The largest grass field fly-in around

Every year during the third week in October, Dave and Marcia Mason welcome hundreds of airplanes to the Reklaw Fly-In, known to be one of the largest grass field fly-ins in the country.

They’ve been holding the annual fly-in for 37 years at Flying M Ranch Airport (7TA7) in Reklaw, Texas, which is about 130 miles southeast of Dallas, Texas.

During the weekend of the fly-in, only aircraft owners, pilots and other aviation enthusiasts are welcome at the ranch.

“We don’t raise cattle anymore,” the couple note on their website, “we just have a good time once a year with our annual weekend fly-in and campout.”

Why open your property to hundreds of aircraft every year?

“We love welcoming children and families, as well as the incredible camaraderie of the pilots,” Marcia said during the 2022 fly-in.

The yearly event gives pilots a chance to “fly in to our unique grass runway, park the plane, pitch your tent, kick back, kick tires, whatever, and just enjoy the show rain or shine.”

The couple appreciate that their private airstrip is not what most pilots are used to.

“Some people find this stretch of grass challenging,” Marcia acknowledged. “It offers a new experience for novice pilots who have only used paved runways. Flight schools often use our facility to train students in grass strip procedures.”

The grass runway, lined on either side with towering pine trees and stretching 3,500 feet long and 50 feet wide, allows for a wide variety of aircraft to land and take off, from homebuilts up to a Pilatus PC-12 turboprop.

The challenge of the airstrip was not lost on Coda Riley, who has been attending the fly-in for more than 20 years, arriving at the 2022 fly-in in his Glasair II.

“The visibility forward when the tail is down is nonexistent, so it’s important to get a good picture of the view ahead before the tail is down,” he advised. “Also, the wind was tiring and rough, but manageable.”

Keeping the runway in an optimally safe condition to accommodate so many visitors requires a lot of behind-the-scenes work before, during, and after the fly-in.

So like most other fly-in organizers, the Masons put out a call for volunteers every year. Individual pilots volunteer, as well as members of pilot organizations, such as local chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Antique Airplane Association.

Volunteers, who show up several days before the fly-in takes off, are tasked with a myriad of chores, from repairing picnic tables and benches, to painting runway end tires, to filling holes in the runway, to cleaning up and organizing the kitchen.

Pilot Chad Metz, who has been attending the fly-in since 2008, used to volunteer when he lived in East Texas.

“The weekend before is when they prepare the grounds for everyone to arrive, but since I moved to Central Texas, I can’t make it up the weekend before to help out,” he noted.

Another change: The arrival of two children, which means he had to make the “necessary adjustments” so he wouldn’t miss this fun gathering.

“I used to go camping every year until about 2019,” he said. “Since then, we’ve stayed in a nearby hotel, because we have two infants now.”

Many of the pilots and aviation enthusiasts who attend the fly-in camp. Some camp next to their airplanes, but there are also a lot of motor homes on the grounds.

“Hung up your headset? Bring the RV, tent, or motor home, or stay in one of the local hotels in Rusk or Jacksonville,” the couple say in their yearly invitation to the event.

Walking through the grounds during the 2022 fly-in, some visitors could be seen relaxing while fishing at the small lake, while others were simply content watching and listening to the various aircraft fly throughout the day or indulging in that favorite pilot pastime, hangar flying.

That relaxing atmosphere is one of the hallmarks of the yearly fly-in, according to the Masons, who encourage pilots and aviation enthusiasts to “meet up with old friends, and make some new ones.”

Flying, flying and more flying

The variety of aircraft that attend the fly-in ranges from the ubiquitous Cessnas and Pipers to seaplanes, biplanes, warbirds, experimentals, helicopters, and vintage planes.

Many pilots arrive earlier in the week to snag the most coveted parking spots, but most arrive Friday or Saturday.

Activities during the fly-in include flying, lots of flying. During the 2022 fly-in, there were formation flights, acrobatics, and low-level passes, often only 10 feet off the deck with the gear up.

One of the most memorable displays was the appearance of the 1944 P-51D Mustang “Glamorous Glen III,” which came in from Houston and performed several fly-overs before landing at nearby Cherokee County Airport (KJSO) to refuel before returning home.

And like other fly-ins, there’s a Saturday night banquet that includes handing out awards, ranging from youngest and oldest pilot, to newest pilot, to longest distance, as well as newest and oldest aircraft.

The Masons also encourage local EAA chapters to present “chapter choice awards” for best restored or homebuilt aircraft.

“It means a lot to pilots attending to be recognized,” they noted.

And the fly-in means a lot to pilots.

“Fly-ins like Reklaw are great if you love aviation,” said Riley. “In addition to enjoying airplanes, it is a pleasant environment to be in with family.”

“I’ve been to SUN ‘n FUN and Oshkosh, and Reklaw beats them both when it comes to interaction with planes and people,” added Jon Jernigan.

He added the fly-in is “something that everyone should experience.”

“For my son, this has become a fond memory, and I hope they will continue this tradition when he has children one day,” he said.

Want to add the Reklaw Fly-In to your 2023 air show calendar? Learn more about it, including tips on landing to other important tips — such as “SCORPIONS are hiding under anything damp. Be Careful!” — at ReklawFlyIn.org.

More Photos From the 2022 Fly-In