Archive for 2018
RAF New Mexico Liaison Ron Keller learned of a proposed rule change by the New Mexico Game Commission that would have limited aircraft use, and had the potential to limit recreational aviation. The Game Commission was intent on banning aerial game scouting by eliminating the long standing “48 hour rule”. The new proposal would have…
RAF California Liaison Rick Lach learned in 2011 that Chicken Strip within Death Valley National Park was threatened with permanent closure. Over the years, seasonal washouts triggered the RAF to complete spring maintenance to return the strip to a safe condition. Last summer, the NPS developed five draft Alternatives for the Saline Valley, one of which…
Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge, encompasses a vast and remote region with dramatic changes in elevation, terrain, climate and vegetation. Carved by the Wild and Scenic Snake River, Hells Canyon plunges more than a mile below Oregon’s west rim, and 8,000 feet below snowcapped He Devil Peak of Idaho’s Seven Devils Mountains. The…
Oregon recently gained a new backcountry airfield, developed with RAF assistance. The Mountain Views Airfield is located on a working dry wheat farm, about eight miles northwest of Condon, OR. The 1,650 ft x 40 ft turf runway can be challenging on hot, windy days, which are quite common in the area. The presence of 1,200 ft tall wind…
The RAF recently learned the history of an Oregon gem, Pacific City State Airport (KPFC), thanks to David Inman, vice president of Friends of Pacific City State Airport. Nestled in the middle of a small Oregon coastal town, the airport lies near rivers, a beautiful beach, and a picturesque cape. Fishing dories launch directly into the surf. …
The RAF is thrilled that the FAA officially activated Trigger Gap with a permanent identifier on September 19. Trigger Gap, (17A) is a new 3,000-ft recreational airstrip, conceived and built with RAF leadership through private donations. It lies on lands managed by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in NW Arkansas’ Ozarks above the Kings River. “The…
Five years ago, RAF California Liaison Rick Lach initiated conversation with the BLM about reopening Johannesburg Airport in California, a two-runway dirt airport which appeared on charts until the 1970s. The airstrip served the nearby communities of Randsburg and Johannesburg, which are both functioning gold and quartz mining settlements that date back to the 1800s. Gold…
RAF Ambassador Eric Davis, his father Gary, RAF Ambassador Joe DeLeon, and RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi were on hand to accomplish more goals at Georgia’s Creighton Island the weekend of July 28-29. Bobby flew in 300 lbs of new grills and concrete, which were installed by Joe and Gary who also repaired the pavilion lighting and…
The second annual RAF/EAA Chapter 42 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park fly-in and maintenance party concluded successfully over the July 13-15 weekend. A dozen airplanes participated. Exotics like a Stinson, Helio-Courier and a Glastar joined the Cessnas, Pipers, and others. Another 15 vehicles made the long trip overland including 60 miles of gravel along the historic Copper River and Northwestern Railway right of way.…
To celebrate the addition of another premier recreational flying destination, the RAF held a Grand Opening July 7 at Two Hearted airstrip, in Michigan’s Lake Superior State Forest. “Two Hearted is a spectacular end-of-the-road destination,” RAF chairman John McKenna said, as the ceremonial ribbon was about to be cut. “A must-visit for the adventurous and competent backcountry pilot.…
Recent Posts
At about this time, every year, we have this conversation at the RAF about what our year end letter (code for asking for your financial support) should say to you, and about the RAF and the accomplishments of the past year.
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.
Bill credits aviation for much of his success in business and the ability to serve his companies and family. What began in a Champ, and a Tri-Pacer owned by five people, turned into what Bill calls, “a key business tool” in which he accumulated 9,000 hours – in a Cheyenne, a Pilatus, and a TBM, where ninety-five percent of his flying was for business. “My retirement enabled me to recall ‘Why I Learned to Fly’, a slogan from an old RAF video.” Bill’s son, Patrick, purchased the C185 they now share. “While attending a business function, some associates arrived in corporate jets. As they joined up on the tarmac, the jet pilots gathered around Patrick’s 185, and one of the passengers asked, ‘What’s special about this?’ No explanation needed for this RAF audience,” Bill says. “My involvement in the RAF is, in a partial way, repaying the rewards aviation has endowed me with. Having been involved in many worthwhile nonprofits, this is one where financial support is only part of the picture. Physically participating in great projects that have a lasting effect, with good people, returns a great personal benefit,” he says. “My only regret is that I wasn’t there at the start.” Bill and his wife Jane are privileged to be able to split time between their long-time home in eastern Nebraska and Scottsdale, Arizona. While still serving on several boards, he enjoys golf “about every third shot,” biking, cars, and reading, but always looks forward to the time he can be involved in the RAF. “It’s flying with a purpose,” he adds. Bill can be reached at bdugan@theraf.org
AR Ambassador
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.
