WORTH THE READ: JOHN PRISCU 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 John Priscu, an RAF supporter and a Regents Professor Emeritus at Montana State University, Bozeman.

Like many in General Aviation, I got the aviation bug in my youth, then spent years raising a family before returning to flight. Growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, I attended every airshow at Nellis Air Force Base with my father and uncle. My largest thrill was sitting in a USAF Thunderbird F-100. My uncle, a retired WW2 carrier-based aircraft mechanic, remained active in aviation after leaving the Navy and was the live-in manager at the old Boulder City Airport, allowing him to use hangar space to restore aircraft. My first flight was at the age of four roped to my father in the back of his open cockpit PT-19. At the ripe age of 15 my uncle taught me to fly in his Howard DGA-15P during our many visits to dirt strips in the Southwest, including Chicken Strip in the Saline Valley. 

After leaving Vegas, I eventually ended up in Bozeman, MT, where in 1984 I began a 40-year career at Montana State University. My neighbor taught flying lessons for the Three Forks, MT Flying Club, and at age 50, I got my ticket and eventually bought a Maule, which suited my flying profile to support conservation flying, and fly the backcountry with RAF colleagues.

While flying backcountry in Montana and Idaho I met John and Tricia McKenna. We bonded because we liked to camp, mountain bike, and fly, among other things. I became an enduring RAF supporter. My wife, Barbara, and I were looking for a warmer place to live during winter and John and Tricia helped us locate a home in the St. George, UT area, a decision we do not regret. There I met RAF Publicity Liaison Carmine Mowbray; Wayne Loeber (then RAF Utah Liaison); and Gordon Rock (RAF supporter extraordinaire and all-around great guy); we all eventually owned hangars at Hurricane Airport (1L8) and participated in area RAF activities. 

During one of our mountain biking adventures, John told me about the great biking and flying in Bentonville, Arkansas—I was sold. During the spring of 2024 I planned a flight to Bentonville with a stop in New Mexico. One phone call to John McKenna mentioning my intentions was all it took to get the RAF connections moving. Within days I received emails from RAF NM Liaison Ron Keller and RAF AR Liaison Dave Powell, providing background and support. My plan was to fly to Gallup, NM to visit RAF supporters Perry and Sandra Null, then head to the New Mexico backcountry the next day. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and Ron informed me that due to rains, the backcountry strips would not be a good place to land and camp. I let Perry know and he offered me hangar space and a place to stay. Perry and Sandra were superb hosts showing me their Perry Null Trading Post (highly recommended). The next morning, I was off to Bentonville where I was met by a welcoming crew organized by Dave Powell. Dave put me up in his hangar and the next day we flew “The OZ” with Dave in my right seat, Chip Gibbons in the lead, and RAF Texas/Montana Ambassador Steve Maus bringing up the rear. Having Dave in the right seat was invaluable because everything was so green that I couldn’t tell a grass strip from a mowed agricultural field. The next day Dave arranged to have a mountain bike delivered to the hangar and he took me on a fantastic ride followed by dinner with his wife Julie, and Steve.

After sitting out three days of IFR at Bentonville, I got an MVFR window and departed. After dodging weather through Oklahoma, Texas, and eastern New Mexico, I ended up in Santa Fe, NM for the night. The next morning, I flew direct to 1L8, ending my journey.

After returning home, I reflected on the great folks who helped me along the way and the huge role that my RAF connections played. RAF really is a huge family that includes individuals who drop what they are doing in a minute to help a fellow RAF’er. 

I am honored to be part of the RAF, and am forever indebted to all of the RAF folks for making this flight happen, in addition to all the other RAF efforts preserving great places to land and recreate.

John Priscu is a Regents Professor Emeritus at Montana State University, Bozeman. He spent 40 field seasons conducting research in Antarctica and icy environments in Alaska, Greenland and the Himalaya. As a native of Las Vegas, NV, he became involved in flying at an early age in his uncle’s PT-19 and Howard DGA-15P. Following a 30-year hiatus from flying to raise a family, he received his SEL ticket 24 years ago and now flies a Maule to support conservation flying and fly the backcountry with RAF colleagues.

Submitted January 28, 2025

Posted in Guest Editorial, News