Christine Mortine had a twenty-five year career as a classical musician before shifting from conducting instruments to flying by them. She is a full time flight instructor and FAA appointment designated pilot examiner. She was fortunate to grow up camping and backpacking for weeks at a time, and continues to this day. She volunteers as an RAF Ohio Liaison.
WORTH THE READ: CHRISTINE MORTINE GUEST EDITORIAL
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 Christine Mortine, a CFI and an RAF Liaison.
A Family of Independents, A Community of Joy:
If you hang a suet feeder for woodpeckers, use the type with an extender for their tails. Bluebirds and chickadees don’t need it, but the woodpeckers do. I love seeing a Downy swoop in, land, using three points of contact – two feet and a tail – mains and a tailwheel.
I connect with woodpeckers, as they are often solo, at the feeder or navigating through the forest. I enjoy flying solo too, especially cross country. A former flight student reached out and asked if he could join me flying from Ohio to Ryan Field, Montana. I didn’t reply right away, and he wisely sent another note saying, ‘What was I thinking! I know you covet alone time in your plane!” Thanks to his follow-up note, we did fly that cross country together. And it was great. Maybe I should do that more often.
I see my bird feeders stay unused for hours, then suddenly, like a dinner bell for birds’ ears only, they all come at once. Call me crazy, but I also relate to that as a pilot. We are scattered everywhere and when a fly-in gets organized, we converge all at once. Those are the times lifelong memories are made.
While at an RAF Fly-In at Bob and Judy Gillette’s Lakewood Lodge, I declined the gracious offer of a bed in a bedroom in favor of my tent, to their utter surprise. Sleep eluded me that night as I didn’t want to miss a thing in the delicious space away from a city. I was rewarded with a long, melancholy owl duet in the middle of the night, all under a bright full moon. What is it with me and birds?
Pilots, by the very nature of the job, are independent. To land in a backcountry field and have all you need for days requires that skill. Herding a bunch of independent types and creating one of the best darn organizations around is just what the RAF has managed to create.
I flew two RAF-interested pilots to North Fox Island, 6Y3. Before heading out I called Brad Frederick to check conditions and see if there was anything I could do while there. He said everything was pretty good and to let him know how high the runway turf had gotten. Our trip day arrived, and while flying over the runway for a healthy look, we spied a parked aircraft. I’ll be darned if Brad hadn’t shown up that morning to mow the field for us. That’s the RAF Way.
When I needed a new C185 to replace the one that took care of me in an unplanned off-field landing, it didn’t take long for our RAF family to find an amazing replacement, from an amazing RAF member. So “Red Fox” stays in the family.
When I was invited to write this piece, a part of me thought I should write about flight instruction and such, as I’m blessed to be serving in that profession. But I keep coming back to the RAF community. Yes, there’s significance in the places we save, news we spread, the safety we promote. But for this solo natured bird, the community is a highlight. A former concert soprano who showed up to rehearsals with no makeup and wearing hiking boots, I am a happy camper in this aviation world, and with the RAF family.
I love being a part of our honorable, kind, hard working flock. Unlike our backyard birds, we clean up our messes, leaving a place better than we found it, and with the joy of partnerships flying both near and far!
Posted in Guest Editorial, News
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Mike overseeing the St. Ignatius Autumn Pumpkin Drop to benefit local children (pictured on the right).
