Backcountry Aviation Training for BLM State Recreation Directors

MarkSpencerby This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

It was late December when RAF President John McKenna and I sat in the BLM office at 20 M St. discussing our first partnership effort under the newly signed BLM MOU. This effort will be compiling the inventory of all airstrips on BLM lands. We've already had several conference calls and prior meetings in DC, pulling in expertise in ARC GIS and geospatial disciplines from RAF membership around the country. This will be a big job as we build state teams to help crowdsource information about these airstrips. Information such as location, length, width, and conditions, must be collected and verified in a standard data set format the BLM has developed for its linear route mapping. The BLM has already completed a similar project with the International Mountain Biking Association. Many of these airstrips will require us to drive to them rather than fly, due to their poor or unknown conditions. Our data will be combined with theirs, ultimately vetted by both organizations and, where appropriate, fed back out through public sites. Believe me, some of these old airstrips are not even suitable for a Super Cub, but nevertheless, we need to identify them, perhaps even for future rehabilitation.

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It was at the last meeting in DC that we learned the BLM considers aircraft the same as an OHV while on the ground. This did not go over well with John or I, primarily for the incredible difference in ground impact between the two activities. The BLM leadership agreed that this would create a huge need for us to educate field personnel on the differences. We learned in the same conversation that there would be a national training held the week of March 1st in Phoenix, where all of the state's recreation directors would be present. The obvious question, why not have us start the education right there? Well for one, because no other user group would be invited, it would be difficult to justify having only aviation represented. It would require a strictly educational approach, no selling allowed! After weeks of coordination on a training segment on "aviation access and partnering," we felt that the above requirements had been met, and with a nod from the leadership in DC, we secured a time slot at the upcoming training session in Phoenix. The session went well, I had 30 minutes that felt like 5, but the response and questions from the audience were positive. In fact, both Stefanie and I were then invited to stick around and head out to dinner with the entire team. It was really great getting to personally meet and discuss aviation with several of these folks.

Since I arrived at the meeting several hours before my time slot, I was privileged to sit in on a few sessions prior to mine. Subjects such as partnering, crowdsourcing, and a new push on getting recreational site data out to the public were discussed. One theme I picked up on throughout the sessions is that the primary desire of the BLM is quite the opposite of what so many people believe; it is actually to keep as much BLM land open to public use as possible. BLM Director Neil Kornze is one of the key drivers towards this goal. The number they brag about is something in the order of 97.3% being open to the public. I suppose some would argue 100%, but there are truly sites that just could not handle the pressures of public access.

We'll continue to keep you updated on the progress!