Story and photography by Gary Daniels
One hundred and thirty miles southeast of Dallas, Texas, in the east Texas piney woods, is the tiny town of Reklaw. Two miles southeast of Reklaw is the Flying M Ranch (7TA7), home of the Reklaw Fly-in and Campout. Always held during the third week in October, David and Marcia Mason welcome hundreds of airplanes and thousands of visitors to their ranch each year for almost four decades. In January 2024, David passed away, and it was his wish that the fly-in continue. Marcia, with the huge support of so many friends garnered over the years, rose to the challenge to continue Texas’ most anticipated annual fly-in known as one of the largest grass field fly-ins in the country. And David’s ashes are now, forever, a part of the grass runway. This past October marked the 39th year of the event.
The fly-in is a three-day event, Friday through Sunday. I arrived on Saturday in a 1972 olive-drab, Vietnam-era OH-58A Kiowa piloted by owner, Russell Armstrong. Seeing the 3500’ x 250’ swath carved out of the 70-foot-tall forest, with a 50-foot-wide runway (02/20) running down the center, made for an impressive site. With Russell hovering the Kiowa slowly over the treetops, I took aerial images of the entire area in between waving to the friendly folks waving up at our whirlybird.
The pleasant east Texas fall weather had aviators visiting from across the state. Hundreds of aircraft attended throughout the weekend. Many camped with their aircraft along both forest edges of the wide, grass field. Parked along the tree lines and in the open areas were vintage, modern, warbirds, and experimental aircraft. Even ultralights, gyrocopters, and helicopters joined in on the fun. For three days, the plane watching was exciting, as all manner of prop driven machines landed, took off, or just zoomed by, causing the armchair aviators, lining the runway in their camp chairs, to brag that they could have done it better.
The fly-in has the feel of a fun summer camp. Families with children of all ages create a friendly and wholesome atmosphere. There are no strangers at Reklaw. Just walk up to anyone, and a cheerful conversation will commence. Marcia commented, “The relaxing atmosphere is one of the hallmarks of the fly-in, to meet up with old friends, and make new ones.” On Saturday evening, there was good food and an awards banquet. The awards were for categories such as newest and oldest aircraft in attendance, longest distance traveled to the fly-in … well, you get the drift.
When it was time for us to leave, Russell raised the collective, and the Kiowa’s wide rotor blades bit the air and lifted us up and above the trees. I asked Russell to fly the 3500 feet down the middle of the runway, below the treetops, as we left the fly-in. Along both sides of the tree canyon, people were waving as we slowly passed. As I waved back, I realized I was witnessing an example of what makes general aviation in America so incredible and worth defending.
Related Articles
Emma Quedzuweit is a historial researcher and graduate school student originally from California, but travels extensively for work and study. She is the former Assitant Editor at AOPA Pilot magazine and currently freelance writes along with personal projects invovled in the search for missing in action aviators from World War I and II. She is a Private Pilot with Single Engine Land and Sea ratings and tailwheel endorsement and is part-owner of a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub. Her favorite aviation experience was earning a checkout in a Fairchild PT-19.
Be the first to comment
Graphic Design, Branding and Aviation Art