The Recreational Aviation Foundation Montana Volunteers Raise the Ryan Barn

The Barn at Ryan Airfield, (2MT1)

near Glacier Park is now a reality. A determined group of RAF volunteers made it happen this past autumn.

Support for the project came in great part from generous financial contributions. RAF volunteers from all over the country offered to come and work on the barn, outhouse and two rustic camping cabins. By the end of October, more than 50 volunteers had swung hammers, climbed ladders and driven screws, providing an estimated 2,000 hours of labor.

Each day began with breakfast cooked on a wood stove and a safety briefing. Lunch and dinner together were a good time to catch up on what the day had produced. The crew worked past dark to finish before Montana’s assured snowfall.

Because not everyone could participate in person, there is a video that gives a sense of the spirit behind the project, and the dedication of RAF volunteers and supporters: https://theraf.org/ryan-barn-video/ (The RAF Winter/Spring 2021)

EAA 430 member, Ray Ballantyne, is a RAF Washington State Ambassador. Watch for his article in next month’s newsletter about his participation in this unique organization.