RAF FEATURED SUPPORTER: MARGIE PRILL

To say Margie Prill is husband (and RAF co-founder) Dan’s “backup” is true, but it only tells part of the story. “We hosted a burger barbecue in our hangar in Sand Coulee way back in about 2002. More than a dozen folks came, and the topic was backcountry recreational flying, and building interest in preserving airstrips,” Margie says. Does that sound like the next step after those six guys sat around the campfire and decided to save airstrips? It was an essential step for an organization that now includes over 11,000 people – an organization that’s logged innumerable success stories from coast-to-coast.



Margie’s hardly taken off her apron since. The RAF gathered momentum and throughout the years a lot of the gathering included meals cooked on wood stoves, or in kitchens across the country where Margie helped feed RAF volunteers on site for conferences, trade shows, and fly-ins. “The AOPA convention in Tampa is where we met Tim and Ann Clifford,” Margie says. Tim became an early RAF Florida Liaison; then Director.


If not cooking, Margie has staffed the RAF booth at trade shows and conferences. Anyone who’s enjoyed a Ryan Fly-in would have seen Margie and Dan serving as “ground crew”, hauling supplies, maintaining facilities, and if time permitted, relaxing at the end of the day, maybe with their sons, daughters-in law, and grandkids. Early RAF photos featured the darling girls, just a little taller each year. A retired Special Education and Elementary teacher, Margie was the perfect one tasked with keeping all the kids who came to Ryan safe among the flying activity. She entertained them with creative games, treasure hunts, and projects. Even today, Ryan Field visitors are greeted with painted rocks with welcoming messages.


One of her favorite activities during the Ryan Fly-in was organizing the wood stove cook off. “My granddaughters entered, so I had to find judges,” she says. The event was popular with everyone when the results of all the baking were turned out to cool, and enjoyed. “It was a rainy weekend, so gathering in the pilot shelter around the wood stove was cozy and wonderful,” she recalls.


Another volunteer job is writing thank you notes since becoming an RAF “VP’s of Appreciation in 2016.


For 17 years, Margie helped Dan host at the rustic cabin they co-owned with Dan’s brothers on Prill Lake in Saskatchewan, only accessible by floatplane. They supplied the place for guests at Ft. McMurray, Alberta, then either chartered a floatplane in, or Dan arrived in his Cub on floats. “He only had room for supplies OR me,” Margie says. So she would make the 12-hour drive to Ft. McMurray from their Sand Coulee home near Great Falls, Montana, then get a floatplane ride to the cabin. Guests enjoyed their days fishing for walleye, lake trout, and northern pike on the pristine lake, topped off with Prill’s fish fry, with corn on the cob, and Margie’s blueberry pie.


Few know that before all this, Margie had a short career as a carnival worker. Her father, always dreaming of creative ways to earn a living, bought a Ferris Wheel and a merry-go-round from a carnival with a partner and they put their eight kids to work operating it, even under the lights on summer nights. The kids handled the money and loaded and unloaded riders. “I learned a lot about working, and had a lot of fun,” Margie says.


Now the Prills enjoy wintering in Arizona where Margie serves her Westpark Resort residential co-op as treasurer, and knits beautiful baby afghans to give friends who are welcoming newborns into their lives. She and Dan enjoy tooling around Arizona on their side-by-side and have met many new friends along the trail. For 40 years she has taught bible study and continues; and as of 2022, has been married to Dan for 50 years. They still are very active in aviation, as Dan and his pilot-son Ted recently completed an RV-7 in Dan’s shop at home in Sand Coulee.


Prill’s son Tom, also a pilot, and his wife Krista live in Billings, Montana, and those two “little” girls that folks watched grow up during visits at Ryan Field? One is in college and one is a high school sophomore as of this writing. Tom’s twin Ted and his wife also live in Billings. Son Danny and his daughter live in Sand Coulee where he drills water wells for his living. Daughter Shelly lives in San Diego. After fulfilling active duty at sea, she’s in the Navy Reserves refurbishing ships.


