“We have an RAF member who is an expert at heating big spaces,” Brine said. “A quick call to John Meade was all that was needed.” John’s company, [Preferred Mechanical Services] donated the engineering on behalf of the RAF, and sold the needed equipment to the Trust at trade cost. “Without the help of the RAF and John Meade, the new hangar would sit without heat and idle during the long gray winters on Martha’s Vineyard,” Brine explained, adding, “Our dream is to have young islanders involved with aviation during the winter months.”
THIS JEWEL GETS EVEN BRIGHTER
“Of the many jewels of aviation, Katama Airfield stands out as unique in the United States,” says the Katama Airfield Trust website. And now the sign “The RAF Proudly Supports This Airstrip” can go up at the field, thanks to RAF Director Bill Brine and New Hampshire Liaison John Meade.
By an overwhelming voice vote, Town Meeting members authorized funding to replace a dilapidated World War II hangar at Katama, (1B2) for local groups to engage in aviation projects year-round. But the Town could not allocate enough to provide for heating the hangar, so local supporters and the RAF stepped in with resources.
The Trust formed years ago to provide support to both the Town of Edgartown and The Nature Conservancy to preserve the airfield’s economic and ecological benefits. The Trust website explains:
“Residents of Edgartown benefit from having a historic grass airfield that is relatively low impact and is considered one of the most ecologically significant natural areas in Massachusetts.”
Pilots as well love this airfield. The longest of its three turf runways is 3,700 feet at a field elevation of eighteen feet. It dates back to 1924 and was used by the Curtis Wright Corporation. The airfield has direct access to the ocean beach and is a popular place to swim in the Atlantic. “The seasonal restaurant is always fantastic,” Meade says, and on nice days, a person might have a chance to take a ride in one of two barnstorming Waco biplanes hangared at the field. “The airport’s future is protected by its conservation trust,” Meade explained, and this project had to reflect the spirit of its long history.
Brine, a native New Englander and resident of Martha’s Vineyard says, “Katama is often mispronounced. Most Islanders pronounce it ka-TAY-ma. Those from the mainland sometimes call it KA-tama. No matter how you pronounce Katama on the unicom, you will be welcomed with open arms.”
Submitted on June 24, 2021.
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The weekend of May 15-17 saw 39 people arrive at Gillette's Lakewood Lodge, 14WS in Wisconsin, to help clean up winter-damaged broken, downed, and dying trees and ready the property for the summer flying season. They also erected the 18-ft canvas tipi that is available in the summer months for guests to enjoy Owners Bob and Judy Gillette are passionate about aviation, after respective careers in the industry, and welcome visitors to their airfield with camping, canoeing, cycling, swimming, and fishing, all accessible from the 2,137-ft turf runway. Multiple volunteers returned who have been to every work party in the past. RAF Supporters Paul and Diane Iverson drove in from California to help out at the event. There were some new faces as well. First-time volunteer Clay Adams of Rosemount, Minnesota, flew in and camped. He’d cut trees professionally and was a huge help, according to the work party's organizer, Director Jeff Russell. “The volunteers all have the same work ethics as I do, just get it done and have fun while you are doing it,” Adams said, adding, “I joined the RAF last year and heard about Lakewood Lodge. It was a neat place and a lot of fun , and I look forward to helping out again.” Volunteers mostly drove in, with a half a dozen planes bringing more volunteers. Lunch and dinners were graciously provided by Judy and Gillette's nephew, Max. Russell said, "We rented a wood chipper for two days, and it never stopped running. I'm amazed by how hard people work. I'm hugely grateful.” Find more about Lakewood Lodge in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 26, 2026
The RAF Airfield Guide should be your first stop. It’s a directory of destinations with recreational and backcountry opportunities. It’s free to use, and ad-free. If you haven’t yet signed up, that’s quick and easy, too! You’ll find information on runways and amenities, safety briefings, photos, and videos on over 400* public airstrips and private airfields. You can create your own multi-stop Route that includes all the Airfield information. Foreflight users can easily convert Airfield information into a Content Pack that is uploaded automatically into ForeFlight, all at the click of a button. We invite you to add your own comments about an airfield once you’ve visited it. So no matter when your flying season gets going, the RAF Airfield Guide is your first go-to source for information and safety briefings, and it’s available online year-round. To get logged into the Airfield Guide, visit this link , and bookmark it for the future! * More listings are added as they become available. Submitted May 26, 2026 Photo Credit: Laura Benton, Trigger Gap, AR By Carmine Mowbray
Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Steve Johnson, former RAF Director, Supercub.org founder, and Gold Seal CFI/MEI.
