WORTH THE READ: STEF GOZA 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 guest editorial is by Stef Goza, a pilot and an RAF Alaska liaison.

Backcountry Etiquette: Balancing Freedom and Responsibility

Flying in the backcountry is a privilege. It’s one that comes with a responsibility we don’t talk about enough: being a good steward.


Being a good steward isn’t complicated, and most of it is just common sense. It’s being aware of your prop wash so you’re not blasting someone’s tent into the bushes. It’s packing out what you brought in. It’s spending time at the place you just landed instead of racing off to the next “best” spot. It’s knowing that your actions, both in the air and on

the ground, speak for all of us who love backcountry flying.


Etiquette isn’t something written down; it’s something you learn from watching, listening, and caring enough to do it right.


My relationship with the backcountry is like a trust: something I’ve been given the privilege to care for. Every landing, every campfire, every quiet evening beside the airplane is part of that agreement. I get to enjoy it, but I’m also responsible for taking care of it. That trust is between pilots and the land, between freedom and responsibility.


When you camp next to your airplane, listening to the sweet sounds of the wild and wishing that moment would never end – that’s what we’re protecting. The silence. The solitude. The gratitude of realizing how lucky we are to be here.


The next generation of pilots deserves that same experience. The wide-open spaces, the challenge, the beauty of landing somewhere most people will never see. We take care of it not because someone told us to, but because we love it.


Practicing good stewardship starts with preparedness. It begins long before you take off. A solid preflight isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about knowing your airplane, your limits, and the environment you’re stepping into. Preparedness is what earns you the privilege of flying there safely and coming home with good stories instead of lessons learned the hard way.


In addition to packing out what you brought in, bring an extra trash bag and pick up those half-burned cans someone else left behind. It’s not a big deal - it takes two seconds, and it’s one of the simplest ways to be a good backcountry neighbor. Leave it better than you found it.


That also refers to inspecting where you just landed. Take a few minutes to walk the strip, checking for hazards like rocks, ruts, or debris. Noticing washouts or overgrown brush helps land managers, and who knows, your trip report might spark the next RAF work party.


Minimizing your impact isn’t about doing less; it’s about doing better. Be mindful of the marks you leave… from your tire tracks to your campfire ashes. Nobody wants to be the pilot whose ruts are still there two years later.


Being aware of others goes a long way. As more pilots explore the backcountry than ever before and as outdoor recreation continues to grow, awareness and respect matter more than ever. (2025 Outdoor Participation Trends Report)


The backcountry is big enough for all of us if we fly it with intention.


When you’re taxiing, take it slow and notice where your prop wash is headed. Shut down and be willing to push the airplane out of the way instead of blasting everyone with dust. Give others space on the strip. Be mindful of your surroundings and of those who are sharing it with you. Stay awhile and enjoy it.


Because at the end of the day, good airmanship in the backcountry isn’t just about how you handle the airplane; it’s about how you handle the privilege of being there.


Aviation author, Michael Maya Charles, once wrote, “…our approach to flying should be the same, as if someone is watching us, evaluating our every move. Because they are. No matter where we step, we leave footprints in the sand.” (1992, January. What makes a pro. Flying Magazine.)


Most of us started flying the backcountry because it makes us feel alive: the quiet, the challenge, the way the light hits the mountains while you’re sitting by your airplane, coffee in hand, thinking, I can’t believe I get to be here. That’s what we’re protecting.


The backcountry: fly it like you want to keep it…forever.

Stef Goza learned to fly as a teenager in Iowa and eventually found her way north to Alaska, where the freedom of backcountry flying became part of her everyday life. She serves as one of the Alaska State Liaisons for the Recreational Aviation Foundation and the Chair of her local 99s Chapter. 


With a background in leadership, mentoring, and community outreach, Stef brings a practical approach to aviation advocacy, working to strengthen connections within the general aviation community. Stef enjoys exploring the backcountry with her husband and capturing the beauty of their adventures through her award-winning photography. 

Submitted December 23, 2025

Posted in Guest Editorial, News

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VOLUNTEERS IMPROVE CAMPING AT NEW HAMPSHIRE AIRPARK

June 23, 2026
RAF New Hampshire Liaison John Meade coordinated a work party over the June 13-14 weekend at Hawthorne-Feather Airpark, 8B1. The paved 3,260-ft runway lies in a forested valley three miles south of Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Additionally, there is a 2,000 foot adjoining turf landing area to the East of the paved runway. The airpark is privately owned, but is open to the public, and camping is allowed. A group of 11 volunteers showed up to help, including RAF Director Bill Brine. The group helped open up five campsites on the southern end of the airfield, installed a commemorative flagpole, and weed-whacked along drainage ditches and a walking trail. “With volunteers from six different states and great weather, this was a special day, with plenty accomplished,” Meade said. Submitted June 23, 2026

WORTH THE READ: NEIL MORTINE GUEST EDITORIAL

June 18, 2026
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.

UBCP HELPS RAF REOPEN TAYLOR FLAT AND "EXPAND THE MAP"

June 17, 2026
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. “

WE'RE ALL PART OF SEE'ING

June 16, 2026
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

TWO STRIKES AND WALK AWAY

June 15, 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