Joe Feiler

RAF supporter Joe Feiler of Casper, Wyoming loads his tools into his Cessna Cardinal and brings his skills where the RAF is making an impact. Joe’s 35-years teaching Career and Technical education included woodworking, carpentry, and welding, and he readily puts his knowledge and experience to work as a volunteer. “I learned Tim Riley was trying to establish a campground at Driggs, Idaho. I reached out to him, offering financial help and skills. He suggested picnic tables so I got the material, welded up some frames. I flew to Driggs to camp and really enjoyed helping put up the gazebo, as well.” Ever since, Joe has shown up wherever he could, with tools and a great attitude, and projects materialized.

The Ben and Butchie Ryan story intrigued Joe, and he flew into Ryan Field and got involved helping build the barn and cabins, all the while feeling a closeness with the late Ben Ryan. Joe’s father was a World War II fighter pilot stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack. “Like most veterans, he never talked about it,” Joe says. Like Ben, Joe’s father was forced to bail out over the Pacific, earning eligibility for membership in the “Caterpillar Club.” Airman Feiler narrowly avoided the fatal outcome of his formation partner. The flying boat intended to rescue Feiler was damaged in the landing due to rough seas, and had to be towed back to the harbor with a Naval vessel. He survived this ordeal, and wrote a detailed account of it. “I have Dad’s foot locker full of combat reports, photos, historical newspaper clippings and the letters he wrote from Pearl,” Joe says, who muses if perhaps his father and Ben Ryan may have ever crossed paths during their military service. 


After the war, Lt. Col. Feiler flew P-51 Mustangs for the Iowa National Guard. Joe was always intrigued with aviation, and enrolled in a ground school at an early age, but struggled to move forward in aviation as many younger people do, without good mentorship. He finally had the time to invest in getting his own license, “kind of coming to flying late, compared to some.” He learned to fly “in the wind” in Casper, partnered on a Cessna 182, got involved with the Civil Air Patrol, then bought his Cardinal. He says it was a breakthrough moment in his life. “Flying out of Casper, I suddenly realized how accessible the backcountry is. The airplane gives you the ability to get out early, set up camp, and you have the rest of the day to recreate.” 


Joe is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying backpacking, horse packing, and climbing, and says, “None of it has given me more enjoyment than aviation.” He sees a clear parallel to his passion for education. “When I got my pilot license, I was told it was my ticket to learn, and my chance to constantly improve my skills.” He admits the Cardinal is not commonly thought of as a backcountry plane, but with attention to conditions, it has taken Joe and his wife Julie into many Idaho and Montana backcountry fields. 



Joe has memberships in other professional and sport organizations, and says, “All organizations have their mission, but what I see that separates the RAF from other organizations is the great people. They share a passion for aviation and work hard toward common goals. I’ve never met a better group of people who enjoy working on a common cause, then enjoy sharing the fruits of their labor.”

Having experienced Ryan Field, as much to work as to relax, he deeply appreciates that Ben and Butchie have shared the place with others. Next time you fly into Ryan Field, you may get the chance to meet Joe and Julie, as they have volunteered for camp host duties again. It’s likely that Joe will have his tools and will show you whatever improvements are underway.

Top photo: Julie and Joe with their airplane at Ryan Field.

Submitted on January 14, 2021.

    Recent Posts

RAF OUTFITTER JULY FEATURED COLLECTION

July 5, 2026
FEATURING: RAF PULASKI GLASSES Raise a glass to the work that keeps backcountry aviation alive! These RAF Pulaski Glasses are a perfect addition to your bar or a thoughtful gift for any aviation or backcountry enthusiast. Each glass features the RAF’s signature Pulaski tool, a tribute to the hardworking volunteers who preserve, improve, and protect airstrips across the country. Just like the tool itself, these glasses celebrate grit, utility, and a commitment to getting the job done. The Pulaski is a versatile, heavy-duty tool used for trail building, chopping wood, and clearing brush, making it an essential part of backcountry work for RAF volunteers. Made in the USA from high-quality glass, they’re built to last. Get yours today. 

