An agreement has been inked between officials with the Recreational Aviation Foundation and Gila National Forest in New Mexico to increase access to five backcountry airstrips: Beaverhead, Jewett Mesa, Me-Own, Negrito, and Rainy Mesa.
The agreement outlines objectives for safe operation and maintenance, desired airstrip conditions, survey and inspections, and maintenance guidelines for each of the Gila Forest airstrips.
The Challenge Cost Share agreement also notes the “mutual desire to return Sacaton airstrip to operational status,” RAF officials said.
RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller points out that the New Mexico Airstrip Network (NMAN) wrote the Gila Airstrips Integrated Operations and Maintenance Plan that the Forest Service used for the agreement. The RAF and New Mexico Pilots Association are two of the 13 partners that comprise the NMAN.
The agreement states that “both parties have common interests, including increasing recreational access to federal lands, maintaining existing airstrips for recreational access, and promoting the outdoor recreation use of federal lands and waters.”
Now that’s really good news! I generally look for one big adventure in my plane each year. Rather than Oshkosh, of the High Sierra Fly-Ins in 2023, I may choose to fly-camp my way around New Mexico. It’ll be fun planning a trip back to the state where I lived for 8 years.