Andrew is a Multi Instrument Commercial Pilot with close to 3000 hours who started flying the Idaho Backcountry after learning to fly in the year 2000. It has been one of his greatest thrills to give back to Idaho after all that it has shared with him. Andrew makes his living off the growth in Idaho as a General Contractor building custom dreams and commercial buildings. He is keenly aware of the importance of managing growth proactively for us all to enjoy the aviation access we love today.
WORTH THE READ: ANDREW GEORGE GUEST EDITORIAL
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 month’s guest editorial is by Andrew George, the President of the Idaho Aviation Association.
When I spoke at the 2024 RAF Volunteer Education Conference in Montana, I emphasized to those in attendance that we face one overarching challenge and one true adversary that poses the greatest threat to our industry: public opinion. I have not wavered in this belief.
As aviators, we are a minority voice navigating within a majority of opinions that often shape policies. These policies, in turn, have the potential to restrict our rights to explore the skies. While we can discuss wilderness access issues, the complexities of the air traffic control system, or even the nuances of proper etiquette and behavior, none of these concerns carries the weight of what a negative public perception can do.
Aviation has long battled the stigma of being unsafe or corrupt and careless at times—an image that does not reflect reality. Every industry has its bad actors, but aviation suffers disproportionately because its rare missteps are often catastrophic and widely publicized. Tragedies overshadow human-interest stories, creating lasting impressions that are hard to reverse.
Consider the devastating events at Reno, when the Galloping Ghost experienced a minor mechanical failure that led to significant loss of life and indelible memories for millions. That singular event reshaped how the Reno Air Races operated and began to erode public support, contributing to the eventual decline of the races at Stead Field.
This delicate balance between public perception and our freedoms is not unique to Reno—it applies across the country. One incident is all it takes to shift public sentiment in a way that permanently alters our ability to enjoy the skies.
I see the RAF as a vital force in combating these perceptions. The organization is uniquely positioned to share positive, corrective information about aviation’s benefits. Unlike larger national organizations like AOPA or EAA, which focus on broad industry-wide concerns or specific passions like building and flying experimental aircraft, the RAF’s grassroots approach is tailored to the needs and culture exemplified within individual states.
Aviation adapts to the physical and cultural geography of each region. The RAF excels by fostering a flow of information from local communities to a central hub and then redistributing it widely. The RIF RAF newsletters are great communicators of regional activities and contributions. This creates a system where local knowledge and stories can shape public opinion far beyond where they originated. The RIF RAF has shown where the Congressional information is shared as well. A benefit to its commitment to work with the Federal agencies throughout.
Because the RAF operates at the airfield level —where its contacts understand the specific needs of local pilots—it is uniquely effective in shaping country wide public perception. By focusing on grassroots engagement, the RAF has already made significant strides in influencing public opinion in many areas, with even greater potential in the future.
To maintain and grow this influence, we must all participate. It takes consistent communication—sharing information, correcting misconceptions, and engaging those who may view aviation as reckless or uncaring. Changing minds requires effort from all of us, not just within our local communities but also in collaboration with those far removed from our own neighborhoods.
We are always one bad day away from a shift in public opinion. While this is the reality of the social environment we live in, the degree of that shift depends on what we do today—how we communicate, how we collaborate, and how we behave as ambassadors of aviation.
We will all share in the struggles to protect our rights as aviators while we also create new ways to ensure our behaviors are safe and perceived as positive. The RAF is poised to be one of the few, deliberate organizations that I see as being in the right place at the right time. The RAF is not the AOPA in size and doesn’t need to be. It is not the EAA and has a singular focus. It is not like the IAA either as we are specific to our geographical areas. The RAF, oh it is sitting pretty in my mind…it has the beauty of being large enough to command a seat at the table, small enough to know where it came from yet powerful enough to add strength to any argument it sees fit. That’s where the RAF provides such assistance to help create a stream of information back and for that will and has shaped positive public opinion.
Let this serve as a reminder: Every day, the IAA (or other organizations) seeks ways to share, communicate, and collaborate—not just locally but across the nation. I strongly support the RAF’s mission and its ability to share our passion for aviation, connecting my community to yours and fostering understanding and appreciation for what we all love.
Andrew is a Multi Instrument Commercial Pilot with close to 3000 hours who started flying the Idaho Backcountry after learning to fly in the year 2000. It has been one of his greatest thrills to give back to Idaho after all that it has shared with him. Andrew makes his living off the growth in Idaho as a General Contractor building custom dreams and commercial buildings. He is keenly aware of the importance of managing growth proactively for us all to enjoy the aviation access we love today.
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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 Neil Mortine, a marketing and relations executive, RAF Supporter, and husband of RAF Ohio Liaison Christine Mortine.