“I’ve met so many wonderful people and have had such a good time,” Margie says, of her varied career and pastimes. So you may see her and Dan on the trails in Arizona, camping at a backcountry airstrip, or in their fifth-wheel anyplace, USA. Tip your hat to one – no two – very good friends of the RAF. 

By Carmine Mowbray

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RYAN MINNICK

August 18, 2026
Posted in Ambassadors , Georgia Ambassador

THE REOPENING OF KEG KNOLL AIRSTRIP EXPANDS THE MAP

By Carmine Mowbray • August 14, 2026
Join the excitement as the RAF continues its momentum Expanding The Map, making these the most exciting years in our history! We encourage you to explore the growing number of destinations where you can share the joys of recreational aviation with family and friends. This time, we’re announcing the reopening of Keg Knoll Airstrip in central Utah, closed years ago by the designation of the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness Area. Thanks to RAF efforts to gather widespread support from pilots and RAF allies, the BLM has allowed this airstrip to be reopened for public access. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig has led the effort over the past three years in advocating for the reopening of Keg Knoll airstrip. Various meetings were organized with the BLM to explore whether the airstrip could be reopened as allowed by the Wilderness Act. After the BLM prepared an environmental assessment of the airstrip, they issued a final decision to approve Keg Knoll airstrip for reopening, subject to a set of reasonable conditions that protect the wilderness area. Keg Knoll Airstrip has outstanding recreational value and offers pilots ready access to a true wilderness experience. Visitors can experience dispersed primitive camping next to their airplanes, hiking around Horseshoe Canyon, and stargazing under the dark skies at night. “One thing that makes Keg Knoll airstrip unique is the accessibility of the relatively easy two-mile hike to Colonnade Arch, also known as Five-Hole Arch,” RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig points out. Keg Knoll is now open, with a cooperative work party to further improve the airstrip and install a windsock planned for the fall that will include volunteer pilots and the BLM. Since Keg Knoll airstrip is in a Wilderness area, no motorized or mechanized devices are allowed, so volunteers will be limited to the use of hand tools to perform maintenance. Current reports state the airstrip itself is in good shape, but pilots must be aware that the south 700 feet of the original airstrip is closed, and will be marked with rock X’s. What remains open is 2,000 feet of runway length. “We will need help from all the pilots who visit Keg Knoll airstrip to be good stewards to help protect and preserve the Wilderness environment for this special airstrip,” Lessig said. For more information about Keg Knoll, visit our dedicated web page . Submitted August 15, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

RAF FEATURED PARTNER: NEW MEXICO AIRSTRIP NETWORK

By Carmine Mowbray • August 14, 2026
When a few New Mexico backcountry pilots observed the closure of a backcountry airstrip on public land, they understood the need for a goal-focused group to preserve these valuable recreational destinations — places in the high desert where you could land your own GA aircraft, pitch your tent with panoramic views of ponderosa, piñon pine, and Rocky Mountain juniper, and easily hike into the Gila Wilderness area. New Mexico Liaisons Ron Keller and Larry Filener started the New Mexico Backcountry effort in 2009 and the New Mexico Airstrip Network partnership formed in 2014. “With their vision and a bit of organizing, we got a lot accomplished,” New Mexico Pilots Association former President Joyce Woods says. Their work brought about a historic MOU, formalizing “the collaborative partnership of federal and state agencies, aviation groups, landowners, and other stakeholders to preserve, promote, and enhance New Mexico’s growing inventory of recreational airstrips and related airports.” This document was signed at the USFS Regional Headquarters in Albuquerque in 2016. Thanks to these visionaries, access to choice flying destinations is available to pilots, nearly 20 in number. The RAF has provided grants for improvements at several New Mexico airstrips, and has formal agreements with the Gila National Forest to maintain and improve airstrips within the Forest. Additionally, NM Liaison Ron Keller has put in many hours and weekends organizing RAF and New Mexico Pilot volunteers for work parties. Joyce credits Keller as a “real workhorse", mowing the airstrips and leading work parties. Plan your New Mexico flying adventures, and bring your camping gear and hiking shoes. Lining the trails are 1,500 different plant species like the Wright's silktassel, Apache plume, cliff fendlerbush, mountain snowberry, and manzanita. You can access sites with prehistoric rock art. Spring visitors might hear the sweet song of the warbler during its migratory stop in the Gila. Night brings the darkest skies you’ve ever seen, sparkling with the Milky Way. Enjoy the warmth of a campfire as the desert night cools, and thank those wise and determined pilots who worked to preserve these New Mexico gems among the New Mexico Airstrip Network. Find more about these airstrips using these valuable resources: RAF Airfield Guide New Mexico Pilots Association Submitted August 15, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