FEATURED AIRSTRIP: DRIGGS-REED MEMORIAL, ID

By Carmine Mowbray • July 1, 2026
You’d have a hard time finding a more beautiful place to fly than Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (KDIJ). The Grand Teton, Big Hole, and Snake River mountain ranges surround this eastern Idaho valley. Driggs has become a world-class destination for the pilot community. National Geographic magazine listed Driggs as “one of the ten best outdoor recreation destinations in the U.S.” Just a 45-minute drive over Teton Pass is Jackson, Wyoming, a famous Western destination. The airport, at an elevation of 6,257, accommodates aircraft on both its 7,300-ft paved runway and 3,000-ft turf landing area, marked with cones. Note: The SW 3,451 feet of the paved runway is closed until August for reconstruction. Check NOTAMS before landing. Fly-in visitors are welcome to camp underwing at its grassy tie-down area. It’s an ideal gateway to the Idaho backcountry. Enjoy views of the nearby Teton Range from the 12' x 16' cedar pilot shelter. There is potable water, a toilet, power, a gas barbecue, and a charging station nearby. Within walking distance of the campground is the Forage restaurant. A bike shed and loaner bikes, provided by the Idaho Aviation Association Borrow-A-Bike program, are available to ride into town. If you desire a more urban experience or wish to explore further, the airport has rental cars. “It’s a great destination for the pilot community, with access to hiking, biking, fishing, floating, golf and a small town with numerous shops and restaurants,” RAF Director and Driggs resident Tim Riley says. He and a local RAF supporter recently completed a spring cleanup to ready it for the season. The amenities were provided cooperatively through the RAF, the Idaho Aviation Association (IAA), the City of Driggs, and its Airport Board, with financial contributions from each. For more information on Driggs, see the Airfield Guide . Submitted July 1, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE SEASONAL TASKS AT RYAN FIELD

June 30, 2026
It’s bear grass season around West Glacier, Montana, and nearly a score of volunteers from three different states drove in to Ryan Field June 12-13 to complete seasonal maintenance, and enjoyed spotting the showy blooms throughout the woods. Bear scat was also seen in several places – a reminder that a clean camp protects both campers and wildlife. The airfield remains closed until the new runway grass has stabilized for landing, so watch the Airfield Guide for an announcement that the field has re-opened. As a result, there was no annual Ryan Fly-in this year. Volunteers removed downed trees, cleared and marked hiking trails, mowed around the buildings and part of the runway, cleaned bear boxes, the pilot shelter, cabins, and barn. “We welcomed new volunteers and continue to work hard maintaining the field. We are as eager as everyone for the grass to take good hold so the runway can open again,” Administrative Director Tricia McKenna said. Submitted June 30, 2026

MAGEE, ID FLOOD MITIGATION ASSESSMENT BEGINS

June 26, 2026
RAF President Bill McGlynn met in mid-June with the US Forest Service, Idaho Dept of Aeronautics, and Idaho Aviation Association to evaluate steps to improve Magee (S77) airstrip, 23 nm east of Coeur d’Alene. On the way, Bill picked up Joe Sober, one of two airport engineers from Oklahoma City who have volunteered their professional services and have been instrumental in creating maintenance and remediation plans on Idaho backcountry airstrips. “The Forest Service engineering teams have too much on their plate just addressing roads, so having this resource to make airstrip engineering assessments and plans is instrumental to resolving challenges on USFS airstrips like Magee,” McGlynn said. The improvement project at Magee has been organized through a Cost Share Agreement that the RAF has with the USFS. McGlynn, Sober, Willy Acton of the Idaho Airstrip Network, along with USFS District Ranger Holly Hampton, Don Macintosh of IAA, Dan Conner of Idaho Aeronautics, and RAF Idaho Ambassador George Weaver investigated the sources of flooding that plague Magee airstrip every spring and analyzed means of redirecting the problematic water. Magee airstrip was created in the 1940s by the Corps of Engineers as a hidden fighter base in case of a Japanese attack on the western US coast. A dike that was built to channel water away from the runway has eroded over the past eighty years. Sober took numerous measurements and will develop a plan to submit to the USFS for approval. Work could begin over the next year or two to recover about 700 feet of runway. “We truly could not do this work without our volunteer engineers and are very fortunate to have their expertise,” McGlynn said. Weaver said, “The airstrip is a real gem, and the restoration work will make it a great backcountry destination.” Submitted June 28, 2026

TEAMWORK GETS THINGS DONE AT HISTORIC MEDICINE BOW, WYOMING

June 26, 2026
“It was really nice to spend some time with Wyoming folks cleaning up a little piece of history,” RAF WY/UT Ambassador Karen Larson said of the May 30 work party at Medicine Bow airport, on the historic US airmail route. RAF Wyoming Liaison Joe Feiler organized the work and reports that about 15 people with a wide range of backgrounds arrived at 9 am to help. Attendees included RAF supporters, EAA Chapter 420 members, local residents, as well as Lee Cook, Medicine Bow airport board member and town council member.