PILOT PAVILION COMPLETED AT ARKANSAS AIRPORT

Trigger Gap Airport (17A), a favorite of backcountry pilots in Berryville, Arkansas, has a brand new open-air pavilion where pilots can relax and recharge electronic devices. A short walk away, there is a fireplace, gas grill, and a pathway to a new composting lavatory.

The semicircular pavilion and its triangular roof featuring solar lighting on the underside was built of stone and beam on a concrete foundation. Construction began in May and was finished in September by volunteers from 12 states representing several pilot groups, including the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), Tailwind Aviation Foundation, and Fly Oz friends.

The airfield and pavilion sit on land owned by the Nature Conservancy and just a few short years ago, neither existed. It was only through the vision and dedicated efforts of the RAF that the 3,000-foot turf airstrip was created and the pavilion built. Trigger Gap is now a premier backcountry airstrip where people can fly in, camp on the grounds, enjoy hiking trails in the area, and float or fish the Kings River, a favorite of smallmouth bass fishermen. Financial support for both phases of the project came from the organizations mentioned and backcountry pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and private donors.