“NOT SMART” VS “STUPID”
Not sure about you, but I likely have been both. As a recent blog post suggested, not smart is a passive act, remedied with learning, experience, and thought; while stupid is active – the result of someone who should have or could have known better, but decided to do something selfish, impulsive, or dangerous anyway.
As an organization we have concluded it is a good thing to lean in on the idea of safety and etiquette in the world of backcountry flying. Since we are in the middle of our busier summer flying season, this subject might be worth a little space.
The RAF has two pretty simple reasons for our attention to the subject.
We want to continue to see you out there in the backcountry with friends and fellow aviators enjoying this special way to see the world.
We want to make sure we do our best to be good stewards so as to attract more people to what we do, and less who want us to go away.
Aviation is unique in that the penalty for being stupid is pretty high. As a friend of mine said, “Airplanes are just not built to crash.” So we need to think about and learn from the not smart things we have done, and not sink to the stupid things we know better than to do.
The RAF has assembled a team of folks, both within the RAF as well as friends associated with the RAF to tell the safety and etiquette story as best we can. We surely don’t know it all, and would like to think of our community as best in class when it comes to willingness to learn.
With that in mind I am going to ask that you help us out. For sure, we want you to get out in the backcountry. After all, the reason we exist is to protect the ability to access and enjoy these special places. So here is what I would like you to do for me. Please leave a comment on this story with your best or favorite tip that pertains to backcountry safety and or etiquette. I am betting we will learn some things from each of you. If we might already know it, well, it won’t hurt to be reminded.
And last but not least, if you see something either not smart or worse yet – stupid…say something. The best way for us to be a better community is to talk to one another. Do your best to be both constructive and positive. No better way to promote safety and etiquette.
Looking forward to seeing you out flying.
– John McKenna, RAF Chairman
Submitted July 15, 2025
Always be aware of prop wash, both start up and when turning to tie down.
John, what a diplomatic way to approach this very important topic of safety and etiquette. Thank you for starting this conversation. For the most part, I feel that our back-country culture is well-behaved and considerate. Unfortunately we seem to lose people every year to a back-country aircraft accident or two. As you mentioned, not smart, or in this case, not “back-country smart” can be fatal. However; non smart could be remedied with learning, experience and thought. Specifically back-country flight training, then gaining thoughtful back-country experience by applying what was gleaned from someone else’s experience. It is up to those of us who have experience in the back-country to encourage those interested in exploring this new adventure, to seek mountain flying training. I was a 5000 hour corporate pilot the first time I flew from North Dakota to Johnson Creek in a Maule. When we landed I told my wife that I was not going anywhere until I found someone to tach me how to fly out there. After three days, Dale and auto mechanic from California took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. The following year I got training from Lori in McCall. We simply don’t know what we don’t know without proper instruction. I also learned what was expected from a responsible back -country pilot in terms of etiquette. In short, don’t let pride kill you, seek knowledge. Experience is the best teacher, as long as it is someone else’s experience. -Mark-
If you don’t bring chocks and use rocks instead, make sure you move them away so other aircraft don’t roll over them. Grass may grow after you leave and obscure the rocks.
If you’re new to the backcountry, hire an experienced backcountry CFI to go with you in your airplane and make sure you learn good backcountry technique before you try it alone.
Don’t do long runups, especially early in the morning.
NO STRIP BAGGING!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE #1 REASON WE GET COMPLAINTS!
Don’t fly with a big group of aircraft; each plane with only one person. You multiply the noise. Share your plane with others.
Don’t land and then take off…that’s strip bagging. Land, and stay all day or overnight. Go fishing, hiking, camping, hunting, read a book, gaze at the stars, or just relax.
Always fly on the right side of the canyon (from your perspective), unless wind conditions don’t allow. This leaves you room to turn around and if everyone does that, you’re less likely to hit someone. Every accident is another reason for non-pilots to want the backcountry closed.
Bring an empty trash bag and pick up any trash you see, whether or not it’s yours.
Make sure your fire is DEAD before you leave it, and don’t have a campfire at all if they’re not allowed.
Don’t fly low in the canyons unless you are in the process of taking off or landing. In Idaho, cruise at around 9.500 feet MSL, which will allow you better visibility, be safer in case of engine trouble, and make less noise on the ground.
If there’s an outhouse, bring an extra toilet paper roll or two, and leave it/them for others.
Never operate on muddy runways. You’ll leave ruts which will dry as hard as rock and might cause an accident or incident for someone else. A work party will have to come out and repair the runway.
When you park, don’t crowd the runway! Be sure your plane is far enough away that it won’t get clipped by the wing of an aircraft operating on the runway.
Bring extra food and water in case someone else needs some.
Practice your short and soft field techniques away from the backcountry.