McKenzie Bridge Airport (00S) Work Party – Update

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To help us plan, please register for the event at this link: http://theraf.org/civicrm/event/register?id=403&reset=1

The Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA) is under pressure to close and divest the State of non-revenue producing airports. Unfortunately, this means the futures of many remote airports are threatened. We recreational pilots need to get involved and demonstrate to the State that these airports are important to us.

To that end, the Recreational Aviation Foundation has been collaborating with ODA to hold a volunteer work party at McKenzie Bridge Airport (00S) on Saturday 02 June 2018. The objectives would be to demonstrate our commitment to the airfield by making it safer and more attractive for the recreational aviation community.

The general tasks to be accomplished are:

1) Repair damage to the airfield surface caused by rodents and wildlife. There are many gopher holes that can be easily filled with a shovel full of dirt. The larger holes where coyotes have tried to dig out the gophers will require more effort.

We currently have commitments from three volunteers to bring tractors with buckets and drags to help move and smooth the dirt. We will require many folks with shovels and garden rakes to distribute the dirt and fill the holes.

2) Cut down the weeds at the tie-down and camping area. This should be a relatively minor effort. We will require a couple of folks with string trimmers to accomplish this.

3) Paint the runway markers and the windsock indicator. Have you got any kids/grandkids with time on their hands? Can you volunteer to supply some surplus paint, brushes, and unharnessed energy? We need probably 4 to 5 gallons of white paint and one gallon of signal orange paint, several brushes, buckets, willing hands, etc.

4) Install a new, taller windsock pole. Paul Ehrhardt is supplying the pole.

5) Relocate a couple of existing signs.

6) We would like to clear the brush from the over-run area at the West end of the airfield, and along the South side of the runway. This comprises mostly small pine trees, 3 to 5 feet tall, Broom, and other brush.

Removing this brush this will be a big chore using chainsaws and labor. A large tractor with a brush-hog would make this task easier. Can anyone help obtain this equipment for a day?

7) The pit toilet appears to be almost a lost cause. Its condition is poor and the door has been ripped off the frame. Any suggestions are welcome.

We will have a potluck meal early Saturday evening. Bring food to share and your choice of beverage. Some ladies have volunteered to help manage this – more are welcome. Tony Hann from Infinite Air Center at Albany (S12) is providing a BBQ grill for our use on Saturday - please stop at S12 and buy some fuel to thank Tony!

You can camp overnight on the field. Alternatively, you can stay at one of the many lodges and B&Bs along the McKenzie River. There are a lot of diversions in the area to keep you entertained for the rest of the weekend. For more info on the area, check out: http://visitmckenzieriver.com/oregon/

If you plan to fly in to help, please arrive Friday night, or before 09:00 on Saturday. Once we start operating the tractors to repair the airstrip surface, it will be difficult to accommodate a lot of aircraft arrivals. If you camp on the airfield overnight, please use the West end of the airstrip so we can work in the usual tie-down area at the east End on Saturday.

Please feel free to provide feedback if you have any ideas on how to make this activity most successful. Your thoughts and support will be most welcome. Further details will follow closer to the date.

To help us plan, please register for the event at this link: http://theraf.org/civicrm/event/register?id=403&reset=1

Thanks in advance for your support.

Richard Mayes
Oregon State Liaison
Recreational Aviation Foundation
916-220-2041
rmayes@theraf.org | TheRAF.org
“The Recreational Aviation Foundation preserves, maintains and creates airstrips for recreational access.”

 

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I want thank everyone who came out to help us at McKenzie Bridge. We only had two Oregon airplanes fly in, but we were joined by some folks flying from Florida to Alaska, who stopped in to spend the weekend with us, and a pilot from Idaho who made the trip specifically to help. Much more importantly, we had quite a few pilots drive in with the big equipment that made the work party a success. We certainly could not have accomplished all we did without their contributions.

I want to specifically acknowledge:

1. Paul MacClanahan and Harry Wildgen, both from Bend who each brought tractors and spent all day moving fill materials for volunteers to repair the runway surface;

2. Paul Ehrhardt from Junction City, who brought a tractor and mower, and mowed the entire airfield and tie-down area;

3. John Inkster from Bend, John Gillett from Hillsboro and Dale Moul from Boise, who brought some industrial brush clearing gear and pushed back the brush encroaching on the runway;

4. Taylor NW construction from Bend, who donated the fill materials, along with the transportation of the materials to the airfield;

5. Rob Burson who helped to raise awareness of the event and flew in from Pacific City to clear brush;

6. John Alexander from Eugene, and the 15+ members of the VW Bus Club, who repaired, cleaned and repainted the outhouse, painted the segmented circle and runway end markers, repaired the split rail fence, and hosted the movie night;

7. Don and Amber, who stopped in on their way from Florida to Alaska to spend their weekend helping us;

8. Matt, Jeff, Carl, Johnny, Jessica, Robin, Anthony and all of the other folks who spent the day with shovels and rakes working to fill holes in the airfield surface;

9. Tony Hann from Infinite Air Center in Albany who brought two large gas BBQ grills for the pot-luck, and spent the evening managing the grills;

10. Joni Thompson and Sarah Mayes of Bend, who prepared all of the food for the BBQ and led the clean up effort afterwards.

I was humbled at the positive response we received from the pilot community to this call for action. Everyone who took time from his or her busy lives to make a contribution to this effort has my sincere appreciation. We absolutely left the airfield in better condition than it has been in years. I invite pilots to fly in and check it out. If you like what you see, please contact the Oregon Department of Aviation to your thoughts on the work completed and thank them for allowing the RAF to hold this work party.

Matthew Maass, State Airports Manager, Oregon Department of Aviation.
email: Matthew.D.MAASS@aviation.state.or.us. Tel: (503) 378-2523

After the work was done, several folks went for a hike, or a mountain bike ride on the McKenzie River trail. Others took a nap in the shade by the McKenzie River. After a fabulous barbecue dinner, the VW Bus Club hosted a showing of a Godzilla movie.

If protecting access for general aviation is important to you, I suggest that you ask yourself: If not me, who? If not now, when? Get involved and make a difference.

Richard Mayes, Oregon State Liaison
Recreational Aviation Foundation
916-220-2041rmayes@theraf.org | TheRAF.org
“The Recreational Aviation Foundation preserves, maintains and creates airstrips for recreational access.”