Dan found time to learn to play the fiddle, and enjoys bluegrass music. At the time of this writing, he and his son Ted are preparing to fly the RV-7 that they completed in his shop at home in Sand Coulee. Their youngest son’s family lives close by, and their daughter is fulfilling a Navy career, currently based in San Diego.
Dan Prill
Dan Prill of Sand Coulee, Montana, has interests as varied as the snacks aisle at your supermarket. From flying his Cessna 185 off his own airfield, to the slower pace of trolling for fish in his kayak.
For many summers, Dan and his wife Margie flew their SuperCub on floats to his family’s rustic fly-in fishing lodge on Prill Lake in Saskatchewan. The couple treated fly-in guests to comfortable rooms, mornings fishing in the lake, abundant meals of fresh-caught walleye, Margie’s homemade blueberry pies, and a cooler full of adult beverages, all flown in.
Engineering runs in Dan’s family, and Ted and his twin brother Tom surprised Dan with a custom fabricated kayak trailer that he uses in Montana and Arizona to enjoy river and lake fishing. Dan and Margie also find great sport plying the Arizona, California, and Nevada deserts on their side-by-side, basing out of Quartzsite, Arizona in the winter.
A founding director of the Recreational Aviation Foundation, Dan served on its board for ten years; eight years as Vice President. “The RAF is especially proud of Dan’s work throughout the approval and construction of Russian Flat airstrip in Montana’s Lewis and Clark National Forest,” RAF Chairman John McKenna said.
“The RAF has always taken the ‘high road’ when dealing with policy makers. Our data is science based, and we approach issues in a kind and courteous manner,” Dan says. That approach had results, and in cooperation with the Montana Pilots Association, and the USFS District Ranger, the first new airstrip on U.S. Forest Service land in over forty years was opened for public use. Dan stayed on the task throughout seven years of meetings and two more years of construction, with all RAF and MPA volunteer labor. His efforts earned him an RAF Golden Pulaski Award, which honors exceptional volunteers for their hard work on behalf of the RAF.
“While working in Montana, we formed our mission and learned the right way to do things,” Dan says. The RAF then used those principles to advance its mission throughout the country. Early on, Dan was asked to accompany McKenna and other RAF volunteers to meet officially with federal lands managers in Washington, D.C. He met a half dozen times face-to-face with decision makers, always wearing the signature orange RAF shirt. On one of the trips, he and McKenna were invited to a formal Senate reception. McKenna looked at Dan in his orange shirt and jeans.
“You packed a white shirt, tie, and jacket?” McKenna asked.
Dan took a cab to the closest menswear store, took out his credit card and bought new black shoes, slacks, white shirt and sport jacket to be appropriately dressed. “I did buy an orange tie,” he quipped. His time and expense paid off. As a result of those meetings, the USFS Planning Rule now acknowledges the importance of recreational aviation.
Margie is just as devoted to the RAF mission, and has helped staff many trade shows and events. She cooks, serves, and turns out sweet baked goods at fly-ins, cheerfully including KP duty, and keeps the kids entertained with games and activities. Margie also serves as an RAF VP of Appreciation and has hand-written over a thousand thank you cards – and counting.
Prills have always included their family in their pursuit of recreational aviation, and both Ted and Tom are pilots. Tom and Dan helped roof the pilot shelter at Ryan Field. Dan and Margie have included their grandkids in aviation activities since they were tots, and the photogenic kids have appeared in many Ryan Field images. “We know how important it is to preserve this opportunity for future generations,” Margie says.
“Margie and I treasure the friendships we’ve made during our association with the RAF,” Dan says. As Director Emeritus, Dan still advocates for the RAF. He urges others to “support the organization by volunteering or donating, and enjoy the resources of recreational and backcountry airstrips. It’s why we do this. It’s why we learned to fly, so go enjoy them,” he adds.
Submitted July 14, 2023.
Posted in Featured Supporters
Recent Posts
Giant City State Park in southern Illinois has posted a survey asking for public comment on reopening its backcountry airstrip. Your RAF Illinois State Liaison, Mike Purpura, and Illinois Ambassador Dave Warner have diligently worked for several years to bring this exciting project to fruition. This recreational asset will provide access to a place in southern Illinois with distinctive geography, geology, and plant and animal diversity. The State Park offers abundant fishing, hunting, and hiking opportunities throughout its 4,000+ acres. Giant City airstrip stands to be a true gem in the region for pilots if opened back up for public use. Your Help is Needed Click on the link below to access the Community Feedback Survey and provide comments supporting the reopening of the airstrip.
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 guest editorial is by Chris Nugent, Arizona Pilots Association President and RAF Supporter.
Thanks to an RAF grant awarded to Oregon Ambassador Sarah Brown and Oregon Liaison Richard Mayes, volunteers have completed improvements at Siletz Bay State Airport (S45) on the Oregon coast. Twenty-seven volunteers led by Brown met on April 17 to clean up the camping sites and replace the rusted fire rings and collapsed wooden picnic tables. The project was conducted in partnership with the Oregon Department of Aviation.
RAF Wyoming Liaison Joe Feiler has tapped his passion for teaching and is applying an innovative approach to building a pilot's shelter or “ramada” at Lusk Airport in southeastern Wyoming. Feiler was awarded an RAF grant for materials for this planned 12 x 20-ft ponderosa timber-framed structure, and he has gathered a team of career and technical education teachers from all over Wyoming to collaborate on the structure, to be built of Wyoming-made materials. “While it would be relatively easy to gather a small group of pilots and construct a basic shelter in just a few days, the true value of this project lies in the collaboration and educational opportunities it creates,” Feiler said. The project begins with Casper College engineering students providing plans. The timbers will be milled at the Devils Tower Wood Products sawmill located in Hulett, WY. The University of Wyoming will host a timber framing workshop, offering graduate credit to career and technical education educators interested in expanding their knowledge of timber framing. Local pilot volunteers from the Lusk community will work alongside Career and Technical education teachers to construct the 12 x 24-ft concrete pad. The final phase of the project will be the erection of the ramada, completed by SkillsUSA middle school students for their community service project, which will be entered in the 2027 Wyoming State SkillsUSA contest. Gold medalists advance to the national competition. “It is noteworthy that these students earned a national gold medal in 2025 for a previous Lusk community service project,” Feiler pointed out. Each student participant will benefit from the practical experience in carpentry and woodworking, construction planning and safety, team-based project execution, and gain the skills aligned with Wyoming’s workforce needs. “By intentionally integrating education, industry, and community needs, this project becomes more than a pilots’ shelter—it becomes a hands-on learning environment and a showcase of high‑quality construction using locally sourced materials,” Feiler added. Learn more about Lusk by visiting the Airfield Guide . Submitted April 14, 2026
