ONE DAY ALL THIS WILL BE YOURS

Who hasn’t experienced their own version of the scenario – Your parent or grandparent proudly standing in front of a wall of clutter they’ve accumulated. With arms outstretched, they say, “One day all this will be yours!” 

It is not uncommon for the RAF to receive a call or visit from generous, well-meaning folks whose very wish is to “donate all this” to us. Being a donor-based organization, it’s very tempting – all this for nothing?

But before we accept, your RAF board recalls some sage advice way back in our first ever strategic planning session. It was 2004, and our friends at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) advised us to be cautious about what we take on. RMEF land manager Gary Burnett wisely advised us that if we were successful sticking to our mission, we could find ourselves with more than we could take care of. 

Was that a message we ever wanted to send our donors?

Your early RAF founders listened to Gary’s words carefully and took them to heart. We have been very thoughtful about getting involved in projects that are beyond our resources and capabilities. We strive to prevent those that follow from opening up the “RAF storage shed” and finding places that really don’t belong, with obligations that really can’t be met. 

Your current RAF leadership continues to be selective so that we only accumulate those things that are truly worthy and of benefit to the generations that will follow. Now, more than ever, sticking to the mission of preserving, improving, and creating airstrips for recreational access is as important as it was back in 2003 when this all started. 

Recently, I was struck by all of this when I witnessed the work being done at the newest RAF destination, the beautiful Gillette Lakewood airfield in Wisconsin. At our May RAF work party there, a number of young people joined some “senior” RAF supporters and volunteers. Everyone worked shoulder to shoulder with our friends and donors, Bob and Judy Gillette, to do some maintenance on this special place that current and future generations of recreational aviation enthusiasts will value and protect.

So, with the RAF’s continued diligence and mindfulness, we can anticipate the next generation’s appreciation and genuine enthusiasm when they realize, “Someday all this will be yours.”

– John McKenna, RAF Chairman

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.