Amidst rumors of foul play and hostage theories, Ronald, his twin brother and two older sisters moved from Miami to Arcadia, Florida in 1962. “We grew up not knowing what happened to Dad. It was a huge mystery in Costa Rica. They even dropped leaflets in the jungle”
Ronald McDonald’s late-father, Raymond Bankston “Mac” McDonald, was a flight instructor for the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Cannon Airport in North Carolina back in 1942- which later became the Civil Aeronautics Authority War Training Service. Mac came to Riddle Field in Lewiston, Florida in the spring of 1943 to train pilots for the war and on June 17, 1943, was officially inducted into the U.S. Army’s Air Corps Enlisted Reserve to be an instructor and squadron commander at No. 5 British Flying Training School. When 5BFTS closed at the end of the war in 1945, Mac was discharged from the Army Air Corps and took a job with National Airlines. In 1955, Mac purchased the home and ranch in Arcadia, FL to serve as a weekend refuge from Miami for his growing family and adapted a nearby pasture area as the ranch’s first soft field runway.
In 1960, the single-engine Piper Tri-Pacer, in which Mac was a passenger, disappeared over the jungles of Costa Rica. “He was missing and presumed dead for 20 years,” Ronald says. “We never heard another word from him.”
In August 1980, the McDonald family finally learned of his fate. “I got a call from my brother saying a Pan Am executive had phoned and told him the wreckage had been found.” Piecing together the details, Ronald found out that Mac, who was a check pilot for National Airlines, had traveled to Costa Rica to pick up a repaired DC-4. “Dad was waiting for them to fix an oil leak on the plane and had a two-day layover in San Jose, Costa Rica.” On September 8, 1960, Mac and a co-worker, Leon Blanks, were invited to fly to a plantation on the coast with two American businessmen living in Costa Rica. Signs from the wreckage indicated that the aircraft ran out of fuel before crashing.
Ron and his twin brother, Ricky, went down to Costa Rica on September 8, 1980, 20 years to the day after Mac went missing. “We drove up into the mountains and hiked for four hours into the jungle to the wreckage,” Ronald says. Mac’s shoes, credit cards and pocket watch were recovered. “The watch was still in good shape after 20 years in the jungle.”
Today, Ronald keeps his father's legacy alive and well. As you arrive at 8FL1 on runways 04-22, he is there to welcome you into the hangar he built in 1980 with open arms and a drink/ snack assuming you aren’t full from Taco Tuesday- the weekly GA gathering at neighboring Arcadia Muni
The interior of the hangar is a tribute to the golden age of aviation and is filled with reminders of the role planes have always played in both peace and wartime. Vintage Americana is the theme throughout. Framed b&w prints showing his parents as young adults enjoying adventures in flight together. Thick leaded glass cabinets showcase decades old pamphlets for the impending wonders of commercial flight on Pan Am and American Airlines. Etch-a-Sketch, balsa wood gliders and old two way radios harken back to a particular time in our history.
Today’s McDonald’s Field and hangar are adjacent to the family’s cattle ranch, where Ronald grazes dozens of cows - a longtime pursuit made more challenging in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian
During his 30+ year career in the aviation industry, primarily as an AMT, Ron flew home to the ranch nearly every weekend- just like his dad once did. McDonald’s Field is now in it’s 8th decade providing a safe, quiet refuge to the same family. Bravo Zulu, clan McDonald
2 comments
Thanks for correction Ron-it has been reflected in storyline 👍. Let’s connect on the folks you referenced as having great stories – that’s what we’re trying to be all about. I’ll call/email you this week
Up in Exeter, Maine now logging some flight time with my CFI, Charlie
Best,
Sean
An absolute fantastic article, I must correct on one little part. John Pike was a student pilot of my dads during World War II and is the backseat of that Stearman where my dad is standing up on the wing giving him the thumbs up for a good job. he was not in the airplane at the time of the crash in 1960. There is a fellow south of Arcadia here Mr. Frank Moss that you really need to meet He has his own hanger and airstrip like I do, just a little south of where I’m at, he also was the guy that blew the DC 3 Spraying the oil slick during the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.A long time DC three pilot he would be worth the Go See person. I have a few other people I can put you to and I will do that later in another comment or I will email you. Love you article you did a great job good luck and I hope to see you again sometime soon. Ronald McDonald