WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?

What’s in it for me? Not only a legitimate question, but one typically asked. Sometimes it reveals the sincerity of a person when they ask that. Here at the RAF we often hear that question when dealing with land managers, vendors, and suppliers.


Volunteers may ask, and even that is fair. But you know you have a true supporter when you see them roll up their sleeves, say, “Put me to work,” then set about digging in, never asking, “What’s in it for me?”

Just recently the RAF family lost just one of those people. The RAF does not regularly publish memorials, tributes, or obituaries. However, there is always an exception and such a case existed with Lois Ellis who split her time between Texas and Montana with her husband Scott, an orthopedic surgeon, pilot, and RAF supporter, friend, and volunteer.


But why Lois? Because we came to know Lois through her work efforts during the Ryan building project. Lois was always the first to look for a job. The job didn’t matter, nor whether she might get dirty. I can still see her sitting in the hot Montana sun painting doors for the cabins at Ryan Field. Her only request was for help rearranging her work, or to bring her a cold drink.

Lois was not a pilot herself but loved what she was doing because she simply wanted to make it better for others to enjoy.


By now you’re probably wondering, why is Lois so different? It‘s because at a younger time in her life she was diagnosed with MS which confined her to a life of limited mobility and eventually a wheel chair. She did not ask for this disability, nor did she let it define her or limit her ability in ways she could control. Trish often said, “When I look at Lois, I never see a wheel chair. I only see an awesome lady who is willing to pitch in and help.”


Lois reminded me that much of the work of the RAF is not about any one of us. It is for all of us. Lois simply found joy in helping, and being around people, doing it with purpose and a smile.

So next time you get asked — or find yourself asking — “What’s in it for me,” perhaps Lois might pop into your thoughts and you’ll find the right answer.


If that answer is to do it for others without regard for self, then I know that will keep the smile on Lois’s face.

-John McKenna, RAF Chairman

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RAF 2026 EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

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RAF key volunteers from across the nation gathered at Seattle’s Museum of Flight for a two-day RAF Educational Conference that ended Saturday, September 26. The days were filled with discussions about ways to further the RAF mission, beginning with the US Forest Service. The RAF Board of Directors and AOPA co-president Katie Pribyl and board member Peter Burwell updated the group over breakfast, and RAF Liaisons reported on airfield projects. Other presentations included author Richard Kyte on the importance of community, the RAF Safety, Education and Etiquette (SEE) committee reported on its messaging to pilots, Garmin presented its new Axis platform, author Richard Holm presented on the history of aviation’s role in the Idaho backcountry, and RAF Georgia Ambassador Dhruv Thakkar discussed the use of Digital Control Towers. Attendees also received an update on the RAF Airfield Guide and heard from RAF staff on tips for holding work parties and connecting RAF supporters. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig, RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller, and Oregon Ambassador Kevin Johnson were presented with the RAF's Wind Beneath Our Wings Award for outstanding volunteer contributions to the RAF mission. Among the attendees were National RUS Liaison John Nadeau and his wife, who drove thousands of miles from Maine to join. "It was well worth the trip to learn about important projects fellow volunteers are working on from coast to coast, and how they successfully handle difficult situations using the RAF Way." The conference concluded with a talk from former and current principals of the adjacent Raisbeck Aviation High School. Dinner was later held in the high school, at which retiring RAF Director Steve Taylor was honored. Attendees enjoyed seeing their fellow volunteers and meeting new friends. Volunteers walked away feeling inspired and energized, with new ideas to continue their efforts preserving, improving, and creating airstrips for recreational access. Submitted September 1, 2026 Photo by Jake Peterson

DIRECTOR EMERITUS STEVE TAYLOR RECOGNIZED

October 1, 2026
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NEXT STEPS TO REOPENING AGUA CALIENTE AIRPORT

October 1, 2026
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FEATURED AIRSTRIP: FRONT ROYAL-WARREN COUNTY AIRPORT, VA

By Carmine Mowbray • October 1, 2026
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