Archive for 2024
On December 31, 2024 the BLM published the official Record of Decision that recognizes airstrips within the San Rafael Swell region of south central Utah. In summary, the decision retains aircraft-only access to Hidden Splendor and McKay Flat airstrips; Cliff Dweller and Sagebrush Bench airstrips are open to aircraft
RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi reports that a total of 26 volunteers signed in for this year’s 2024 work party at Blackwater Airfield (8FD3). Workers applied a fresh coat of bright white paint to the runway tires, installed the new RAF windsock and added the new RAF support sign. The barbecue grills were serviced an
The RAF has awarded California Liaison Katerina Barilov another grant to help fund continued improvements at California’s Lone Pine Airport. This 2025 project will continue the upgrade to the original terminal building that serves as a pilot shelter, meeting room, and kitchen for visitors. The terminal building had fal
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 Andrew George, the President of the Idaho Aviation Association. When I spoke at the 2024 RAF Volunteer Education Conference in Montana, I emphasized to th
The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) and the National Park Service (NPS) have renewed their cooperative agreement addressing maintenance on the three airstrips within Death Valley National Park for another five years. Originally inked in 2008 and renewed in 2017, this Memorandum of Understanding between the NPS a
The RAF is pleased to announce that as of now, you’ll find over 400 places to explore in the Airfield Guide, the interactive digital catalog showcasing great recreational airfields. In 2016, Arkansas pilots Dave Powell and Chip Gibbons created the Airfield Guide, and by 2023, it included over 300 listings. Powell said,
RAF Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell received a Holiday card from The Nature Conservancy’s Arkansas Director Roger Manghan. The entire Arkansas staff had signed it, and Roger had penned the following message that we want to share with you: “RAF is such an important org and we are so very lucky for both your partnership & f
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
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…
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. But we’d like you to know that we are an organization with no secrets, no hidden agendas, nor much else you don’t know about us. We just keep it simple. We are an organization of volunteers that set out to do some good work. The RAF asks you to support us, and when you do, we put your dollars to work getting some pretty amazing things done – so much more than we imagined when we started. We have done what we’ve done by listening and learning from you. We’re a better organization as a result, and most importantly, we are what you see – WYSIWYG. So we are asking you again this year. If you like what we do, send us a few bucks; if you love what we do, maybe send a few more. Either way we will continue to make the most with what we have and continue to be the trustworthy organization you’ve grown to know! Sincerely, RAF Board of Directors: John McKenna, Chairman Bill McGlynn, President Tim Riley, Vice President Mike Perkins, Treasurer Bill Brine Joe Brown Pete Bunce Jeff Russell Todd Simmons Steve Taylor To make a contribution to the RAF, click here . The Recreational Aviation Foundation preserves, improves, and creates airstrips for recreational access. Submitted November 26, 2024.
Recent Posts
Irene was born and raised in Los Angeles but eventually found her way to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where she quickly fell in love with the slower pace of life, the endless outdoor adventures, and the welcoming community. After spending a few years between Mississippi and Los Angeles, she knew Marquette was where she wanted to be and returned to make it home. Travel has always been one of Irene's greatest passions. Her mother once joked that she needed to find a career that could support her expensive travel habit—and she did. As a full-time flight attendant, Irene has had the opportunity to experience incredible places and cultures around the world. About five years into her airline career, a pilot casually suggested, "You should be a pilot!" Just one week later, Irene took her first flight lesson and discovered a passion for flying she never knew she had, and hasn’t looked back since. In addition to working as a full-time flight attendant, Irene is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFII/MEI) who is passionate about helping aspiring pilots achieve their aviation goals while developing the skills and confidence to become safe aviators. She is also preparing to begin her second year as a part-time high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) aviation teacher, where she enjoys introducing students to the various opportunities aviation has to offer. When she is not in the air, Irene enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on motocross/supercross races, and now volunteering with the RAF. Irene looks forward to contributing to the mission of supporting recreational aviation for future generations and cannot wait to meet the members, volunteers, and aviation enthusiasts who make this community so special. Submitted on August 11, 2026
