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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“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
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.
Call To Action Volunteer
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 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.
