Sixty-six years to the date after his initial flight training at General Mitchell Field, just 90 miles away, Ben Ryan once again got into the cockpit. It was a day he had dreamed about for a good long time and the ability to once again get into the cockpit of the plane that he so dearly loved came about as a result of the generosity of some fine folks. The trip had been organized by the Recreational Aviation Foundation in order to say “thank you” for the contribution of the Ryan’s home, property and airstrip in northwest Montana to the RAF. Mr. and Mrs. Ryan are particularly proud of their service to their county and the ability to get back in a P-38 was something that was significant to all concerned.
IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY
Sixty-six years of separation evaporated when Ben Ryan climbed the ladder of the P-38, Glacier Girl, at Oshkosh 2012 — it was 1946 when Ben last flew a P-38 in the final days of World War II. In fact, on Columbus Day in 1945, Ben was overrun by his wingman, a fellow aviator in another P-38 in trail. The damage done by that friendly midair bump chewed the tail off Ben’s aircraft, forcing him to bail out over the waters of the Panama Canal Zone. When asked at Oshkosh about the difficulty of bailing out of a P-38 due to the twin tail configuration, Ben had two comments: 1) Glad nobody told me that before I bailed out; and 2) Maybe it was because my wingman had already chewed the tail off that not only created the need to jump, but also created the lack of something to run into when bailing out.
Upon arrival at Oshkosh, it was Bob Cardin, one of the folks behind the recovery and restoration of the Glacier Girl, who made Ben’s return to the cockpit possible. Following the reunion, Bob commented that he was once again reminded that gentlemen like Ben were the real owners of this aircraft and he merely has the pleasure of being its present-day caretaker. Watching this nearly 90-year-old gentleman scamper up the ladder to the top of the wing, slide open the canopy and step into the cockpit as if the last time had been only yesterday, made time stand still. As he sat down in the cockpit, one could see the flood of memories that filled his face. For those of us that witnessed the event, there was barely a dry eye on the tarmac.
That moment in time could not have been possible without the generous support of Signature Flight Support and Glacier Jet Center of Kalispell, Montana. Both recognized the significance of the event and contributed to making the trip happen. We thank them for that.
To the Ryans, thank you on behalf of the Recreational Aviation Foundation as well as all those that appreciate and cherish the ability to fly.
Submitted August 6, 2012.
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At about this time, every year, we have this conversation at the RAF about what our year end letter (code for asking for your financial support) should say to you, and about the RAF and the accomplishments of the past year.
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 Stef Goza, a pilot and an RAF Alaska liaison.
Bill credits aviation for much of his success in business and the ability to serve his companies and family. What began in a Champ, and a Tri-Pacer owned by five people, turned into what Bill calls, “a key business tool” in which he accumulated 9,000 hours – in a Cheyenne, a Pilatus, and a TBM, where ninety-five percent of his flying was for business. “My retirement enabled me to recall ‘Why I Learned to Fly’, a slogan from an old RAF video.” Bill’s son, Patrick, purchased the C185 they now share. “While attending a business function, some associates arrived in corporate jets. As they joined up on the tarmac, the jet pilots gathered around Patrick’s 185, and one of the passengers asked, ‘What’s special about this?’ No explanation needed for this RAF audience,” Bill says. “My involvement in the RAF is, in a partial way, repaying the rewards aviation has endowed me with. Having been involved in many worthwhile nonprofits, this is one where financial support is only part of the picture. Physically participating in great projects that have a lasting effect, with good people, returns a great personal benefit,” he says. “My only regret is that I wasn’t there at the start.” Bill and his wife Jane are privileged to be able to split time between their long-time home in eastern Nebraska and Scottsdale, Arizona. While still serving on several boards, he enjoys golf “about every third shot,” biking, cars, and reading, but always looks forward to the time he can be involved in the RAF. “It’s flying with a purpose,” he adds. Bill can be reached at bdugan@theraf.org
AR Ambassador
A Christmas gift of flight lessons from his parents started Scott Anttila’s aviation journey in 1985. “I learned at Johnson Field, a small grass strip tucked into the woods in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and that early exposure to simple backcountry flying stuck with me,” Scott says. Growing up in the U.P., he spent a lot of time outdoors and found that flying was another way to get to the places he liked to explore—especially the ones most people never saw. As he earned more ratings and eventually moved to the Detroit area for work, Scott realized he needed a way to stay connected to northern Michigan. He bought an airplane and used it to get back to the smaller airstrips and lake country he enjoyed. Along the way, he also flew gliders out of Frankfort, soaring along the Sleeping Bear Dunes and towing sailplanes over the Great Lakes. “Those flights gave me a different appreciation for the landscape and made me even more interested in the small, out-of-the-way airports scattered around the state,” he says. Visiting those kinds of places, Scott first came across the Recreational Aviation Foundation. He started using RAF-supported airstrips both inside and outside Michigan. “I noticed how well-kept they were and how much access they opened up,” he says, adding, ”Over the years, I’ve watched a number of grass strips close, which made the RAF’s mission feel especially important to me. Maintaining these airstrips keeps aviation connected to the outdoors and makes it possible for more people to reach the quiet, remote areas that inspired me to fly in the first place.” Scott joins the other two RAF Michigan Liaisons, General Grant and Tanmoy Ganguly. He can be reached at santtila@theraf.org . Submitted December 11, 2025.
