News

RAF Illinois Liaison Mike Purpura reports that in spite of a fog delay at Havana 9I0 (Niner India Zero), those who flew in to experience this year’s Migratory Bird-Fly-in and tour of Chautauqua Refuge on March 4 were well-rewarded. A handful of airplanes landed after the fog lifted including RAF Illinois Ambassador Dave Warner, and two…

Fellow pilot and RAF board member Tim Riley recommended that I read a book by Bill Perkins entitled Die with Zero. The gist of this book is a self-help reflection guide on “getting all you can from your life and your money”, and doing so at the appropriate times in your life.  A chapter that…

Thanks to a group of Montana pilots and RAF volunteers, you can fly into about half a million acres that is much as it was when Lewis and Clark first described it on their trip through Montana in 1805. From Ft. Benton, MT, to St. Louis, MO, the “Missouri Breaks” are the last significant chunk of ground whose face hasn’t…

This year’s RAF Founder’s Cap drawing drew a virtual crowd for a convivial 20-year celebration of the tradition. As always, only 150 numbered caps were offered for $100 each near the start of the year. The RAF fundraising campaign began 20 years ago, and the hats always sell out. On the evening of April 5, RAF Chairman John McKenna recapped a bit of…

On April 4, the RAF met virtually with U.S. Forest Service staff representing seven of the USFS’s nine Regions, and Washington, D.C. The meeting was facilitated by Scott Haas, Acting Dispersed Recreation Program Manager, and regularly District Ranger at Clear Creek, Colorado.  The USFS representatives outlined the airstrip projects and challenges in their regions. A…

April 16-22 is this year’s National Volunteer Week and the RAF proudly recognizes and honors its corps of outstanding volunteers. RAF Board Chairman John McKenna put it this way in his “Worth the Read” essay last month, “ ‘I got it’ was what built the RAF, and continues to propel it forward.” The RAF counts…

This Kuhl Burr men’s vest is one of our most popular items! It comes in the color gun metal and is made from a tough, 100% cotton canvas weave that features Kuhl’s unique dye finish. The Burr Vest gives you the versatility to adapt to changing weather conditions without overheating. Zippered pockets keep your valuables…

Creighton Island owner Frank Williams welcomed RAF volunteers the weekend of February 17-19 to cut what RAF Florida Liaison Bobby Capozzi called “an untold number of trees” encroaching along the runway. In addition to initial efforts to widen the runway, the plan is to run millable timber through the vintage sawmill that has been reassembled…