When we start a new year, we’re tempted to focus only on what lies out in front of us. Yet, what does lie out front is generally some result of the past. To begin, the RAF would like to thank each of you who have responded to our year-end outreach, where we – as best we can – politely ask for your financial support. For those of you who have already responded, thank you, and for those who have yet to do so, we look forward to hearing from you. I was on the phone with long-time friend and early RAF director Tim Clifford. Tim and I were talking about how we best keep in touch with early RAF friends. Even more important, how do we express to you about those people who came before us, and what they accomplished? Dave Myrick of Arkansas was just one such guy. Not even quite sure how Dave entered the RAF, but when he did, we immediately knew he was going to be a family member you were always glad to see. Before there was a Trigger Gap or a Richland Creek, it was Dave who drove (yes, drove) around much of what we know as the heart of the Arkansas backcountry. He did so with the help of a small grant facilitated by the RAF and the Walton Family Foundation. He would get in his little pickup and drive up and down just about every farm road in the Ozarks. He’d take time to meet and talk to landowners and tell them of the backcountry aviation community’s interest in having “places to go.” He was pretty darn effective, as he was the catalyst for what we all know now as the Arkansas backcountry, Fly Oz, and, in general, just great relationships. When not seeking permission to land, he could be found working at a display table telling the RAF story, going to the state legislature to advocate for aviation in the statutes, and rustling up new enthusiastic supporters. When we learned that Dave had passed in 2024, we remembered him as a standout among so many who have built the RAF. People who cared deeply and worked to make it better for all of us. So, what I would like to ask is that we all keep the folks who have done so much to make this RAF thing work close to our hearts. Next time you enjoy something that’s pretty darn cool, like Trigger Gap, it probably happened because of people like Dave. With that same spirit, let’s all look forward to what lies ahead, and step right up to the bar of 2026; and like Dave would have said, say, “This one’s on me!” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted January 7, 2025.
The 2026 Hat is a limited-edition oilcloth cap designed to celebrate another year of achieving our mission! Featuring the water-resistant and durable oilcloth fabric, this hat is built for your next backcountry adventure. Get your 2026 RAF hat here before they sell out! If you have questions, please email contact@theraf.org or call 406-582-1723. Your RAF Outfitter purchase is greatly appreciated and furthers the mission to preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. You can support the RAF mission all year by shopping at the RAF Outfitter online store. Products are being added regularly, and items are thoughtfully selected for durability and suitability for pilots, by pilots. We welcome photos of supporters using RAF gear! Please send your images to ewhite@theraf.org , and let us know if we have permission to post them on social media or our website. Submitted January 5, 2026.
The RAF has some remarkable friends, and among them was long time generous RAF supporter Charlie Kuyk, retired USAF Major-General. Folks may remember that Charlie and USAF Colonel and NASA Astronaut Frank Borman were good friends, dating back to their time together at West Point in the late '40s. Charlie went into bombers, and Frank went into fighters, but they stayed fast friends through their lives. Frank passed away in 2023 in Billings, MT, and we regret to report that Charlie passed away this December in Gig Harbor, WA, at age 99½. “We were fortunate to reunite these two a couple of times as they told stories of their lifetimes, with then-RAF Director Pete Bunce graciously acting as moderator,” RAF President Bill McGlynn said. “The joke was that everyone understood why Charlie became a three-star general, while Frank remained a colonel. Frank's retort was that he logged more flight hours than Charlie by flying around the moon.” Charlie had an amazing 36-year military career spanning the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base and an Air Force Wing Commander, and a general officer in the R&D division of the Air Staff at the Pentagon, where he oversaw the development of the Cruise missile systems and stealth aircraft technology. “Most importantly, Charlie stood out as a good friend and an avid aviator, never losing his enthusiasm to climb into airplanes like ours, and go fly with someone,” McGlynn said, adding, “Blue skies and tailwinds, Charlie. You are remembered fondly.” Submitted December 31, 2025.
When RAF friends gather around the fire hub at an airfield, there’s always a good story to be told. We have brought that love of storytelling into digital format with RAF Podcasts, and hope you enjoy hearing the variety of perspectives shared on the topic of recreational aviation. Each podcast is hosted by RAF President Bill McGlynn, whose easygoing interviewing style naturally brings out some wonderful stories from our interviewees. Enjoy listening on theraf.org under the News tab, or search for “The RAF and Backcountry Flying” on your favorite podcast app, such as Spotify or Apple Podcasts . Submitted December 31, 2025.
