plane is based on a grass airstrip and hangar that he designed and built near his residence. He joins Michigan Liaison General Grant and Ambassadors John Riordan and Brad Frederick, former Liaison. “As an RAF Michigan Liaison, I hope to further improve and expand flight access into the Yoop backcountry,” he says.


Contact Rob at raho@theraf.org


906-370-2135

Submitted on December 22, 2023.

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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 

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By lellington • June 25, 2026
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