Archive for 2021
Five inches of new snow didn’t deter a hardy group of 11 RAF volunteers who traveled to the northernmost village in Wisconsin in mid December to cut trees and remove brush at the Cornucopia airfield, WI23. “The snowstorm the previous week didn’t appear to impede the skid steer or the volunteers,” RAF Director Jeff Russell…
After nearly two years, RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi decided it was time to gather his team of “Gettin’ it Done” RAF volunteers to refresh Blackwater, 8FD3. The group endured a light drizzle, but two aircraft flew in and camped. RAF Alabama Liaison Dan Barnhill and his parents joined the group. “All planned projects were completed,” Capozzi…
In preparation for a December 3-5 Creighton Island fly-in, Georgia Ambassador Eric Davis reported, “We had great weather and a solid showing by our Creighton Island diehards,” in mid-November. Davis was joined by RAF Georgia Liaison Kevin Barry and Ambassador Lou Furlong for a work party at this privately-owned coastal island airfield. The team mowed…
Sporty’s Tailwheel Checkout Course is out, and the RAF appreciates that its final segment shares the RAF mission, and the importance of preserving recreational and backcountry airstrips. Some of the RAF’s accomplishments are shown, while the narrator points out that there is probably a recreational airfield within an hour of your home. There is an illustration of…
January 3 is Butchie Ryan’s 100th birthday. To honor this remarkable woman, we’re sharing a few highlights of her very full life. The RAF will be forever grateful to Butchie and her late husband Ben for donating their Ryan Field property near West Glacier, Montana to the RAF so it can be enjoyed by all.…
A substantial volunteer effort took place at Two Hearted airstrip (6Y5) during the last two weeks of October. RAF supporter Jerry Ness donated his time and use of his equipment to re-grade a significant portion of the airstrip, with Michigan Liaison Brad Frederick, Leon Everhart and Mike Hintz also contributing time and energy to the project. Frederick explains that Two Hearted airstrip, 6Y5 is closed until the State…
The RAF was invited to be the first of 13 parties to sign the New Mexico Airstrip Network (NMAN) Memorandum of Understanding renewal. “I’m proud to have been at the signing of the original MOU, and this renewal is proof that our combined efforts are worthwhile. The RAF will gladly shoulder our responsibilities going forward,” RAF…
RAF Maine Liaison Steve Mason has reported on a successful improvement project at Norridgewock, Maine, KOWK. The municipal airport has multiple asphalt runways and a parallel turf airstrip. Mason learned that the town would not maintain the turf airfield, so he obtained an RAF grant to reclaim and enhance safety at the strip. “The grass…
RAF President Bill McGlynn was a panelist on the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s “Back to the Back Country: 2021 in review” live webinar November 18. This presentation was a segment of the Air Safety Institute’s Backcountry Safety Initiative that the RAF participated in last May. The free webinar was a reflection on recent backcountry flight accidents in…
RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi has been awarded an RAF grant for continued maintenance at Blackwater airfield (8FD3) near Munson, Florida, 33 nm northeast of Pensacola. “This grant will benefit the aviation community and continue our current relationship that the RAF enjoys with the Florida State Forestry who owns the airfield,” Capozzi says. This grant will…
Recent Posts
Some outdoor enthusiasts experience Utah’s Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness from the flat and peaceful water of the Green River as it goosenecks between Navajo Sandstone canyon walls, spires, and side arches. From a vantage high above, this region of stunning geologic and cultural wonders is equally as stunning. Thanks to the diligence of the RAF’s Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig, pilots may now land on a mesa overlooking the vast San Rafael Desert at Keg Knoll airstrip. This public airstrip is truly a gateway to some of Utah's most remarkable canyon country near Horseshoe Canyon and Canyonlands National Parks, offering a quiet alternative to the busy national park trails. Lessig led an effort over the past three years to advocate for the reopening of Keg Knoll airstrip. Various meetings were organized with the BLM to explore whether the airstrip could be reopened as allowed by the Wilderness Act, leading to the BLM's decision to authorize public access earlier this year. Lessig is planning a work party at Keg Knoll this fall with BLM and Utah Back Country Pilots to further improve the airstrip. Keg Knoll Airstrip has outstanding recreational value and offers pilots ready access to a true wilderness experience. Trails take visitors past ancient stories etched in desert varnish and painted on stone. Or to Colonnade Arch – just two miles from the airstrip – much-photographed for its five time-honed windows in the sandstone. Pilots are reminded that this airstrip lies within a Wilderness Area and all wilderness rules apply, including leaving all motorized and mechanized devices at home; no bicycles, drones, power tools, etc. The southwest 700 feet of the original airstrip is closed to aircraft due to sensitive vegetation. Those seeking a remote, dark sky experience should put Keg Knoll on their travel plan. Bring your self-reliance, and leave nothing behind. The RAF is thrilled that this airstrip has opened this year as part of its nationwide Expanding the Map initiative. Find out more about Keg Knoll airstrip in the Airfield Guide and on our dedicated web page . Submitted August 28, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
RAF Michigan Liaisons Tanmoy Ganguly and Scott Anttila met with district U.S. Forest Service staff prior to starting work at Lost Creek airstrip, now MI45, (formerly 5Y4) in the Huron-Manistee National Forest in north-central Michigan. “We had a very constructive discussion about what the RAF does, and what we envision for future amenities at Lost Creek airstrip,” Ganguly said. The mid-August work weekend attracted 16 aircraft and 20 volunteers, including new MI Ambassador Ryan Minnick, MI Ambassador Ehsan Hamtaei, and IN Liaison Bill Steinmetz, many of whom enjoyed camping overnight in the forested setting. The crew was joined by nearby residents who donated their time, tools, and machinery to help and provided snacks.
Submitted August 27, 2025
CALL TO ACTION: Public Comments Requested to Support Access to 10 of Utah's Sensational Backcountry Airstrips The BLM has issued an Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the following ten Moab-Monticello backcountry airstrips. Pilot comments will help to open access to the airstrips. Your Comments are Needed by Thursday, September 3. Please use the link below to state in your own words why you support access to these backcountry airstrips: Nokai Dome Piute Canyon Potato Ridge Playa Big Flat Red Canyon Spring Canyon Castle Creek Steer Ridge West Wee Hope Mine
Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Bill McGlynn, President of the RAF.