Any of you ever tried to deal with an issue where all you wanted was to simply talk to a real person for help? Sure you have, and each of us likely has our own methods to break through the automation to a real person. To quickly bypass customer service robots, I try trigger words like "Agent" or "Supervisor" and keep my answers short. Don’t over-explain your issue. If the bot persists, you can use “nuclear" phrases like "Cancel my service,” or just repeat gibberish until the system hopefully defaults to a human. But you won’t need these tricks if you reach out to the RAF. When the RAF looks over our nearly 25-year shoulder, what we see is direct involvement by an army of people. It is people who show up at public hearings, people who have dug the holes for pilot shelter foundations, fence posts, and yes, outhouses. It is people who show up at Oshkosh to share our message and celebrate all that we have accomplished, and it is people who make you feel like you have made the right call to be an RAF volunteer or supporter. It’s not to say that automation and AI are tools to be discarded, but they are not tools that the RAF has found effective for doing the people-facing work that we do. Work that is opening a bunch of new places to go, taking care of the ones that exist, and working on issues that we see that could affect our backcountry community. In a funny little way, the more the world automates, the better the playing field is for the RAF, because we are pretty good at the human connection part. That feeling when one human being really hears what the other is saying. Thank you for helping us be a trusted member of this community. Not easy to do, but we mean it when we say, “We care.” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted August 10, 2026
FEATURING: TOOL ROLLS Whether you’re heading to the hangar, the backcountry, or your next work party, staying organized matters. The RAF Tool Roll keeps your essential tools secure, accessible, and ready when you need them most. Designed to fit conveniently in your airplane or vehicle, it features multiple zippered pouches, labeled compartments, and a durable roll-up design with built-in handles for easy transport. No more digging through a loose toolbox or searching for that one tool you need. Keep your gear organized to spend less time looking and more time flying!
Landing and camping at Taylor Flat airstrip puts your tent only a stone’s throw from the wild and scenic Green River, as it carves through spectacular Utah canyons. You can tie down and camp under your wing along the north side of the airstrip, or walk to the river and camp. Just 34 nm northeast of Vernal, you can now land at this high, remote BLM airstrip and enjoy its world-class fly fishing, but be sure to get your license before you arrive. If you packed your kayak or inflatable, there’s a boat ramp just west of the public campground. An easy 1.8-mile walk from the airstrip takes you to the historic 1880 John Jarvie Ranch, an open-air museum with hands-on exhibits showing pioneer ranch life in this remote northeast corner of Utah. This airstrip had lain dormant for thirty years, and is now open for public non-commercial use, thanks to pilots who recognized its special recreational value. The RAF worked through the steps to see that the BLM reopened it. One restoration work weekend brought twenty-five volunteers from both Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP) and the RAF who hand-picked rocks from the airstrip, painted them, and used them to mark the runway corners and thresholds. UBCP provided a new windsock pole for the new RAF windsock. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig said, “It was another demonstration of working together toward the same goal.” There are no other amenities, so be prepared with what you need, and as always, please pack everything out. Those using the airstrip are asked to be mindful of the sensitive environmental area, marked with 16-ft X’s, creating a displaced threshold on the east end of the dirt runway. The useable runway length is 2,500 feet, and the field elevation is 5,630. The area east of the runway is hazardous to aircraft operations. In addition to being a sensitive environmental area, it. is cross-crossed with ditches, and is not safe for aircraft use. Taylor Flat is another special recreational destination for pilots to visit as RAF works across the country on Expanding The Map! Find more on Taylor Flat in the Airfield Guide . You may also find user reports here on the UBCP website . Submitted July 31, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
RAF Maine Liaison Andy Rowe and former Maine Liaison/now Ambassador Steve Mason have long been advocating for and organizing improvements at several airfields in North Maine, in cooperation with North Maine Woods (NMW). Rowe was awarded an RAF grant for materials to add a shelter, picnic table, and outhouse at Estcourt Airfield (19ME) and organized RAF and NMW volunteers to provide labor.
