WORTH THE READ: WENDY LESSIG 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 Wendy Lessig, a pilot and an RAF Utah Liaison.

Passion - Patience - Perseverance

There is no instruction manual for how to be an RAF Liaison. Every Liaison has their own unique set of skills, experience, and motivation, but I can guarantee that every single one has a passion for the RAF mission – to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational use.


It was a bit daunting at first to be appointed as the RAF Utah Liaison. The other RAF State Liaisons across the country seemed to have lots of amazing airstrip improvement projects – pilot shelters, showers, fire rings, pit toilets – and there was none of that in Utah. All of the Utah backcountry airstrips are primitive and probably destined to stay that way. You have to provide your own tent if you want shelter, haul your own water for a spit bath, gather rocks yourself for a fire ring (do not forget to fetch your own firewood), and bring a shovel for #2. Also, bring your own food, because there are no grocery stores or restaurants anywhere nearby. None of the RAF projects in other states seemed to be applicable to Utah.


It became clear that Utah has a different set of recreational airstrip challenges and opportunities. Utah has the third-highest percentage of public land, about two-thirds, behind Alaska and Nevada. There are 121 airstrips in Utah on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Most of these are backcountry airstrips that have existed and been in use since the Cold War uranium mining boom, dating as far back as the 1950s. Many of the airstrips have breathtaking views of Utah’s red rock canyons, nearby historical sights, and camping under a billion stars at night. Utah’s airstrips offer recreation like no other place on earth.


The BLM land management plans do not prohibit airstrips, but most of the airstrips have not been named as an allowable use, either. If the airstrips are not specifically authorized in the BLM plans, the privilege of their use and enjoyment could be lost. So, this RAF Utah Liaison dove in headfirst into the BLM world of NEPA, which is the review and decision-making process that every U.S. federal agency follows. There has been abundant support from RAF experts and resources whose guidance and experience with federal land management have been invaluable. There is still a lot to learn.


Preserving the backcountry airstrips in Utah has been like peeling an onion, but with persistence instead of tears. The outer layers have been easier, with Calls To Action and the help from RAF supporters who sent public comments to the BLM, which has resulted in 20 airstrips being added directly to the BLM land management plans so far.


It was easy enough to gather backcountry aviation information and coordinate input from other stakeholders to help the BLM with their NEPA review and approval to reopen Taylor Flat Airstrip, which had been closed for 30 years. Generous RAF grants to fund required archaeological surveys bumped 10 airstrips in southern Utah to the front of the

BLM’s NEPA review queue. These, along with two additional airstrips, are expected to be approved by the BLM very soon.


The airstrip successes make the hard work and diligence worthwhile, but authorized airstrips are not the only success. A BLM-RAF relationship has been built on trust and mutual cooperation. The BLM now seeks RAF input as a backcountry aviation resource. Together, we have laid the groundwork and precedents that will benefit

future airstrip reviews by the BLM. It turns out, there really is an instruction manual for how to be an RAF Liaison. It starts with that first step and continues with passion, patience, and perseverance.

Wendy was introduced to aviation as a five-year-old when her family transferred overseas, but she had no dream of becoming a pilot. That all changed when, as a solution to a transportation problem, she took her first flight in a single-engine airplane to visit college friends. Wendy was hooked! Just three months later, she’d earned her private pilot license, and she has been flying ever since, earning more ratings along the way. Wendy continues to hone her backcountry flying skills in Utah, Idaho, and Montana, flying across the lower 48 states and even to Baja. Always an eager volunteer, Wendy continues to work hard helping preserve backcountry airstrips at work parties. She knows the importance of commenting on government actions that affect backcountry airstrips.

Submitted February 16, 2026

Posted in Guest Editorial, News

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RAF OUTFITTER JULY FEATURED COLLECTION

July 5, 2026
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. 

FEATURED AIRSTRIP: DRIGGS-REED MEMORIAL, ID

By Carmine Mowbray • July 1, 2026
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

VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE SEASONAL TASKS AT RYAN FIELD

June 30, 2026
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

MAGEE, ID FLOOD MITIGATION ASSESSMENT BEGINS

June 26, 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

TEAMWORK GETS THINGS DONE AT HISTORIC MEDICINE BOW, WYOMING

June 26, 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.