November 2024 - Recreational Aviation Foundation

2024 RAF YEAR END LETTER – WYSIWYG

Every year I sit down to write this letter and give you a sense of why we do what we do, and how you help. The inspiration for me this year is, “What you see is what you get”, or “WYSIWYG,” coined two decades before the RAF, so we can’t take credit for the phrase.…

RAF LEADS RESTORATION EFFORTS ON GEORGIA’S GOLDEN ISLES GEM

Recreational Aviation Foundation volunteers are leading the charge to give an airfield on remote Patterson Island a second life. Read the story from FLYING Magazine here.

NEW RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AT RED PINE

Visitors to Maine’s Red Pine airfield along the Saint John River can tie their airplane down at the north end and use a new picnic shelter and outhouse nearby, saving the long walk to the camping area on the south end of the 2,354 ft runway. RAF Maine Liaison Andy Rowe drove in for the October 22 work day to…

WORTH THE READ: CHARLIE GREGOIRE 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 month’s guest editorial is by Charlie Gregoire, the President/COO of Redbird Flight Simulations and an RAF Volunteer. A few months ago, Clay Simmons wrote a Guest Editorial that I thought hit the…

VOLUNTEER WITH THE RAF IN 2025

Are you passionate about preserving special places to fly and want to get more involved with the RAF? We’d love to have you join our enthusiastic and dedicated group of volunteers! We are currently seeking a variety of volunteers to help us achieve the RAF mission of preserving, improving and creating airstrips for recreational access.…

Chuck and Judy Aldrian

“Buy a Maule,” Bob Gillette said to his friend Chuck Aldrian when Chuck retired from his Milwaukee-based architectural firm. Chuck had been regularly flying his Cessna 310R to oversee his projects all over the country, from groundbreaking, through the ribbon cuttings. Chuck’s wife Judy points out that the twin was a wonderful way to take…

DOING OUR PART TO PRESERVE WILDERNESS ACCESS

Did you know there are now 803 Wilderness Areas covering more than 111.7 million acres in the continental US and Alaska? The US Forest Service manages the majority of these areas, followed by the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. There are even more Wilderness Study Areas, (WSAs) with…

IT’S SORT OF LIKE THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Is it your turn – or maybe your family tradition – to host for the holidays? I’m betting you do all you can to make the special time together both memorable and fun. You hope to make each member of the family and guest feel special, as well as happy they made the journey to…

FIND HOLIDAY TREASURES AT THE RAF OUTFITTER

Happy Holidays! To help you gear up for the giving season, we’re taking 10% off everything at the RAF Outfitter, our online store. Shop the RAF Outfitter for 10% off!

MATT FOSTER

Director Matt Foster grew up immersed in aviation. At a young age, Matt’s dad introduced him to flying and camping in the Idaho backcountry. He was a successful business owner who was able to use General Aviation aircraft for business as well as pleasure. Raised on an airpark, Matt soloed on his sixteenth birthday, got his private at age 17,…