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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West Virginia’s Cheat River Island (56WV) was the site of a May 2026 work party coordinated by RAF West Virginia Liaison Robert Miller. RAF Virginia Liaison Paul Kosubinsky and WV Ambassador Kevin Rudisill assisted, along with a dozen other volunteers. The airfield is just outside Rowlesburg, West Virginia, about 68nm SSE of Pittsburgh, and is owned by Dave and Pam Graybill. With the help of Dave's excavator and the volunteer crew helping by hand, about 1,500 feet of brush and trees were cleared along the runway.
Thanks to the efforts of RAF California Liaison Doug Lumgair and dedicated volunteers, an abandoned, overgrown airstrip on BLM land has been reclaimed from encroaching vegetation. Now known as Walker Ridge, this northern California airstrip offers a remote, secluded experience within easy reach of pilots in the Sacramento/Central Valley and San Francisco Bay regions. Camping at the south end of the 1,800-ft strip offers a gorgeous view of the valley — and after dark, with no artificial lighting for miles, the night sky turns breathtaking. The recreational opportunities at this airstrip are plenty. Hunting is allowed in the area, which includes deer, wild boar, turkey, and quail. Along with this, biking and hiking trails surround the area, with a main trail that is located right next to the airstrip. Not far from Walker Ridge is Wilbur Hot Springs, a natural hot mineral spring centered within a nature preserve, and open to the public on a reservation basis. Lumgair’s organized work parties have been described as “magical” — as the stunning setting makes a deep impression on everyone. Pitch your tent and enjoy the valley overlook— beautiful at any time of day, especially because no structures are visible. Lumgair prepared a detailed work proposal for the BLM, and monitored the request throughout the agency's approval process. By October 2025, the RAF obtained approval to reclaim and rehabilitate the airstrip for increased safety and recreational access. The initial work on the overgrown strip proved challenging, beginning with the rough drive to the site and throughout the arduous removal of protruding boulders right in the runway. Now, the strip is usable by most backcountry-suitable aircraft, and pilots comfortable with a narrow runway. Please see the Airfield Guide for more information on Walker Ridge and videos. Note that there are no water or bathroom facilities available on site. Read more about Walker Ridge and how the RAF is Expanding The Map here . Submitted June 1, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
This year, the RAF is Expanding The Map - and it's shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in our history. Beginning in 2026, the RAF plans to announce the opening and reopening of more than 15 airstrips across the country! We are expanding backcountry access like never before, and we are excited for aviators to explore the growing number of destinations where you can share the joys of recreational aviation with family and friends. This nationwide initiative is focused on opening, improving, and restoring access to airstrips across the United States, helping connect aviators to more of the places they love to explore. The Expanding the Map initiative begins with the reopening of Walker Ridge Airstrip . RAF volunteers, led by RAF California Liaison Doug Lumgair, have reclaimed northern California's Walker Ridge, a once-abandoned BLM airstrip featuring underwing camping and magical views. Walker Ridge airstrip offers a remote, secluded backcountry airstrip experience within easy reach of pilots in the Sacramento / Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area regions. There are very few opportunities like this for pilots in these large metropolitan areas to fly out to a genuinely remote location and camp with their airplane just a few hours from home. The combination of dark skies, sweeping valley views, dispersed camping right at the airstrip, and true seclusion makes Walker Ridge a rare and special destination. Nestled within the protected landscape of the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, Walker Ridge offers an experience that is both uniquely accessible and remarkably wild. This is the first Expanding the Map airstrip announcement of many, so stay tuned for the next one coming soon ! We have dedicated a new section of our website to highlight the RAF's Expanding the Map initiative. You can also find a wealth of information about Walker Ridge and the RAF’s efforts to reopen the airstrip here . Walker Ridge now appears in the RAF Airfield Guide , an important resource where pilots find helpful airstrip information and safety briefings. Submitted April 1, 2026
Ryan Field, 2MT1, remains CLOSED temporarily. In October, the runway was closed to begin restoring bare areas with new soil and grass. After the Montana winter and spring seasons, the new grass is coming in nicely; however, the field will remain closed until the turf has had adequate time to fully establish. We will keep you updated, but as of June 1, 2026, Ryan Field remains CLOSED to operations. Submitted May 28, 2026
RAF Massachusetts/Rhode Island Liaison Andrew Lyons has been awarded an RAF grant for the addition of a rustic camper cabin at Nadeau’s Airfield in Acton, ME. The 2,400-ft turf field (02ME) is owned by longtime RAF volunteer John Nadeau, who now serves as one of the RAF's Recreational Use Statute Liaisons. Nadeau welcomes visitors to experience backcountry flying not far from the populated eastern seaboard, and envisions the airfield as a gathering spot for RAF enthusiasts in the region. Not far to the west are clusters of New Hampshire’s mountains, and coastal flying opportunities to the east. “The airfield is well located to serve as a hub for exploring much of what New England has to offer,” Lyons said. There is a small pond on the airfield for visitors to try a bit of fishing. The camping area plan includes the installation of a pre-cut kit cabin manufactured locally in New England, with the addition of sleeping platforms and an RAF fire ring. The cabin will serve as a comfortable shelter, and tools and other items will be stored in the unit as well. Pilots are welcome to camp underwing at 02ME. “We anticipate no shortage of volunteers for this project,” Lyons said. A team will pick the cabin kit up from the manufacturer in Vermont to save shipping costs. Lyons expects the cabin will be completed in early summer 2026. Currently, there is a port-a-john, and future plans include the addition of a plumbed restroom and shower at the field. Find more about Nadeau’s Field in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 27, 2026
