YOU LIKELY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER

I suspect there are times when you ask yourself – or someone you trust – a question you were scratching your head on. Questions like, “Should I or shouldn’t I? Right or wrong? Good idea or bad?” I’ll further speculate that when you ask one of those questions, you likely already know the answer. Or, as my mom would say, “If you gotta ask, then ‘No’ is likely the right answer.”


This bit of wisdom applies in the RAF world; probably in yours, as well.


Did we adequately thank this person for their contribution to the RAF? That’s pretty simple. Sincerely saying thanks again is never the wrong answer. You just cannot say how much you appreciate someone enough. Particularly when they are donating their time, treasure, or talent.


When someone does something that could bring ill will to our mission, such as bad behavior at one of our favorite airstrips, do I remain silent? No. Even if it’s uncomfortable, the wrong answer is to let the action go by and not say anything. Courtesy and tact bring the best outcome, and I have found that most responses are favorable, usually with a reply like, “Gee … I didn’t even realize.”

Do I depart now even though it’s hot, the strip is shorter than I am used to, and I have a full airplane? “No” is the right answer here and when we find ourselves even asking the question, we should remain on the ground. The successful end to any aviation journey starts with questions like these. Be careful of those answers that tend toward “No”.

Do I depend on others to make the backcountry a better place? Well, again this is a “No.” We are a pretty small slice of the aviation pie, so it is going to take all of us to get the job done, leaving it better than we found it. Others did that for us, and now it’s our turn. Helping out in whatever way you can is valuable. If we all lean in a little, it will all add up to a lot toward our goal of preserving this privilege we enjoy so much.


So keep asking yourself those questions, and when the answer seems more than a little obvious, then ask yourself these questions: 


What can I do to help move the ball down the field? 

How can I personally be a better, safer pilot and set a good example? 

How can I help just a little more? 

And finally: 

How can I be that person that people seek out because they appreciate what we’ve done; that person who is invited to come sit around their campfire and share our RAF story?

So, with the summer flying season upon us, get out there, have fun, be safe, and for sure don’t miss an opportunity to wave the RAF flag.

– John McKenna, RAF Chairman

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RAF ADDS MICHIGAN LIAISON SCOTT ANTTILA

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A Christmas gift of flight lessons from his parents started Scott Anttila’s aviation journey in 1985. “I learned at Johnson Field, a small grass strip tucked into the woods in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and that early exposure to simple backcountry flying stuck with me,” Scott says. Growing up in the U.P., he spent a lot of time outdoors and found that flying was another way to get to the places he liked to explore—especially the ones most people never saw. As he earned more ratings and eventually moved to the Detroit area for work, Scott realized he needed a way to stay connected to northern Michigan. He bought an airplane and used it to get back to the smaller airstrips and lake country he enjoyed. Along the way, he also flew gliders out of Frankfort, soaring along the Sleeping Bear Dunes and towing sailplanes over the Great Lakes. “Those flights gave me a different appreciation for the landscape and made me even more interested in the small, out-of-the-way airports scattered around the state,” he says. Visiting those kinds of places, Scott first came across the Recreational Aviation Foundation. He started using RAF-supported airstrips both inside and outside Michigan. “I noticed how well-kept they were and how much access they opened up,” he says, adding, ”Over the years, I’ve watched a number of grass strips close, which made the RAF’s mission feel especially important to me. Maintaining these airstrips keeps aviation connected to the outdoors and makes it possible for more people to reach the quiet, remote areas that inspired me to fly in the first place.” Scott joins the other two RAF Michigan Liaisons, General Grant and Tanmoy Ganguly. He can be reached at santtila@theraf.org . Submitted December 11, 2025.