RAF FEATURED SUPPORTER: MIKE KUEFLER

At age 21, Mike Kuefler started tinkering with lightning protection, and his interest developed into a satisfying 40-year career based in St. Ignatius, Montana. From the Pacific Northwest to Florida, Kuefler Lightning Protection designs and installs grounding systems to protect against lightning strikes in hospitals, schools, FAA ATC towers, military munitions and missile magazines, USFS fire lookout towers, homes, agricultural, and commercial facilities.


And one could say that opportunity struck like lightning in 2003 when Mike and his wife Julie were delivering materials near West Glacier, Montana. They heard about an airfield a few miles up Ryan Road, so they drove in and were welcomed in warm Montana style by Ben and Butchie Ryan, igniting a friendship. Julie began bringing homemade foods whenever they were in the area, and Veteran Army pilot Ben shared WWII flying stories with Mike.

The future of the Ryans’ property came up, and Ben told Mike he’d like to donate the airfield for recreational aviation. Inspired by the Ryans' generosity, Mike thought the Montana Pilots Association could take it on, but then-president Chuck Manning suggested a new organization called the RAF. Mike contacted co-founders John McKenna and Jerry Cain. The ink was barely dry on the nonprofit paperwork when they met Ryans at Ryan Field. “Daisies were in bloom all over the property. It was truly a beautiful spot with a nice airfield right in the middle,” Mike reflects. Ben was very interested in the RAF mission, and a land transfer was planned. 


The relationship that Mike and Julie created turned into the permanent preservation of Ryan Field by the RAF and its volunteers. “I’d hate to see what would have happened if it weren’t for the RAF,” Mike said. “There's a lot of pressure to close airfields, and that’s why the RAF is such a great organization. And look how it’s grown, and helped save other airstrips all over the country,” he added.

Mike’s aviation interest started with CFI Wayne Baer in St. Ignatius, Montana. They flew Wayne’s C172 for an hour, and after landing, Mike asked how soon he could begin lessons. “You just did,” Baer said. Mike now flies a C182 with the Sportsman STOL and has accumulated nearly 3,500 hours for business and pleasure. One memorable trip was his solo journey as far north as the Beaufort Sea in Arctic Alaska

Closer to home, Kueflers see the Mission Mountain Range out their window near the home airport they love, the 2003 winner of Montana Aeronautics Airport Of The Year. For over 25 years, Mike and Julie have helped stage the annual St. Ignatius community fly-in, serving as many as 790 breakfasts. He’s quick to credit current Airport Manager Rick Newman for his leadership, and is especially proud of the new pilot pavilion and fire ring that volunteers installed in 2024 with the help of RAF and MPA grants, and a local memorial fund. “We used profits from the fly-in breakfast to seal the roof, and re-paint the pilot lounge and outhouse. All this happened without taxpayer dollars,” Mike says. Pilots love to visit St. Ignatius for underwing camping, the courtesy car, and Mission Country Market, just a hop through the gate in the airport’s east fence. 


“Aviation is one of America’s greatest symbols of freedom, but our greatest symbols of freedom are our Veterans and service men and women around the world,” Mike adds. 

Submitted January 7, 2025.

Recent Posts

FINDING PURPOSE IN THE EFFORT

April 9, 2026
“The only people who can change something are the ones who really want to. And not everybody does.” When I read this, it took me back to the early days of the RAF. We saw a troubling trend taking place — the loss of airstrips across the country with no real organized voices to help put the brakes on the decline. And we really wanted to change that. Change demanded new ideas from us. Ideas that we assumed would initially be resisted. This defined our purpose. Good ideas come with the burden of effort and purpose. That separates those with a strong purpose from those without. We wanted to create an organization that would counteract the attrition of backcountry airstrips we saw taking place. We rolled up our sleeves and didn’t look back. Easy to say now that the RAF was lucky, but it was purpose that drove the organization in the early years; that really formed who we are today. A group of people with a purpose who knew we needed more people who thought like we did, and cared; people who took this idea called the RAF and added to it, keeping it unique but effective. We felt that most of the existing business models in the nonprofit space were not what we needed to be, and we pushed forward persistently with our thinking – thinking that required putting our own personal desires aside and pursuing ones that were for a greater good. You joined in. You, too, found purpose in the RAF and now look where we are. Nearly 15,000 of us are making the necessary sacrifices to make our voices heard, to create a better environment for the future of recreational aviation. We have more opportunities today because of you. Each one of us is important to continue the momentum we have gained. To determine what the RAF can do to further our mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. To prioritize the many opportunities coming our way. It is about us, and what we are going to do with the time we have left on this earth. This organization will hopefully give you purpose now and in the future. Most importantly, I really hope it will give you as much sense of accomplishment as it has me. Thank you for what you continue to do. - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted April 15, 2026

RAF OUTFITTER APRIL FEATURED COLLECTION

April 5, 2026
FEATURING: THE RAF DOG COLLECTION MODELED BY JOSIE & MUD Outfit your four-legged co-pilot for every adventure! From airplane rides to backcountry trails, this collection has everything they need to travel in comfort and style. Featuring two new additions—a stainless steel Orvis dog bowl and DawgMuffs—alongside RAF favorites like the collar, leash, and bandana. This collection includes items designed and created by RAF supporters. Shop the Dog Collection here. If you have questions, please email contact@theraf.org or call 406-582-1723. Your RAF Outfitter purchase is greatly appreciated and furthers the mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. You can support the RAF mission all year by shopping at the RAF Outfitter online store. Products are being added regularly, and items are thoughtfully selected for durability and suitability for pilots, by pilots. We welcome photos of supporters using RAF gear! Please send your images to ewhite@theraf.org , and let us know if we have permission to post them on social media or our website. Submitted April 5, 2026.

KELLI GANT

April 3, 2026
Call To Action Volunteer

TIME TO REVIEW AIRSTRIP SAFETY BRIEFINGS

March 30, 2026
As you're planning your 2026 flying adventures, remember to review safety briefings for the airstrips you plan to visit. The RAF strongly recommends you review safety briefings and print a copy to have in your airplane - it's even required to fly into some airfields, like Ryan Field (2MT1). For those airfields, pilots flying in are required to review the briefing on an annual basis, and now is the perfect time to catch up on any changes to the runway/area that happened throughout the winter. You can find safety briefings on the RAF Airfield Guide . If an airfield in the Airfield Guide has a required briefing, the airfield listing will clearly indicate it and have a tab to view the briefing. Submitted March 30, 2026 Photo By Jim Stevenson

RAF VOLUNTEERS BEGIN TO RESTORE HISTORIC RANGER AIRFIELD HANGAR

March 30, 2026
RAF Texas volunteers and Ranger Airfield Foundation volunteers helped begin restoration of the historic 1928 Ranger Airfield hangar on March 28. “A Wright biplane landed here at the field in 1911, and people have been using it ever since,” Ranger Airfield Foundation Founder Jared Calvert said. He noted that Amelia Earhart landed there in a Pitcairn Auto Gyro. Richard Bach, Pancho Barnes, and General Patton also landed at the field. It’s the oldest continuously used turf field in Texas.