PETER BUNCE

Director

In April 2005, Peter (Pete) Bunce became President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with additional offices in Brussels, Belgium. He and the GAMA staff travel worldwide engaging regulators, policy makers and elected officials to promote general aviation and advance the interests of GAMA’s international membership of more than 73 airframe, avionics, engine and component manufacturers.


Pete retired from the United States Air Force in March 2005, with his last assignment as the Director of the Air Force Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison. During his 26 year Air Force career, Pete flew F-15s and A-10s, while commanding several large operational fighter units.

A Wisconsin native, Pete learned to fly as a teenager in the skies over southern Wisconsin. He entered the Air Force in 1979 as an honor graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He received his master’s degree in International Affairs from Troy University in 1988 and was an International Affairs Fellow at Harvard University in 1996-97.

Pete is an active pilot with more than 6,000 hours in military fighter and training aircraft as well as civil piston, turboprop and business jet aircraft. He holds FAA multi-engine, seaplane and instrument ratings and serves on the board of directors of Build a Plane, the Recreational Aviation Foundation and Veterans Airlift Command. Pete also serves as co-chair of the NextGen Institute and is a member of MITRE Corporation’s Aviation Advisory Committee.

Pete was named the 2007 Aviation Industry Leader of the Year by the Living Legends of Aviation. In December 2009, Pete was awarded the ICAS Sword of Excellence, the air show industry’s premier annual award. In January 2010, he was inducted as one of the seventy Living Legends of Aviation. Pete and his wife Patty reside in Arlington, Virginia and have six children.

202-393-1500
pbunce@theraf.org

Posted in Director

Recent Posts

SEASONAL WORK COMPLETED AT GILLETTE'S LAKEWOOD LODGE

May 26, 2026
The weekend of May 15-17 saw 39 people arrive at Gillette's Lakewood Lodge, 14WS in Wisconsin, to help clean up winter-damaged broken, downed, and dying trees and ready the property for the summer flying season. They also erected the 18-ft canvas tipi that is available in the summer months for guests to enjoy Owners Bob and Judy Gillette are passionate about aviation, after respective careers in the industry, and welcome visitors to their airfield with camping, canoeing, cycling, swimming, and fishing, all accessible from the 2,137-ft turf runway. Multiple volunteers returned who have been to every work party in the past. RAF Supporters Paul and Diane Iverson drove in from California to help out at the event. There were some new faces as well. First-time volunteer Clay Adams of Rosemount, Minnesota, flew in and camped. He’d cut trees professionally and was a huge help, according to the work party's organizer, Director Jeff Russell. “The volunteers all have the same work ethics as I do, just get it done and have fun while you are doing it,” Adams said, adding, “I joined the RAF last year and heard about Lakewood Lodge. It was a neat place and a lot of fun , and I look forward to helping out again.” Volunteers mostly drove in, with a half a dozen planes bringing more volunteers. Lunch and dinners were graciously provided by Judy  and Gillette's nephew, Max. Russell said, "We rented a wood chipper for two days, and it never stopped running. I'm amazed by how hard people work. I'm hugely grateful.” Find more about Lakewood Lodge in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 26, 2026

PLANNING YOUR SUMMER'S FLYING ADVENTURES?

May 26, 2026
The RAF Airfield Guide should be your first stop. It’s a directory of destinations with recreational and backcountry opportunities. It’s free to use, and ad-free. If you haven’t yet signed up, that’s quick and easy, too! You’ll find information on runways and amenities, safety briefings, photos, and videos on over 400* public airstrips and private airfields. You can create your own multi-stop Route that includes all the Airfield information. Foreflight users can easily convert Airfield information into a Content Pack that is uploaded automatically into ForeFlight, all at the click of a button. We invite you to add your own comments about an airfield once you’ve visited it. So no matter when your flying season gets going, the RAF Airfield Guide is your first go-to source for information and safety briefings, and it’s available online year-round. To get logged into the Airfield Guide, visit this link , and bookmark it for the future! * More listings are added as they become available. Submitted May 26, 2026 Photo Credit: Laura Benton, Trigger Gap, AR By Carmine Mowbray

WORTH THE READ: STEVE JOHNSON GUEST EDITORIAL

May 19, 2026
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 Steve Johnson, former RAF Director, Supercub.org founder, and Gold Seal CFI/MEI.

