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Friends of Lone Pine Airport outline restoration, youth aviation plans after county MOU
Summary
Friends of Lone Pine Airport told the Board of Supervisors they have repaired the airport terminal, received a $15,000 RAF grant, acquired a tractor-mower donation, assumed stewardship of a youth airplane-build project, and seek to restore a structural hangar under a ground lease arrangement with the county.
Friends of Lone Pine Airport (FLPA) presented progress and plans to the Inyo County Board of Supervisors on March 11, describing volunteer-led repairs to the Lone Pine Airport terminal, grants and donations that enabled work, and plans for youth aviation programs.
Anna Montgomery, FLPA executive director, said the group formed in 2022 and signed a memorandum of agreement with Inyo County. FLPA secured a CPSP grant for exterior restoration, contracted roof replacement, organized multiple volunteer work parties with the Recreational Aviation Foundation, replaced windows, primed and painted the terminal, refurbished flooring, restored the cupola and installed a custom metal sign. FLPA said it received a $15,000 grant from the Recreational Aviation Foundation this year for interior restoration work.
FLPA also said a private donor provided a Bobcat tractor-mower to help maintain the county-owned frontage area of the airport; the mower is owned by FLPA and FLPA will coordinate use with county staff members such as Steve Lovins. The group has signed a lease for the Cessna hangar to house the mower and is pursuing a three-year ground lease for another structure (the Tunnel Air Camp hangar). Public Works Deputy Director Ashley Helms said the Tunnel Air Camp lease was expected on a future consent agenda once one signature was obtained; the lease is structured as a ground lease with repair work by FLPA credited against a modest annual lease rate (staff cited $525 per year as the ground-lease rate in the proposed arrangement).
FLPA said it has taken custody of the Sierra Communities Aviation Mentoring Project (SCAMP) airplane build and is organizing a youth STEAM/aviation program to offer high‑school and potential college credit, scholarships for flight lessons, apprenticeship opportunities and after‑school activity slots. Jeff Montgomery (speaking remotely) and board members praised FLPA’s volunteer-led restoration and emphasized the airport’s value for backcountry access and local economic activity.
FLPA provided contact information and said it will maintain a website (friendsoflonepineairport.org) and an Instagram presence, and invited volunteers and donations to support restorations and youth programming.
Next steps: County staff and FLPA will continue lease finalization steps, and FLPA will return with specific proposals and timelines for hangar rehabilitation and youth program implementation.
Speakers quoted or referenced in this article: Anna Montgomery (FLPA executive director), Ashley Helms (Public Works Deputy Director), Jeff Montgomery (remote commenter).
