Archive for 2023
Naming the RAF as a full or partial beneficiary of your traditional IRA or 401k can save estate taxes, and tax on the ordinary income. You can even specify a project if you wish! Consult your tax/legacy planner, then contact us for help in considering this way to leave a legacy. There are several other ways…
Dug Bar Airstrip (OR8) lies along the Snake River in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, managed by the USFS. Access to Dug Bar is easiest by aircraft, jet boat, “Or you can arrive there after a two-hour drive on a primitive road from the town of Imnaha, Oregon,” RAF Oregon Liaison Bill Ables says. Ables…
A January 2, 2024 US Forest Service news release commends its partnership with the RAF for the rehabilitation of Gila National Forest’s Sacaton Airstrip. RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller organized volunteers for a series of work parties that resulted in reestablishment of the long-abandoned runway, and installation of
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 month’s guest editorial is by Roy Evans II, the President of Utah Back Country Pilots Association. Throughout my journey in aviation, I’ve been guided by many mentors. In my adolescence, I found…
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 month’s guest editorial is by Roy Evans II, the President of Utah Back Country Pilots Association. Throughout my journey in aviation, I’ve been guided by many mentors. In my adolescence, I found myself taxiing across a spacious apron following the tire tracks of countless flight students like me. Immediately my instructor slammed the brakes, turned towards me in the tight confines of that Cessna 152 and asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I quickly replied, “I want to be a professional pilot.” Twice as fast as I had replied, my instructor said, “Then start right now and get on the yellow line.” The benefits of an active, engaging mentor/mentee relationship are often overlooked. Our modern, connected lives rarely find time for the peace and solace many of us find while flying and enjoying the backcountry. In the state of Utah, we are the benefactors of the exemplary stewardship of recreational aviators who enjoy our historic, unparalleled backcountry. When two members of the Utah Back Country Pilots Association were out enjoying a fair weather day and landed at an airstrip they were met by park rangers. When questioned about pilots’ rights in landing at this airstrip, their true professionalism shone. What transpired over those tense moments for these two became the foundation that our organization has been striving for. Their innate stewardship for aviation’s access to our public lands made the impossible happen. Utah’s first airstrip located in a state park, Temple Mountain, once on the chopping block of existence, now thrives as an airstrip with access to Goblin Valley State Park. Etiquette and customs traverse generations — not in books or signs — but in actions. Each time we roll our tires in the backcountry, our impacts on the future of recreational aviation are felt across the world. Learning more about how we can turn our errant marks into positive impressions lies in our individual efforts to engage with those who’ve made this all possible, and the organizations that perpetuate those impressions to the impressionable. Whether it be your membership dues, your participation in work parties and public comment periods, many times a simple email or phone call can bridge the gaps our adversaries exploit in restricting or removing one of America’s greatest freedoms. While we all will find ourselves straying from the yellow lines from time to time, it’s important to surround ourselves with those with the passion to help us steer back on course. Organizations such as the UBCP, Idaho Aviation Association, Montana Pilots Association, and RAF are chock full of mentors looking for ways to help preserve and protect backcountry flying, and I know they would love an extra set of hands. During this winter season, while many of us wait for the snow and the skies to clear, let’s take this time to engage with our local aviation community. Find a mentor who will empower you to continue to make better aeronautical decisions; and prepare ourselves to serve in a similar role. Start making better decisions today that will provide even more opportunities for recreational aviation in the future, and find joy in keeping the dreams of backcountry flying alive. Roy Evans II has been flying airplanes since he was eight years old. Having the opportunity to make a career out of being a professional aviator, Roy volunteers as the President of the Utah Back Country Pilots Association, preserving and protecting Utah’s backcountry airstrips while enhancing the safety of pilots across the west. When his chores are done, he’s likely flying around in his Cub Special with one of his children in the back teaching them how to read a sectional while navigating them to the nearest huckleberry milkshake. Submitted December 21, 2023.
RAF Arkansas Liaison Harper Goodwin used an RAF grant and the help of Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell and a host of volunteers to build fencing for an observation area at Trigger Gap airfield, 17A. “Sixteen faithful volunteers were on hand for a full day of hard work on November 18. With the good turnout and collective efforts, two days of work was done in one,” Goodwin said. “It was a perfect Ozark fall day which saw a good bit of traffic fly in and out, including a group of Stinsons,” he added. Trigger Gap Airfield is located on The Nature Conservancy land. “We feel that this and other positive RAF projects will strengthen our relationship with TNC. We are also very focused on neighborhood support, which overall has been outstanding,” Goodwin said. Volunteers repositioned the existing gate and fence, and constructed other fencing to provide for a viewing area for spectators. Walkthrough access was provided to the airfield, and the gate has a combination lock which limits drive through access. In addition to the viewing area, volunteers constructed a traffic pattern indicator around the windsock, and built two firewood storage racks and stocked them with firewood they’d cut and split. Picnic tables were ordered but not delivered in time, so assembly will be scheduled at a later date. “I always find it surprising that most people have no idea that this backcountry thing even exists. This observation area will be a wonderful place for interested individuals to bring kids and others to learn about the RAF, backcountry flying and TNC,” Goodwin added. Pilots are asked to fly with respect to others in the environment. Trigger Gap was designed to be a destination airstrip. Land, get out, and enjoy lunch or camp. To reduce noise issues, please do not conduct multiple landings and take offs or fly low over the area. Find information on Trigger Gap in the Airfield Guide .