LOCK HAVEN BATH HOUSE TO GET REFURBISHED, THANKS TO RAF GRANT AND VOLUNTEERS

May 14, 2026
Lock Haven Airport, or William T. Piper Memorial Airport (KLHV), has a legendary past. From 1937 to 1984, it was the home of Piper Aircraft, where the Cub was born. The vintage aircraft community celebrates to this day with its annual “Sentimental Journey” pilgrimage fly-in, and fills the parking areas along both its paved and turf runways. For recreational pilots, it’s a great base location for fly-outs, including scenic flying opportunities over the mixed hardwood forest along the Susquehanna River. The year-round camping area has working restrooms, a pavilion to escape the elements, and a bath house that had deteriorated. RAF Pennsylvania/West Virginia Liaison Chip Vignolini and RAF Pennsylvania Liaison Andy Turner assessed the deteriorating bath house and decided to do something about it. They have been awarded an RAF grant for upgrades and refurbishment. “Our goal is to bring the bath house back to full operational capacity and improve the site’s utility,” Vignolini said. “By replacing damaged siding and applying fresh paint, the project halts deterioration. The other planned bath house and campground improvements ensure that the environment matches the prestige of the aircraft that visit.” The Sentimental Journey Board organized an initial work party in April. Volunteers have provided the specialized machinery and tools to complete the structural work and site preparation. Vignolini and Turner are now ready to line up volunteers to replace an insufficient water heater, install privacy dividers, and integrate an RAF fire ring and RAF information box. CAP volunteers will help with the project. Volunteers will be the primary workforce, bringing their own tools and expertise to the field, from licensed plumbers to seasoned handymen. “Lock Haven has always been built by the hands of those who fly there,” Vignolini said. Work will continue in May, with the goal of being completed for the 2026 season. “The campground and fire ring serve as the ‘social hangar’ where elder pilots pass down knowledge and stick-and-rudder skills to the next generation of aviators.” Vignolini added. Lock Haven Airport can be found in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 14, 2026

JUST LUCKY? OR WELL-PREPARED TO OPEN THE CHUTE?

May 13, 2026
“Wow, did they ever get lucky!” When something good happens to a person or an organization, how many times have you heard that phrase? Or maybe even said it yourself? When, in reality, there’s been long term effort building skills, cultivating a growth mindset, expanding networks, and building relationships. When all is added together, this preparation creates a situation where opportunities are likely to arise. Or said another way, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It may appear to the casual observer that the RAF is about to get real lucky real soon. We think we are about to have the year we have been waiting for – well, maybe not waiting for – but rather preparing for. Over the course of the next 12-18 months, we will be announcing more airstrip possibilities and projects than we have ever experienced in a similar period. Leadership has been thinking about this for a good long time, and we have worked hard to be ready. What does that mean? It has meant building what I believe is one of the finest groups of people in aviation. People who are ready to step up and who bring and invest the skills needed to make things happen. It means having saved some money, which gives us the ability to say “Yes” and accept opportunities and the responsibilities they bring. It means having the relationship capital with our partners, be they private or public, that is required to make progress. We want you to know that we will be calling on all of us to give our best effort so we don’t miss our chance to get “lucky.” We will need people to take charge of projects just like you have in the past. We will need people to give some time – or maybe a lot of time – if they can spare it. We will need financial resources to meet the demands that we will be called upon to provide. I think we are ready, and I further think this is going to be one of the most exciting periods we’ve seen in the RAF timeline. I hope you are all in. Since the RAF was founded out here in rodeo country, it only seems appropriate that just before the chute is opened, a simple nod of the head throws it open and signals that big action is about to happen. Here’s to a little “nod of the head.” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted May 13, 2026