WHEN THE HARD WORK IS NOT REALLY THAT HARD

How does that happen … making hard work easy that is? Well, you start out with a great group of people with diverse skills and you bring them together, and more or less get out of their way. With another year of flying nearly in the books, I find myself reflecting on this. Four places come to mind as examples. They are not in any order or priority, but do point to how projects that would otherwise be very difficult to pull off are more easily accomplished, and for sure fun to do.

Trigger Gap, Arkansas work party
This part of the country continues to attract and provide enjoyment to the many who have experienced the beauty of the area. Every year a dedicated local group leads the effort to keep all of the area airfields in shape. People come from all around, many traveling from across the country to pitch in. From building the airfield itself, to adding camping facilities at Trigger Gap and Richland Creek, it’s the willing talent that keeps things looking great.

Ryan Field, Montana Fall work party
This used to feel like an almost insurmountable task, but once again, a number of talented folks came together to make it lots of fun and not too much work for any one person. This year we were able to clear additional trail with a great crew. Working shoulder to shoulder on the wood splitting crew, fence building, trail clearing, blowing out the irrigation and water system, or helping with the meals are all tasks that need doing, and would seem hard, likely because they would be, were it not for so many who feel connected to Ryan and are willing to help.

Moose Creek, USFS Airstrip, Idaho
This was the base of operations for an Idaho multi-airstrip engineering evaluation. With the help of Daher/Kodiak, the RAF was able to transport two volunteer airport engineers who conducted assessments at Fish Lake, Cayuse Creek, Orogrande, Dixie USFS airstrip, and Wilson Bar. These assessments will set the stage for future improvements and maintenance at these strips. The upcoming work would not be possible without accomplishing this first. Oh, and while they were at it, new parts and pieces were ferried in for the USFS Moose Creek shower house that was damaged by fire and windstorms, as well as a new steel fire pan there, Fish Lake and at Wilson Bar.

Gillette Airfield, Wisconsin work party
An army of dedicated volunteers showed up to clear brush, do recurring maintenance and build a new shower facility. People traveled long distances just to join that work crew.

All these are examples of hard jobs made easy by planning the projects, finding local leadership who organized each one alongside RAF HQ, and asking volunteers to come help with their time, talent, and treasure. The RAF is really showing up and showing who we are. The amazing thing to me about all this is that it all happened within about ten days. That is a lot of coordination and effort that made hard work easy because the RAF cares about these places.

Thank you all for a great summer 2025 flying season and we hope you will continue to enjoy these special spots.

-John McKenna, RAF Chairman

Submitted October 16, 2025

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RAF OUTFITTER JULY FEATURED COLLECTION

July 5, 2026
FEATURING: RAF PULASKI GLASSES Raise a glass to the work that keeps backcountry aviation alive! These RAF Pulaski Glasses are a perfect addition to your bar or a thoughtful gift for any aviation or backcountry enthusiast. Each glass features the RAF’s signature Pulaski tool, a tribute to the hardworking volunteers who preserve, improve, and protect airstrips across the country. Just like the tool itself, these glasses celebrate grit, utility, and a commitment to getting the job done. The Pulaski is a versatile, heavy-duty tool used for trail building, chopping wood, and clearing brush, making it an essential part of backcountry work for RAF volunteers. Made in the USA from high-quality glass, they’re built to last. Get yours today. 