RAF Arkansas Liaison Harper Goodwin used an RAF grant and the help of Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell and a host of volunteers to build fencing for an observation area at Trigger Gap airfield, 17A. “Sixteen faithful volunteers were on hand for a full day of hard work on November 18. With the good turnout and…
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 month’s guest editorial is by Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division and CEO of DAHER Aircraft, Inc and Kodiak Aircraft, Inc. As the world’s oldest ai
Volunteers celebrated the RAF’s twentieth anniversary November 10-12 at Florida’s Blackwater Airfield with a party in the RAF style – a work party! The group included RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi and his wife Kim, who serves as an RAF VP of Appreciation; as well as RAF Ambassadors Shane Hartman, Lynn Gardner, Cole Pearson and Joe DeLeon. The team accomplished seasonal clean up and maintenance along with other RAF Florida supporters who came out to celebrate. The Experimental Aircraft Channel came by during the fly-in and recorded an 11 minute YouTube video that you can view here . It features RAF Florida Ambassador Shane Hartman’s homebuilt 400 hp Moose. Hartman also acknowledged and thanked Florida State Forest for allowing the public to access the 2,500 foot turf strip, 8FD3, in the Blackwater River Forest adjacent to the Krul Recreational Area campground. For more information about Blackwater Airfield and the required safety briefing, visit the Airfield Guide. Submitted on November 29, 2023 By Carmine Mowbray, Photos by Ambassador Lynn Gardner
The RAF’s recent efforts at Moose Creek, Idaho have been featured in a stunning video by FLYING Magazine’s Julie Boatman. Watch it now, below.
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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 Tanmoy Ganguly, a pilot and an RAF Michigan Liaison.
It was a cold, blustery, and snowy day at Cedar Mountain Airstrip in Utah when RAF Utah Liaison and UBCP Board Member, Wendy Lessig met with representatives from the Utah Division of Aeronautics (UDOT Aeronautics) and the BLM, to scout out locations for a portable weather station. UDOT Aeronautics is proposing to place 11 portable weather stations at backcountry airstrips across Utah. The weather stations will provide on-airstrip weather data for pilots, emergency services, firefighters, BLM employees, and other recreational users. A project developed together by the UBCP and UDOT Aeronautics as part of Utah’s Airport Capital Improvement Program, the weather data will fill in gaps where no weather collection currently exists, which will help enhance public safety. RAF Utah Liaison, Wendy Lessig, is facilitating communications with the BLM and has prepared the applications for BLM to review and approve the weather stations. "This project is a true collaboration of stakeholders working together to improve backcountry aviation," Lessig said. In the photo, L to R: Wendy Lessig (RAF Utah Liaison), Nick Holt (UDOT Aeronautics), Nicole Zinger (UDOT Aeronautics), and Dan Rainey (BLM). Submitted January 15, 2025
KANSAS STATE LIAISON
When asked, “What do you like about the RAF?” Jeremy Harris quickly answered, “I love to fly, I love being out in nature, and sharing that with other people.” When the opportunity came up to take a more active role with the RAF, Jeremy didn’t hesitate to raise his hand. “I’ve wanted to fly friends and family around since I was a kid. Growing up in central Texas, the idea of freedom, adventure, and seeing new places from the air always stuck,” he says. After two years of college, he joined the US Army and worked as an intelligence analyst supporting combat search and rescue. “Being around airplanes every day only fueled my desire to fly,” he says. After his Army service, Jeremy took his first flight at a small flight school outside of D.C. and was instantly hooked. Life got busy with a new marriage, growing a technology company, even finishing his undergrad and master's degrees, and three great kids. On his 32nd birthday, he earned his PPL. Over the years, he partnered in several airplanes and focused mostly on training. “The sense of adventure slowly faded, until I decided to fly for fun, even if nobody else wanted to go,” he says. He earned his tailwheel endorsement in a J-3 Cub in the mountains of West Virginia. “Flying through mountain valleys and landing on grass strips next to rivers reignited everything for me,” Jeremy said. He bought a Maule M-4 and began flying to backcountry camping spots. In 2022, Jeremy moved back to Texas and purchased a Citabria, where he now provides tailwheel endorsements and spin training. He flies almost every day, and says, "I build relationships with local airstrip owners, and look forward to helping the RAF keep this dream alive—connecting pilots who love flying, freedom, and time spent in nature.” Feel free to reach Jeremy at jharris@theraf.org . Submitted January 13, 2025.
The RAF warmly welcomes Will Richter to the State Liaison team. Will Richter began his aviation journey in the midst of his law enforcement career when he had an opportunity to try out for the Greenville, South Carolina Sheriff’s Air Support Unit. He spent the next seven years flying co-pilot on a Bell OH-58 patrol helicopter. As time and finances allowed, Will pursued his sport pilot license flying Weight Shift Control (WSC) trikes, as well as earning his private and instrument ratings in fixed wing aircraft, and a commercial UAS pilot certificate. Now semi-retired, Will is a licensed general contractor in the stormwater and environmental sector. He owns a Sling TSI fixed-wing aircraft, and an Evolution Revolt WSC trike. “I fly several times a week for work and pleasure,” he says. “The mountains of Western North Carolina have always felt like home to me, and I look forward to exploring and connecting with as many airfields as possible to further the RAF mission,” he adds. Will can be reached at wrichter@theraf.org . Submitted January 13, 2025.
