Director
Search results for 'Director' (67)
Bruce Latvala was selected to step up from his role as RAF Ambassador to a seat on the RAF Board of Directors. The opening of Trigger Gap (17A) in northwest Arkansas exposed him to the RAF. Since 2018, he has volunteered as a Kansas Ambassador and enjoyed traveling the country to many RAF-supported airstrips, and helping at work parties. Professionally, Bruce is a Production Test Pilot for Cessna Citation aircraft. He holds multiple type ratings and instructor certifications. His previous professional roles include design engineering and engineering flight test. “Starting my career at Cessna in June of 2008, the 2009 downturn was a mere one year away,” Bruce says. “The silver lining was that a good friend and former coworker moved to Idaho, and he introduced me to backcountry flying.” Their first stop was Moose Creek (1U1). Since then, Bruce says he was hooked and has enjoyed multiple trips flying the northwest United States. RAF President Bill McGlynn said, “We are fortunate to have Bruce allocate time out of his busy life to help us champion the RAF mission. He brings some important analytical skills to the board while also being a great guy and a strong supporter. It will be a pleasure working with Bruce.” Outside of aviation, Bruce enjoys cycling, hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing. He lives in Wichita with his wife, Nicole. Submitted February 12, 2025
When RAF friends gather around the fire hub at an airfield, there’s always a good story to be told. We have brought that love of storytelling into a digital format, and hope you will enjoy the following new installment of our new RAF Podcast. RAF Director Steve Taylor’s father was a Boeing test pilot, and…
The RAF has added Safety and Education to its Backcountry Etiquette Team (BET), launching the combined RAF Safety, Education, and Etiquette Committee, (SEE). “Etiquette, education, and safety are deeply interconnected,” RAF Director Matt Foster said, adding, “Behaviors promoted by the Etiquette Team overlap with educat
A couple of weeks ago, fellow RAF director Joe Brown and I were discussing the idea of tipping the line person for fueling our aircraft, or the person who offers some other form of assistance. I felt good to be able to tell Joe that, yes, I do hand a few bucks to the person…
When RAF Administrative Director Tricia McKenna met Matt Jewett and his display of locally made Mtn Straps products at the Bozeman farmers market, she loved the looks of their dog collars, dog leashes, and ski pole straps. Knowing that many RAF folks have dogs, she asked Matt to create RAF-branded collars and leashes t
The RAF honored Daher Aircraft CEO Nicolas Chabbert with its “Golden Pulaski” award July 21, 2025 during AirVenture’s opening day. Chabbert was recognized for his outstanding contributions toward the RAF’s mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. RAF President Bill McGlynn and Directors Steve Taylor and Matt Foster handed the smiling Chabbert…
A group of 27 volunteers organized by RAF Director Jeff Russell gathered at Gillette’s Lakewood Lodge, 14WS near the hamlet of Stone Lake, Wisconsin to prepare the airfield and property for summer flying and recreating. Russell reports that this annual spring work party was a great success in spite of challenging weather. “Regular Lakewood volunteers,…
RAF Director Jeff Russell was honored with AOPA’s 2025 Laurence P. Sharples Award at their annual Hoover awards reception on March 19 in the historic Terminal A Lobby at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. AOPA Chairman Darren Pleasance introduced Russell, saying, “This is AOPA’s most important award, named after AOPA’s first chairman, and recognizes someone…
The RAF Board naturally evolves, and at this time, we are celebrating the extraordinary contributions to the vision, leadership, and success of the RAF provided by retiring Directors Pete Bunce and Todd Simmons. “The impact that Todd and Pete have had with the RAF has been tremendous, and they’ll remain valued friends
Recent Posts
A dozen volunteers in seven aircraft and a few cars arrived at Washington State’s Olympic Field on Saturday, May 2, to help with needed maintenance. They enjoyed mostly good weather, being Spring in the Olympic Peninsula. “A lot of things got accomplished in a short amount of time,” RAF Washington State Liaison RAF Ballantyne reported. The crews thinned an adjacent stand of trees to create about 500 feet of a “buck and rail” fence for runway safety. They trimmed around the runway lights and sanded and refinished a large circular table and several chairs for the camping area. The field is privately owned by Ryan Larrance and his wife, Marianne. “Marianne made delicious scones for the arrivals, and a great pulled pork on homemade bread with fixings for lunch,” Ballantyne said, adding, “We had a great time getting to know each other. Many hands truly make light work. We discussed current events in Washington, and even got to play a game for an RAF Yeti.” Olympic Field, near Port Townsend, has a 2,500-ft turf runway, bordered by an equally long pond for seaplanes to land. In 2025, using an RAF grant, volunteers built an off-the-grid bathhouse with a vault toilet and hot shower. The Larrances have a tradition of welcoming fly-in visitors to their field. See Olympic Field in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 8, 2026
THE RAF SPRING SALE IS HERE! Gear up for the flying season ahead! For a limited time, take up to 30% off a selection of RAF Outfitter gear. Show off your support for the RAF and head into the summer flying season in style. Our Spring Sale includes items from Stio and Kuhl, along with hats, jackets, accessories, and more. Check it out before they are gone! Shop the Spring Sale here.