FEATURED AIRSTRIP: DRIGGS-REED MEMORIAL, ID

By Carmine Mowbray • July 1, 2026
You’d have a hard time finding a more beautiful place to fly than Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (KDIJ). The Grand Teton, Big Hole, and Snake River mountain ranges surround this eastern Idaho valley. Driggs has become a world-class destination for the pilot community. National Geographic magazine listed Driggs as “one of the ten best outdoor recreation destinations in the U.S.” Just a 45-minute drive over Teton Pass is Jackson, Wyoming, a famous Western destination. The airport, at an elevation of 6,257, accommodates aircraft on both its 7,300-ft paved runway and 3,000-ft turf landing area, marked with cones. Note: The SW 3,451 feet of the paved runway is closed until August for reconstruction. Check NOTAMS before landing. Fly-in visitors are welcome to camp underwing at its grassy tie-down area. It’s an ideal gateway to the Idaho backcountry. Enjoy views of the nearby Teton Range from the 12' x 16' cedar pilot shelter. There is potable water, a toilet, power, a gas barbecue, and a charging station nearby. Within walking distance of the campground is the Forage restaurant. A bike shed and loaner bikes, provided by the Idaho Aviation Association Borrow-A-Bike program, are available to ride into town. If you desire a more urban experience or wish to explore further, the airport has rental cars. “It’s a great destination for the pilot community, with access to hiking, biking, fishing, floating, golf and a small town with numerous shops and restaurants,” RAF Director and Driggs resident Tim Riley says. He and a local RAF supporter recently completed a spring cleanup to ready it for the season. The amenities were provided cooperatively through the RAF, the Idaho Aviation Association (IAA), the City of Driggs, and its Airport Board, with financial contributions from each. For more information on Driggs, see the Airfield Guide . Submitted July 1, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE SEASONAL TASKS AT RYAN FIELD

June 30, 2026
It’s bear grass season around West Glacier, Montana, and nearly a score of volunteers from three different states drove in to Ryan Field June 12-13 to complete seasonal maintenance, and enjoyed spotting the showy blooms throughout the woods. Bear scat was also seen in several places – a reminder that a clean camp protects both campers and wildlife. The airfield remains closed until the new runway grass has stabilized for landing, so watch the Airfield Guide for an announcement that the field has re-opened. As a result, there was no annual Ryan Fly-in this year. Volunteers removed downed trees, cleared and marked hiking trails, mowed around the buildings and part of the runway, cleaned bear boxes, the pilot shelter, cabins, and barn. “We welcomed new volunteers and continue to work hard maintaining the field. We are as eager as everyone for the grass to take good hold so the runway can open again,” Administrative Director Tricia McKenna said. Submitted June 30, 2026

MAGEE, ID FLOOD MITIGATION ASSESSMENT BEGINS

June 26, 2026
RAF President Bill McGlynn met in mid-June with the US Forest Service, Idaho Dept of Aeronautics, and Idaho Aviation Association to evaluate steps to improve Magee (S77) airstrip, 23 nm east of Coeur d’Alene. On the way, Bill picked up Joe Sober, one of two airport engineers from Oklahoma City who have volunteered their professional services and have been instrumental in creating maintenance and remediation plans on Idaho backcountry airstrips. “The Forest Service engineering teams have too much on their plate just addressing roads, so having this resource to make airstrip engineering assessments and plans is instrumental to resolving challenges on USFS airstrips like Magee,” McGlynn said. The improvement project at Magee has been organized through a Cost Share Agreement that the RAF has with the USFS. McGlynn, Sober, Willy Acton of the Idaho Airstrip Network, along with USFS District Ranger Holly Hampton, Don Macintosh of IAA, Dan Conner of Idaho Aeronautics, and RAF Idaho Ambassador George Weaver investigated the sources of flooding that plague Magee airstrip every spring and analyzed means of redirecting the problematic water. Magee airstrip was created in the 1940s by the Corps of Engineers as a hidden fighter base in case of a Japanese attack on the western US coast. A dike that was built to channel water away from the runway has eroded over the past eighty years. Sober took numerous measurements and will develop a plan to submit to the USFS for approval. Work could begin over the next year or two to recover about 700 feet of runway. “We truly could not do this work without our volunteer engineers and are very fortunate to have their expertise,” McGlynn said. Weaver said, “The airstrip is a real gem, and the restoration work will make it a great backcountry destination.” Submitted June 28, 2026

TEAMWORK GETS THINGS DONE AT HISTORIC MEDICINE BOW, WYOMING

June 26, 2026
“It was really nice to spend some time with Wyoming folks cleaning up a little piece of history,” RAF WY/UT Ambassador Karen Larson said of the May 30 work party at Medicine Bow airport, on the historic US airmail route. RAF Wyoming Liaison Joe Feiler organized the work and reports that about 15 people with a wide range of backgrounds arrived at 9 am to help. Attendees included RAF supporters, EAA Chapter 420 members, local residents, as well as Lee Cook, Medicine Bow airport board member and town council member.