The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) has awarded a grant to preserve amenities and increase safety at Avey Field (69S) near Laurier, Washington.
The field, owned by Bob Davis of Orient, Washington, is adjacent to a Washington-British Columbia Port-Of-Entry. Customs agents are nearby, making this strip convenient for travelers to and from Canada, RAF officials noted.
“This RAF grant will improve a fly-in only campground, located in a wooded area offering hiking and deer and turkey hunting near the Kettle River, which can be fished,” said RAF Washington Liaison Dave Whitelaw. “This project, along with the work we did two years ago, will help keep this strip open.”
Each spring, Whitelaw organizes volunteers to haul in a mower and trimmers to maintain the edges of the airstrip and camping area.
The grant will fund improvements to the camping area, the installation of an additional windsock, hauling and leveling gravel to stabilize airplane parking, and resetting the existing outhouse on a new precast concrete vault.
Due to sandy soil along the runway, aircraft parking near the camp area is unsafe, according to RAF officials.
“The contractor offered to donate his time and equipment to spread and level the gravel,” Whitelaw explained.
Volunteers will build the new windsock pole out of pipe material, haul it to the airfield, dig the mounting hole, and hand fill it with concrete.
Whitelaw procured another picnic table and firepit from the National Park Service that he will haul in to the backcountry airstrip and place to improve the camping area.
“The onsite work is projected to take two days, starting in mid to late May,” he said.
For more information on Avey field, see the RAF Airfield Guide.