Taylor Flat Airstrip, just a stone’s throw from the wild and scenic Green River as it carves through spectacular Utah canyons, is officially reopened. Thanks to a cooperative effort between the RAF and Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP), Taylor Flat Airstrip, TF9, is one more recreational destination pilots can once again enjoy as the RAF works on Expanding The Map ! In 2023, dialog was initiated with the BLM to reopen the airstrip. Daggett County got involved, and RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig navigated the required NEPA process. Lessig was instrumental in preparing a right of way (ROW) lease agreement application, coordinating between Daggett County, the BLM, and other stakeholders, and gathering information to assist the BLM throughout the required Environmental Assessment. “Thanks to Wendy taking action as the RAF Liaison, and her professional persistence following through the lengthy public review process, Taylor Flat Airstrip will reopen as another unique backcountry destination," RAF President Bill McGlynn said. The RAF and UBCP teamed up May 9 to revitalize the airstrip, which had lain dormant for thirty years. “The work party was a resounding success,” Lessig reports. ”We are grateful for the twenty-five volunteers who hand-picked rocks from the airstrip, and used them to mark the runway corners and threshold. “
Starting this month, we’re sharing messages from our RAF Safety, Education and Etiquette “SEE” committee. We hope you like the way we present these stories, and most importantly, we hope you’re one of those folks willing to sit around the campfire and help your friends become better at this thing we call backcountry aviation. We all see things that might not end well. We don’t intend to call anyone out for what might already be a bad day in someone’s flying life. In the interest of safety, we’re inviting you to be part of the culture starting with, “see something, say something.” The hard part might be how to politely deliver that message, and even more important, how to react if we are on the receiving end of someone’s comment. It takes maturity to accept input, especially at one of those moments when maybe we realize things could have just gotten much worse for us. I know I’ve been in “that place” when some thoughtful input about my flying or behavior has been offered. Part of flying is to always strive to be better; and when we aren’t at our best, try to own our shortcomings, learn from them, and move forward. I think about this often. I worry that if we don’t work at getting this part right, at best we risk losing access due to bad practices or behavior; and at worst we risk people getting hurt or worse. It’s that last piece that keeps me up at night. Of all the joys that doing this work brings us at the RAF, the risk of people getting hurt is what I think about the most. Safety, education, and etiquette are tied. Getting these right means the best outcome. So, get out there this summer. Get some grass stains on your wheels, get some bugs on your windscreen, get better at your craft of flying the airplane, meet some new people, and for sure start to create those special friendships that begin around a campfire under a starlit night. - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted June 16, 2026
By RAF Director Bill Brine and the RAF's Safety, Education, and Etiquette Committee. Too many backcountry accidents happen on the third approach. After two unsuccessful attempts at landing, the pilot is tired, anxious, behind the airplane, and making decisions with a brain that has been running down since the first go-around. The airstrip hasn’t gotten easier. Third time’s NOT a charm. What’s driving this is cultural. Baseball is “three strikes, you’re out.” Could this thinking have joined us in the cockpit? We aren’t playing baseball out here. The backcountry does not give you that third strike. It gives you consequences. Our RAF Code of Conduct calls on each of us to establish personal minimums based on sound aeronautical decision-making — before we need them. Decide your limits at the kitchen table. Write it down. Brief your passengers. Commit to it before you start the engine. That’s when the rule does its job and leads to that hoped-for experience you set out on. Here is one worth considering: two attempts, fly away, head somewhere else . Not because your mission failed, but because you made a sound decision. Flying away is not defeat. Head to your alternate. Land, shut down, and let everyone decompress. Unload gear, leave passengers, go back solo, or call it a day. Those are good outcomes. Submitted June 15, 2026 Photo Credit: Scott Newpower
This month, the RAF is featuring our friend Charlie Gregoire, co-founder of innovative Redbird Simulators. Redbird's story is of a few guys who acted on their great idea to make it easier and more affordable for anyone to become a pilot. In 2006, they imagined a flight simulator that made a pilot feel like they were flying a real airplane. “We thought a decaying Cessna Cardinal RG was the perfect prototype,” Charlie said, and “Redbird” was born. “After a few more not-quite-right prototypes, we arrived at our first product, the Redbird FMX.” And driven by the idea to make initial flight training affordable, Redbird FMX is a great primary loggable training platform. Since then, Redbird has delivered over 7,000 aviation training devices to more than 60 countries. From desktop models to full-motion units, “We’re proud of the revolutionary changes our employees and customers are bringing to this industry we are all so passionate about,” Charlie says. Charlie also serves as a member of the special RAF group of volunteers we call the Vy Group. Pilots know that Vy is the “best rate of climb” speed, and these folks help steer the RAF in ways to “gain altitude” efficiently. Redbird and the RAF have partnered on the idea to prepare pilots for the unconventional demands of backcountry flying. Redbird has incorporated backcountry training scenarios, and graciously shares their wide selection of “off pavement” experiences by inviting pilots to try their hand in simulators at aviation events, like AirVenture and Sun ’n Fun. This year we invite you to Redbird’s interactive display at AirVenture, booth 301. While there, enjoy coffee and donuts with the Redbird team and us from 8:30 am to 10:30 am on Tuesday, July 21. Charlie and his team recognize the value of partnerships like ours. He says partnerships are an important part of Redbird’s past and future success. We share a common goal to make GA as safe as possible – wherever, and whatever you choose to fly – and keep it strong with passion, dedication, and commitment. See Redbird’s complete story here . Submitted June 15, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
