To read about the RAF's accomplishments and events from 2009 including the Ryan Field Fly-In, Russian Flat, The Forest Service Memorandum-of-Understanding and more: Click Here

The RAF had a display at the AOPA 2009 Summit in Tampa Florida. Pictured in front of the booth are board members Dan Prill, Chuck Jarecki, Jerry Cain and president John McKenna.

For a detailed report on this event click on the title of this article.

Craig Fuller, President of AOPA headquartered in Frederick, MD, responded to Recreational Aviation Foundation President John McKenna’s invitation with a personal visit to Montana’s Russian Flat recently. While touring the strip and its amenities, Fuller commented, "This Russian Flat airstrip is a wonderful example of how a local pilots organization like the Montana Pilots Association in conjunction with the Recreational Aviation Foundation can work to bring a facility like this to the public."
The first public airstrip created on USFS land in over 45 years, Russian Flat is a 4,000 foot long native grass strip, ideal for recreational use. It’s adjacent to a tree-sheltered established campground and is within walking distance from the south fork of the Judith River. To allow for reseeding the strip will be open to the general public in 2010.
Accompanying Fuller in addition to McKenna were RAF Directors Jerry Cain and Dan Prill; Tim Robertson and Project Manager Jeff Patnode, both from Lewistown’s Century Paving; Pete and Becky Smith of Lewistown and several others who have provided volunteer labor and services.
Bill Ryan, AOPA pilot accompanying President Fuller summed up the general feeling, saying, "this is the reason that we all started flying so we could go to places like this, even if our lives take us in different directions, career and flying wise; we still want to be in this kind of special place."

Left to right: AOPA President Craig Fuller, RAF President John McKenna and RAF Director Jerry Cain at Russian Flat, August 6

In this issue:

• First new USFS airstrip in 40 years
• RAF fly-in celebrates Ryan Field
• USFS chief: "Airstrips right for national forests"

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The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) is an IRS 501(c) (3) Public Charity for the preservation, maintenance, and creation of recreational / backcountry airstrips across the nation. The RAF is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors and performs its mission through the volunteer efforts of state and other pilot organizations and with financial donations and grants from its supporting donor base. The RAF provides information, guidance, representation, and financial support for qualified projects and efforts. Additional information about the RAF and its activities can be found on the RAF website at www.theraf.org.

While the RAF has a few existing state liaisons, we desire to collect a database of interested persons from which to fill new positions and replace existing state liaison positions as needed in the future. The RAF donor base is currently represented in 50 states and 11 foreign countries and is growing steadily, so the need or individual state representation relevant.

In order for the RAF Board of Directors to determine the best candidates for these positions and also for interested candidates to more fully realize what is involved in being an RAF State Liaison, the RAF State Liaison Job Description and an RAF State Liaison Application Form have been posted on the RAF website. If you are interested in a state liaison position, please read the job description and then complete the application form and email it to . The Board of Directors will review your application and reply to you with our decision.

The RAF Board of Directors sincerely appreciates your interest in furthering the mission of the RAF and looks forward to hearing back from you.

To see a job description as a .pdf file - Click Here

To download a job application as a Word file- Click Here