I have been reading alot about Mountain and Canyon flying, and air-camping. That is what led me to join this organization. From what I have read, this is becoming a fast growing sport but much of this activity is occurring out west in places like Idaho and Utah. It seems to me that we have the potential for some good backcountry rural flying right here in the east, closer to home. I tried runwayfinder.com yesterday for the first time and I really liked it. This area is literally littered with small runways all over the place! Who knew all those runways were out there?

There are some big differences between our area and the west. We are at lower altitudes for one, but most of the primative runways out west belong to the
government, whereas most of the primative runways in our area are privately owned. Many of them are not in use anymore, but are still listed with the FAA
and will show up on search engines like runwayfinder and airnav. If we want to be able to do come backcountry flying and air-camping around here, we will need
to reach out to the airstrip owners and get their permission to use their airstrips for recreation and training.

Many of these airstrips are out of use because the flying owner passed away, or lost his medical, or simply got involved in someting else and let the airstrip
fall into disrepair. Maintaining a grass or turf runway is an on-going process, and being able to use that airstrip creates expenses and liabilities for the
owners of those strips. If the current owner is a non-flyier, there is no incentive for them to maintain the upkeep on the airstrip and these strips are
destined to go away if we don't get them involved in aviation somehow.

I propose that we create the Piedmont Backcountry Flying Association to help preserve these airstrips and promote their care and use. We need to recruit
pilots, land-owners, and volunteers to help us find these airstrips and their owners, help keep them maintained, and secure their use for backcountry flying,
air-camping, and recreation. This approach can provide a way for a non-flying landowner or volunteer to become involved if they want to, and can open up this
area to the grass-roots type of flying that started General Aviation in the first place.

I know that this is a bold idea of a project and I invite your comments and suggestions. I also know that there are people in SC, NC, VA, WVA, MD and PA who might be interested in this kind of stuff. Who knows where this might eventually lead? Maybe WE will be able to host a backcountry flying seminar or have an air-camping fly-in right around here.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
William "Pete" Hodges
N5586F KEZF

Rainelle was a great place to camp. I haven't been there since Squire died, and don't know if the restaurant is still open, but I know that there had been fly-ins there.

Jack

You've got a good idea. Steve Lewis hosts a fly-in at Elizabethton, TN in October, and we typically fly-out to the grass strips in the mountains and foothills. Come join us this year and pitch your idea.

Eric

Pete:

I'm in. Send me a PM so we can exchange contact info.

O-2

It would be great to have a list of the private strips the the owners will allow you to stop in. and use them.

Im in - any one with time needs to hit up Hoby Wolf W50 in eldersburg MD. one way in one way out, cross slope, trees, and a fishing pond open only to fly-in pilots. Hit it up while you can, goin to be houses in the not too far future. Real friendly guy owns the land.

That sounds like a great idea. My home is in PA now but I lived in WV before I retired. Squire passed on before I got current after 10 years not flying so I never got a chance to land at Rainelle.

I recently found this site and was hoping to go to the Fly-in at Sciota, PA this weekend to meet some of the local flyers. Unfortunately, the weather is threatening to interfere with that event and I don't know if they can re-schedule.

I'd be interested in an Eastern U. S. branch to find and use out-of-the-way grass airstrips.

I use to stop at Squire's on my travels back and forth between OH and NC. If anyone knows if the restaurant is open weekends, please post.

I love your idea, but in reality, at most of those closed airstrips, I suspect the owners would have a liability problem with us landing on them. I know, that I have been paying $1400/year for my grass strip, for an average coverage. I am expecting that rate to increase in the near future too.

BTracy wrote:It would be great to have a list of the private strips the the owners will allow you to stop in. and use them.

One of the reasons I built shortfield.com was so that we would have a place to share information on backcountry and lesser travelled airstrips (including privately owned airstrips). As you talk to private owners and/or get information about these strips, please update them at shortfield.com...its free and available to all.

Also, it might be worthwile to work with an existing organization to preserve and or open-up rural and backcountry airstrips: Recreational Aviation Foundation. THe RAF goals are...

use tax-deductible donations to:
· Provide more participation with governmental agencies controlling rural and backcountry airstrips to preserve and protect public access.
· Improve and maintain existing rural and backcountry airstrips.
· Acquire or lease land to construct additional general aviation airstrips.
· Educate the public on the benefits of rural and backcountry airstrips.
· Promote Air safety through support of flight training seminars.

I made a mistake - W50 is davis airport - also a fun strip - but paved. Howby wolf is 1W5.

I'm in to. I was in Hoby wolf a couple of weeks a go. Nice place Mr. Hoby was there real nice man. Beware ADIZ is only a couple miles south if that.

I'm based in NW Georgia. Maule MXT-7-180. Numerous grass strips available around my home base KDNN. I'm heading out west this September for about 6 wks of air camping and getaway/walkabout -- KDNN to Topeka, then following Santa Fe Trail down into NM, AZ, UT and CO. I'd be interested in participating in a Piedmont BCP. Depending on the date of the Elizabethtown fly-in, I'll plan on that. Keep me posted by PM, and thanks for the idea.

check PM re Santa Fe Trail