THREAT AND ERROR MANAGEMENT IN THE BACKCOUNTRY - WHY IT MATTERS MORE

By Robert Miller • August 14, 2026
As a career pilot, Thread and Error Management (TEM) has been ingrained in how I fly. I’ve become convinced that Threat and Error Management matters more in backcountry flying than just about anywhere else. Not because the principles are different but because the timeline for decisions is. In “normal flying,” a poor decision often gives you time to recognize it, correct it, and move on. In the backcountry, the chain gets compressed. Threats are closer, mistakes can compound quickly, and options disappear in a hurry. By the time you realize you're behind the airplane, there may not be enough runway, climb performance, or room to recover. That's why TEM isn't about avoiding mistakes. It's about breaking the chain before the situation starts making decisions for you. Most of the threats are familiar. Density altitude. Winds that don't behave as forecast. Narrow strips, rising terrain, soft surfaces, visual illusions, and airplanes that perform a little differently than they did last time. Add a little fatigue, a little confidence from yesterday's success, or an eager passenger, and the margins start shrinking. The interesting part is that accidents rarely begin with one big mistake. They usually begin with a series of small decisions that seem reasonable at the time. "The tailwind isn't that bad." "We'll climb out fine." "The approach will come together." In the aftermath of a near accident or a survived accident, we’ve heard all of these testimonials…sometimes from the voice in our own headset. The best backcountry pilots I've flown with all seem to have one thing in common. They're willing to change the plan early. They don't wait for proof that something is wrong. If the approach isn't shaping up, they leave. If the takeoff isn't developing as expected, they abort. If the conditions don't match what they planned for, they wait or go somewhere else. That's TEM in its simplest form: anticipate the threats, recognize when reality no longer matches the plan, and act while you still have options. One thought has stayed with me over the years: backcountry accidents rarely begin with bold decisions…they begin with delayed decisions. The RAF Safety, Education, and Etiquette team is looking at practical ways to apply TEM in the backcountry, including personal decision gates, arrival and departure briefs, and recognizing the traps that catch even experienced pilots. Let us know by sharing your own tips and ideas in “Comments” below. Until then, ask yourself one question before every approach and every takeoff: If this doesn't work exactly as planned, what's my next move? If you have a good answer, you're probably ahead of the airplane. Submitted August 8, 2026 By Robert Miller, RAF West Virginia Liaison & Safety, Education, and Etiquette Committee member

IRENE ESQUIVEL

August 11, 2026
Irene was born and raised in Los Angeles but eventually found her way to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where she quickly fell in love with the slower pace of life, the endless outdoor adventures, and the welcoming community. After spending a few years between Mississippi and Los Angeles, she knew Marquette was where she wanted to be and returned to make it home. Travel has always been one of Irene's greatest passions. Her mother once joked that she needed to find a career that could support her expensive travel habit—and she did. As a full-time flight attendant, Irene has had the opportunity to experience incredible places and cultures around the world. About five years into her airline career, a pilot casually suggested, "You should be a pilot!" Just one week later, Irene took her first flight lesson and discovered a passion for flying she never knew she had, and hasn’t looked back since. In addition to working as a full-time flight attendant, Irene is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFII/MEI) who is passionate about helping aspiring pilots achieve their aviation goals while developing the skills and confidence to become safe aviators. She is also preparing to begin her second year as a part-time high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) aviation teacher, where she enjoys introducing students to the various opportunities aviation has to offer. When she is not in the air, Irene enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on motocross/supercross races, and now volunteering with the RAF. Irene looks forward to contributing to the mission of supporting recreational aviation for future generations and cannot wait to meet the members, volunteers, and aviation enthusiasts who make this community so special. Submitted on August 11, 2026