There are two fly-in public use cabins on Heckman Lake in the Ketchikan Misty Fjords Ranger District of Alaska. Both are approximately 15 miles from Ketchikan, and open year-round to welcome visitors for what RAF Alaska Liaison Jeff DeFreest calls “a very unique remote recreational experience. Relaxing on the deck gives you a view of the lake, surrounded by the Sitka Spruce and western hemlock forest.” Either site can be accessed by float plane or by boating into Naha Bay. Each cabin has a table, benches, a wood stove, and an outhouse. Guests should bring their own firewood, as it is not guaranteed. Drinking water is not available; guests should treat the creek or lake water, or bring their own. Southeast Heckman Fly-In Cabin is situated on the southeast shore of Heckman Lake and is only accessible by floatplane. The 16x22-ft pan-abode style log cabin accommodates eight people and is wheelchair accessible. In 2024, the RAF and Seaplane Pilots Association provided grants to restore the cabin. Volunteers, assisted by Misty Fjords Air, collaborated with the US Forest Service to complete work on the cabin, dock, outhouse, and trails. The other cabin is a 12x14-ft pan-abode style that can accommodate up to six people. It can be accessed by float plane or by boating into Naha Bay and hiking six miles on the Naha River National Recreation Trail. Visitors may use the 14-foot aluminum skiff with oars or bring their own short shaft motor. The Naha River is accessible from the cabins and provides opportunities to fish for trout. In season, there are steelhead and salmon runs. The Naha River National Recreation Trail winds downstream six miles through a rainforest where you may spot Roosevelt Lagoon, Jordan Lake, and a waterfall on your way to Naha Bay. Visitors would be wise to bring extra provisions, as occasionally, poor weather can cause extended stays. The RAF Airfield Guide includes information on these cabins. Recreation.gov allows visitors to check availability and find other USFS information on the Southeast Heckman Lake fly-in cabin and Heckman Lake cabin . Submitted April 30, 2026
RAF North Dakota Liaison Brian Rau and Ambassador Jeff Faught have been working with the Army Corps of Engineers and North Dakota Aeronautics Commission to develop an underwing camping area at Garrison Dam Recreational Airport (37N). Rau presented a plan to convert an adjacent day-use park with flush toilets, a picnic area, horseshoe and basketball facilities for the camping area. He gained approval from the Corps of Engineers and ND Aeronautics and was awarded an RAF grant to help with the project. “Garrison Dam Recreational Airpark is an excellent existing recreational airstrip. There is fishing, hunting, and hiking available adjacent to the proposed underwing camping area,” Rau said. The ND Aeronautics Commission will develop an existing road into a taxiway to connect the 3,200-ft long turf runway to the new camping area. The Commission has finalized its plans and has awarded the work to a contractor. Rau and Faught will organize volunteers to install signage, remove trees, grind stumps, prepare the camping and tie-down surface areas, install drain tile, and plant 75 new trees. Rau expects the contractors to begin work in June 2026. See the RAF Airfield Guide for information on Garrison Dam Recreational Airport. Submitted April 30, 2026
The RAF has done a deep dive into all 50 states’ Recreational Use Statutes, and you can find them here . The purpose of these statutes is to help keep private lands open to the public for recreation by limiting landowner liability. In its advocacy of recreational aviation, the RAF has made efforts to increase landowners’ protection when allowing others to use their airfields. With added protection, landowners are more willing to open their airfields to public use, with or without certain conditions. Thanks to these efforts, many states now include “aviation” in the named recreational, non-commercial activities in their Recreational Statutes; some states are more general. We invite you to check out your state’s legal language, or feel free to contact either of the RAF’s RUS Liaisons, John Nadeau at jnadeau@theraf.org or Rick McCraw at rmccraw@theraf.org . Our efforts continue to include “aviation” in all states’ statutes, so this information will be updated as needed. Submitted April 30, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray Photo Credit: Ron Barrett, Sullivan Lake, WA
