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Back Country Flying Clinic

Magdalena and the Gila, NM (N29)

Saturday-Sunday October 11-12

The Clinic

NMPA is organizing a Back Country clinic for October 11-12, 2025.  Southwestern New Mexico and the Gila National Forest offer a variety of back-country airstrips that are owned by the National Forest Service and maintained by the RAF and NMPA.  These strips are remote and are at high altitude (airstrip elevations between 6,500-8000 ft MSL).  They present both great recreational flying and interesting challenges.  This clinic offers both ground and flight training in how to safely land and take off from these spectacular airstrips.

Note that there is a two-tier registration for the BC clinic, $50 ground school and an additional $100 fee for the flight school.   All flight school attendees must first attend the ground school segment.

Saturday, Oct 11

8:00 AM: classwork and discussions

1:00 PM: Short-field and soft-field landing practice at the Magdalena airstrip.
 

Sunday, Oct 12

8:00 AM: Gila Round Robin: flights to four or five of the dirt airstrips in the nearby Gila National Forest.

Participants should plan to rally back at Madgalena about noon Sunday for a debrief, then depart for home or stay as the mood takes them.

Pilots: The class is open to pilots of all stripes, but they should have at least 10 hours experience in the make and model of aircraft they will be flying. 

Aircraft: The clinic is open to both tricycle and tailwheel aircraft.  One or two rental airplanes may be available but at present pilots must plan to bring their own airplanes.  Ideally, 1) airplanes should be flown at less than 90% of their gross weight, and 2) they should carry at least three hours of fuel on board when departing for the Gila Round Robin.

The Gila Round-Robin

Airplanes participating in the Gila Round Robin will depart Magdalena Sunday morning and will land at four or five of the near-by back-country airstrips.  Expect density altitudes to be on the order of 10,000 ft (DA at 7500 ft MSL and 75°F = 10,000 ft). 

Students will be expected to come to the clinic having completed homework consisting of airplane-performance calculations (see Homework, below) for your aircraft in those conditions.

Accommodations

Participants can fly in to Magdalena (N29) early Saturday morning, or they can fly in to either Magdalena (N29) or Socorro (KONM) Friday night and stay at a local hotel.  They should plan to stay at a hotel, or camp out at the Magdalena airstrip, Saturday night.  Water and a bathroom are available inside the FBO for campers.  Transportation will be provided to/from Magdalena hotels to the airstrip Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Meals

Breakfast burritos and coffee will be provided at the Magdalena FBO Saturday and Sunday mornings, while cokes and sandwich makings will be available for Saturday and Sunday lunches.  Participants should plan to have dinners on their own at local eateries. 

Other Logistics

We are hoping to recruit a few CFI’s to ride with/instruct participants on both days, at the going instructional rates, but BC-qualified CFIs are presently in short supply. 

NMPA will pay for a night’s lodging for CFI’s who want to contribute to this clinic.

Transportation will be available in/around Magdalena, and between Magdalena hotels and the airport.  Plan to fly your airplane if between Magdalena and Socorro.

Note: fuel is not available at Magdalena: participants should plan to tank up at Socorro, 20 nm to the east, before the Sunday morning Gila Round Robin.

            Magdalena airstrip (N29): Runways 2-20, dirt, 50 ft wide x 5762 ft long. Left pattern.  Field elevation 6730 ft.  CTAF 122.8.

            WINGS credit can be obtained by pilots who participate in that FAA program.

            It’s hunting season, so make hotel reservations early.  Contact Lorenz for a list of hotels in Magdalena.

Fees and Registration

Participants must register for this clinic (the number of participants will be limited to eight airplanes although additional students can be accommodated for the ground discussions Saturday morning.)  There is a $150 registration fee for full participation, $50 for ground-only participation, to cover food and logistics.