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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RAF OUTFITTER AUGUST FEATURED COLLECTION

August 5, 2026
FEATURING: TOOL ROLLS Whether you’re heading to the hangar, the backcountry, or your next work party, staying organized matters. The RAF Tool Roll keeps your essential tools secure, accessible, and ready when you need them most. Designed to fit conveniently in your airplane or vehicle, it features multiple zippered pouches, labeled compartments, and a durable roll-up design with built-in handles for easy transport. No more digging through a loose toolbox or searching for that one tool you need. Keep your gear organized to spend less time looking and more time flying!

FEATURED AIRSTRIP: TAYLOR FLAT, UT

By Carmine Mowbray • July 31, 2026
Landing and camping at Taylor Flat airstrip puts your tent only a stone’s throw from the wild and scenic Green River, as it carves through spectacular Utah canyons. You can tie down and camp under your wing along the north side of the airstrip, or walk to the river and camp. Just 34 nm northeast of Vernal, you can now land at this high, remote BLM airstrip and enjoy its world-class fly fishing, but be sure to get your license before you arrive. If you packed your kayak or inflatable, there’s a boat ramp just west of the public campground. An easy 1.8-mile walk from the airstrip takes you to the historic 1880 John Jarvie Ranch, an open-air museum with hands-on exhibits showing pioneer ranch life in this remote northeast corner of Utah. This airstrip had lain dormant for thirty years, and is now open for public non-commercial use, thanks to pilots who recognized its special recreational value. The RAF worked through the steps to see that the BLM reopened it. One restoration work weekend brought twenty-five volunteers from both Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP) and the RAF who hand-picked rocks from the airstrip, painted them, and used them to mark the runway corners and thresholds. UBCP provided a new windsock pole for the new RAF windsock. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig said, “It was another demonstration of working together toward the same goal.” There are no other amenities, so be prepared with what you need, and as always, please pack everything out. Those using the airstrip are asked to be mindful of the sensitive environmental area, marked with 16-ft X’s, creating a displaced threshold on the east end of the dirt runway. The useable runway length is 2,500 feet, and the field elevation is 5,630. The area east of the runway is hazardous to aircraft operations. In addition to being a sensitive environmental area, it. is cross-crossed with ditches, and is not safe for aircraft use. Taylor Flat is another special recreational destination for pilots to visit as RAF works across the country on Expanding The Map! Find more on Taylor Flat in the Airfield Guide . You may also find user reports here on the UBCP website . Submitted July 31, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

RAF GRANT ADDS CAMPGROUND AMENITIES AT ESTCOURT STATION

July 30, 2026
RAF Maine Liaison Andy Rowe and former Maine Liaison/now Ambassador Steve Mason have long been advocating for and organizing improvements at several airfields in North Maine, in cooperation with North Maine Woods (NMW). Rowe was awarded an RAF grant for materials to add a shelter, picnic table, and outhouse at Estcourt Airfield (19ME) and organized RAF and NMW volunteers to provide labor.

RAF EXPANDS THE MAP WITH "FLY ROCKY TOP" AIRSTRIP NETWORK

July 29, 2026
The new Fly Rocky Top airstrip network, developed by the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), is now open to backcountry aviation enthusiasts. Located in East Tennessee, Fly Rocky Top is a "basecamp and outpost" concept for regional aviation exploration, adding the Southeast to a growing collection of well-recognized recreational airstrip networks across the country, including Fly Oz in Arkansas and others in the West and Southwest. Fly Rocky Top is the most significant achievement to date of the RAF's Expanding the Map initiative, a nationwide effort focused on opening, improving, and restoring access to airstrips, helping connect aviators to more of the places they love to explore. Named and inspired by local culture, each Fly Rocky Top airstrip has unique features, amenities, and recreational options that embody the mission and spirit of the RAF. The new network is in the heart of a region nationally recognized for its unique topography that includes the Obed Wild and Scenic River, Big South Fork National Recreation Area, Cumberland Plateau, and Great Smoky Mountains… altogether a landscape uniquely suited to backcountry aviation. Rockwood Municipal Airport, RKW, anchors the network with its 2,400-ft manicured turf landing area and is designed with backcountry flyers in mind. Rockwood Aviation, which operates RKW, offers products and services for pilots to engage in tailwheel, backcountry, and recreational flying, including training, service, and support. City of Rockwood Mayor Jason Jolly highlighted the significance of Rockwood Airport to the community and East Tennessee. Mayor Jolly said, "We are a national recreation destination and the progress at Rockwood Airport and the surrounding network of airstrips is just the latest step in our region's growth and development for adventurers and enthusiasts." The Fly Rocky Top network is unique in that the initial collection of airstrips – with more planned – are a combination of both public lands and privately owned property with the common desire to welcome the flying public. Specific new airstrips in the Fly Rocky Top network include Smuggler's Landing, a grass landing area at RKW (with tent camping and a welcoming pavilion planned), McGraw's Backyard (5TN4), Robbin's Farm, and Tellico Plains (85TN). An additional outpost, Sawbriar, will be ready in August 2026. More airstrips are in the process of being added and will appear on the Fly Rocky Top webpage . Plans continue to add amenities to each RAF Fly Rocky Top airstrip, including accessible flush toilets and timber-framed shelters where camping is available. Other attractions include access to world-class upland bird hunting, hiking, some of the nation’s best trout fishing, kayaking/canoeing on the Clinch and Tennessee Rivers, and a 44-mile Water Trail on Beaver Creek. Select airstrips have access to meals and accommodations. RAF Co-founder and Chairman John McKenna highlighted what makes this opening so important. “Fly Rocky Top is not just a new airstrip network; it’s also a group of pilots who are passionate about aviation, stewardship, and the great outdoors,” he said. “Fly Rocky Top will connect Southeast pilots, landowners, and outdoor enthusiasts alike with the shared mission to preserve access to the region's wild beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities.”

VOLUNTEERS FLY IN FOR ANNUAL WORK AT SCHAFER MEADOWS

July 29, 2026
RAF Montana Liaison Scott Newpower organizes the annual Montana Pilots Association and RAF cooperative work party at Schafer Meadows USFS airstrip, and on Saturday, July 18, nearly two dozen volunteers flew in to help. The airstrip lies in the Great Bear Wilderness, so work is limited to hand tools. A special thanks to Montana Aeronautics Aviation Support Officer Stephen Torske and the team at MT Aeronautics for their support.