VOLUNTEERS MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AT CREIGHTON ISLAND

In preparation for a December 3-5 Creighton Island fly-in, Georgia Ambassador Eric Davis reported, “We had great weather and a solid showing by our Creighton Island diehards,” in mid-November. Davis was joined by RAF Georgia Liaison Kevin Barry and Ambassador Lou Furlong for a work party at this privately-owned coastal island airfield.

The team mowed the runway and parking areas of palm and pine saplings, making space for additional aircraft. They cleared the understory near the bunkhouses and beat back saplings that had grown back since their work last year. “This affords a great sunrise view toward Sapelo Island and ensures we’ll have some much needed offshore airflow during the summer months,” Davis explained.

Those interested in precision rifle shooting at this weekend’s event may sign up before Saturday, December 4 for target practice on the two-mile range on the east side of the island. An expert marksman will be on site, providing paid instruction and equipment resources on the .50 caliber. The airfield will be CLOSED during this Saturday activity. See NOTAMs and the airfield.guide. Aircraft spotters will be stationed in the 100-ft fire tower, monitoring ADS-B traffic and 122.9 for the presence of any aircraft within a three mile radius and below 2500 feet AGL. They will be in contact with the rifle range and all firing activities will be suspended if any aircraft enter the protected area.

There is also an opportunity for a local fishing trip for 6-8 people. The boat will pick passengers up at the Creighton Island dock Saturday morning. The captain will take you to popular fishing spots within the protected areas along the Intracoastal Waterway. Expect the trip to be 4-6 hours in duration with drop-off back at Creighton.

There is limited availability for these two activities, so this is first come, first served.

Email  edavis@theraf.org  for more details.

To fly in other than for-scheduled events pilots must obtain permission from the owner. within 24 hours prior to arrival to obtain a runway report. For safety, no landings are authorized outside of scheduled events unless you have spoken with the owner. All pilots must review the airport briefing before operating on this field. See the Creighton Island Safety Briefing  here.

Volunteers Needed for Creighton Island Mowing

“We’re in need of pilots who are willing to share mowing tasks with those of us who have been doing this work on an irregular basis,” Georgia Ambassador Eric Davis said. The time commitment would be four to six hours per visit. Please email Davis at  edavis@theraf.org for more information.


Posted in News

Recent Posts

April 5, 2026
FEATURING: THE RAF DOG COLLECTION MODELED BY JOSIE & MUD Outfit your four-legged co-pilot for every adventure! From airplane rides to backcountry trails, this collection has everything they need to travel in comfort and style. Featuring two new additions—a stainless steel Orvis dog bowl and DawgMuffs—alongside RAF favorites like the collar, leash, and bandana. This collection includes items designed and created by RAF supporters. Shop the Dog Collection here. If you have questions, please email contact@theraf.org or call 406-582-1723. Your RAF Outfitter purchase is greatly appreciated and furthers the mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. You can support the RAF mission all year by shopping at the RAF Outfitter online store. Products are being added regularly, and items are thoughtfully selected for durability and suitability for pilots, by pilots. We welcome photos of supporters using RAF gear! Please send your images to ewhite@theraf.org , and let us know if we have permission to post them on social media or our website. Submitted April 5, 2026.
By lellington April 3, 2026
Call To Action Volunteer
March 30, 2026
As you're planning your 2026 flying adventures, remember to review safety briefings for the airstrips you plan to visit. The RAF strongly recommends you review safety briefings and print a copy to have in your airplane - it's even required to fly into some airfields, like Ryan Field (2MT1). For those airfields, pilots flying in are required to review the briefing on an annual basis, and now is the perfect time to catch up on any changes to the runway/area that happened throughout the winter. You can find safety briefings on the RAF Airfield Guide . If an airfield in the Airfield Guide has a required briefing, the airfield listing will clearly indicate it and have a tab to view the briefing. Submitted March 30, 2026 Photo By Jim Stevenson
March 30, 2026
RAF Texas volunteers and Ranger Airfield Foundation volunteers helped begin restoration of the historic 1928 Ranger Airfield hangar on March 28. “A Wright biplane landed here at the field in 1911, and people have been using it ever since,” Ranger Airfield Foundation Founder Jared Calvert said. He noted that Amelia Earhart landed there in a Pitcairn Auto Gyro. Richard Bach, Pancho Barnes, and General Patton also landed at the field. It’s the oldest continuously used turf field in Texas. 
By Carmine Mowbray March 30, 2026
For adventurers seeking access to the Gila Wilderness, we suggest landing at Sacaton Airstrip, NM16, near Buckhorn, New Mexico. The runway lies on a “finger mesa,” and the Rain Creek trailhead lies just northeast of the field. Thanks to RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller's coordination with the USFS using a Cost Share Agreement, Keller was able to organize RAF and New Mexico Pilot Association (NMPA) volunteers to rehabilitate and reopen the long-abandoned airstrip in 2022. Beyond reopening the airstrip, Keller added camping amenities, including picnic tables and a new vault toilet. Most recently, Keller oversaw the installation of new shade structures, most welcoming to campers and hikers. RAF and NMPA volunteers complete ongoing maintenance at Sacaton and other airfields in the Gila National Forest. You’ll see white-painted rocks along Sacaton’s 3,989-ft dirt runway, and surrounding the segmented circle near the RAF windsock. The airstrip lies at 6,200-ft elevation, so pilots should be mindful of density altitude while flying over high terrain in the vicinity, even in winter temperatures.  “Anglers will enjoy plying streams for the rare native copper-colored Gila trout, once a threatened species,” Keller reports. The mile-and-a-half trail to the crossing at Rain Creek is narrow and challenging and traverses a variety of terrain, but the serious hiker will be rewarded trekking through steep canyon walls lined with green alder, willow, and boxelder, hoodoos, and eagle aeries above. There are rumors of a double waterfall some distance on the west fork of Rain Creek trail. See the Sacaton page in the Airfield Guide for more details. Note that the airstrip may be unusable due to snow or after heavy rains. This runway should be considered one-way in/one-way out to avoid overflying the Wilderness boundary. There is a 4.6% upslope to the East, favoring landing Runway 08 with right traffic, remaining clear of the Wilderness east and north of the airfield. Please consider others seeking a Wilderness experience. Prior to landing at Sacaton, permission is required by calling the USFS Gila Dispatch center at 800-538-1644. Please familiarize yourself with Sacaton in the Airfield Guide and the New Mexico Pilots Association Safety Briefing . Submitted March 30, 2025 By Carmine Mowbray