News

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 Nicolas Chabbert, the Senior Vice President of Daher’s Aircraft Division and CEO of DAHER Aircraft, Inc and Kodiak Aircraft, Inc. As the world’s oldest airplane manufacturer in…

RAF Arkansas Liaison Harper Goodwin used an RAF grant and the help of Arkansas Liaison Dave Powell and a host of volunteers to build fencing for an observation area at Trigger Gap airfield, 17A. “Sixteen faithful volunteers were on hand for a full day of hard work on November 18. With the good turnout and…

When you look over your shoulder at your last twenty years, it’s not so hard to find some Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda’s. As they say, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Looking back on the RAF with the closing of our twentieth year, it is a time of reflection. But we find very few Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda’s. From our…

If you were fortunate, you’d have had the chance to meet Frank Borman out at a small airport. Maybe he’d just landed after a bird’s eye view of his ranch near Bighorn, Montana with his son Fred. Frank’s fascination with aviation never wavered, and after his stellar career as an astronaut and airline executive, he…

The following is a press release announced by the U.S. Forest Service Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest Public Affairs Officer. Recreational Aviation Foundation President Bill McGlynn “considers getting to fly into Moose Creek a real privilege” as do many of his fellow aviation enthusiasts. So, when he learned that there was a volunteer opportunity that he…

Washington Island airport, 2P2 is special for a lot of reasons, one of which is that for the last 70 years, the local Lions Club has hosted an annual Whitefish Boil. The well-loved event draws scores of airplanes to land on what RAF Director Jeff Russell calls, “its two generous turf runways that are always in remarkable shape.” Both are a bit over 2,200 feet…

Each month we highlight an airstrip with hopes that you will get out and enjoy these special places. This month, we’re featuring Sacaton, New Mexico. There are plenty of reasons to enjoy recreating at Sacaton Airstrip, NM16 near Buckhorn, New Mexico. The runway lies on a “finger mesa” along the Gila Wilderness, America’s first federally designated wilderness. “It will…

As we approach Thanksgiving, the first of the holiday season, I find myself thinking about how we should spend that day. That part isn’t so hard. It usually involves gathering with friends and family, eating some good food and sharing some good time together. Not a heavy lift. Also not too difficult, is to simply…

It may be out there, but we don’t know of another organization with such dedicated volunteers. We feel the RAF stands out with its more than 11,000 supporters spread throughout our entire country – six time zones – and functions nearly entirely on volunteer efforts. “Around 150 volunteers are actively working year-round on RAF mission-related…

RAF California Ambassador Jeremy Lezin reports that Las Trancas airstrip (17CL) on a bluff above the Pacific shore north of Monterey Bay “received a much-needed haircut” in early November. He and RAF supporters Barry Porter and Ken Locke-Paddon rented a large Kubota tractor and flail mower to chop down aggressive weeds and bushes surrounding the…