Ben Sclair is the owner/publisher of General Aviation News.
WORTH THE READ: BEN SCLAIR 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 from Ben Sclair, Owner/Publisher of General Aviation News.
20 Years of Todays.
Generally speaking, the most effective way to ensure tomorrow is better than yesterday is to focus on the actions of today.
And for 20 years, that is exactly what the Recreational Aviation Foundation has focused on.
Today.
It is that focus, on today, that provides a showcase for the value the RAF creates.
There are a lot of todays in 20 years. More than 7,000.
And in those 7,000 todays, the RAF, as I see it, has succeeded in two profound ways… building relationships and doing the work.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
At its core, the RAF is all about relationships. From the halls of D.C. to the neighbors of backcountry airstrips and everyone in between.
Some of those todays have found RAF volunteers in Washington D.C. to cultivate long established relationships and create new ones.
Closer to home, RAF members have poured countless hours into public meetings with people from numerous agencies, elected officials, state governments, departments of transportation, wildlife departments, state pilot groups, and more.
These meetings attach a friendly and knowledgeable face to the organization.
Looking beyond our government, the idea of building relationships is a driving force in the RAF swelling to more than “10,000 people who care deeply and do not want to stand by and watch these places [backcountry airstrips] go away.”
Ten thousand people don’t just sign up to help because they’ll get a cool hat. Members of the RAF use today to give back. To make certain those precious backcountry airstrips are preserved for tomorrow’s aviators.
DOING THE WORK
As important as meetings and relationships are, the RAF’s foundation is boots on ground that honor the commitments made in those countless meetings.
It is a symbiotic relationship (there’s that word again).
The commitments that come from the meetings are carried out by the work of 10,000+ RAF members. And that work makes it easier, but not easy, to maintain vital relationships that allow the RAF to commit to preserving a way of life.
“The RAF is dedicated to preserving existing airstrips and creating new public-use recreational airstrips throughout the United States.”
That purpose is the backbone of the RAF and makes its value beyond measure.
And what work did 10,000+ RAF members do with 20 years of todays that will ensure tomorrow is better than yesterday? An incomplete list in no particular order includes…
- pick up and use hand tools
- build shelters
- dig trenches
- chop wood
- set and clean outhouses (RAF commits to spending more than $500 per month to pump out those outhouses.)
- pull weeds
- contribute to public policy committee work
- mow grass
- plan and cook work party meals
- trim brush
- write and mail handwritten thank you notes
- build fences
- create noise mitigation plans
- build picnic tables
- attend and report on public policy meetings
- donate bicycles
- build and maintain camping areas
- host fly-ins
- exhibit at fly-ins
- take pictures
- make videos
- build an online airfield guide
- and share the love that is recreational aviation.
The RAF is more than this limited list. Much more.
I believe the definition of “leave it better than you found it” should simply point to the RAF.
The efforts of RAF members is oftentimes unglamorous.
But the satisfaction from seeing dirt under fingernails at day’s end results in a satisfying sigh and perhaps a well-earned beverage or two among friends.
It is a willingness to do the unglamorous work today that will ensure every tomorrow will be better than yesterday.
Bravo RAF. Here’s to the next 20 years of todays.
Submitted on January 26, 2023.
Posted in Guest Editorial, News
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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.
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
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
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
“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.
