Peyton, a Wisconsin native, grew up with a passion for adventure and fully embraces an active, outdoor lifestyle. With a degree in Marketing, she has established herself in the digital space within the outdoor industry.
WORTH THE READ: PEYTON ARNDT 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 Peyton Arndt, a pilot and volunteer for the RAF’s Social Media Team.
As I delve deeper into the world of aviation, I realize just how unique my introduction to flight has been. Unlike many, I didn’t grow up with my eyes fixed on the sky or obsessing over airplanes. It wasn’t until my early 20’s that I even discovered the world of general aviation. However, my childhood was spent immersed in the outdoors with a love for adventure and exploration, which laid the perfect foundation for what would come later – my introduction to the RAF.
My path to aviation was anything but straightforward. It was long, bumpy, and filled with unexpected turns, but nonetheless it’s brought me here today. Life is full of choices and moments that alter our course, shaping us in ways we can never anticipate. For me, that defining moment came in the remote wilderness of Canada, where a boating accident left me with a traumatic T10 spinal cord injury. In a single, life-shattering instant, everything changed.
I was suddenly at the edge of a life I could no longer recognize, grieving the future I had always imagined. But in the midst of that devastation, I made a choice – to pick up the cards that life had dealt me and play them with everything I had. My recovery led me down unexpected roads, introducing me to people and experiences I never would have otherwise crossed paths with. One of those first encounters was with a pilot who owned an airplane back in my hometown, a meeting that would become a pivotal turning point.
What began as an escape – flying to feel free from the weight of the world on the ground – quickly transformed into something much more profound. Becoming PIC didn’t just give me command of a machine that defied gravity – it reignited a belief in myself to take back control of my own life. The privilege of flight helped me find the courage I once knew that had been hiding out beneath the surface. Although, none of it was easy. I quickly concluded that there was no fixed path for individuals like me, I’d have to carve out my own.
As time turned aviation into a passion, along came the RAF, seamlessly weaving together the different chapters of my life. The organization felt like a rare haven – one where goodness, camaraderie, and purpose still thrived in this world. I immediately felt a deep sense of connection and community within the world of aviation.
With that sense of connection came a deep desire to give back. Aviation had been an unexpected gift in my life, and I’m determined to pay it forward. I’ve started by volunteering my time and marketing skills but aspire to do more. As someone once told me, “One day I would tell my story – how I overcame everything I went through – and it would serve as someone else’s survival guide.” So, that’s exactly what I’ve set out to do.
It has become my personal mission to advocate for those who dream of flying but are uncertain about the unique path it will take to get there. Whether by sharing my own struggles and triumphs or by being a voice for the Able Flight scholarship that gave me the chance to earn my pilot’s license, I am dedicated to making aviation accessible for all. With MOSAIC on the verge of transforming the one-size-fits-all approach to conventional FAA certifications, the opportunities for sport pilots are expanding like never before. I want to show others how they too can build an adapted airplane to fit their needs and achieve what once seemed impossible.
People often say, “The sky is the limit,” but I believe the sky should have no limits. The freedom to soar into remote backcountry places—the heart of the RAF’s mission—should be within reach for anyone bold enough to dream it. It’s the boundless sense of possibility that I hope to share with others, inspiring them to chase their own skies, no matter the adversity.
In 2020, she became an Able Flight scholarship recipient, earning her sport pilot license—an achievement that fueled her passion for aviation and led her to build her own experimental airplane. Outside of work, Peyton enjoys traveling to new destinations and cherishing time with her family and beloved dogs.
Submitted October 20, 2024.
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.
