Joe is Chairman of Hartzell Propeller and involved in the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. He is a member of EAA, RAF, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
WORTH THE READ: JOE BROWN 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 from Joe Brown, the Chairman of Hartzell Propeller.
An RAF Flatlander Reflects on Good Fortune:
Eight years ago I was standing in a stranger’s crowded living room in Bozeman, Montana.
Members of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association were gathered with a large group of RAF members who were hosting us for a weekend in the backcountry. About half the folks in the room were meeting for the first time.
One of the RAF members greeted us and said something I haven’t forgotten: “We are a campfire sort of group. At the end of our time together, we hope you will leave us with your friendship.”
He meant it. That gathering led to some of my closest friendships.
But that night, this was all new to me. I was charged with a nervous energy about what was ahead. I had spent my life in the very flat part of Ohio. I had recently finished a factory-assisted build of a Glasair Sportsman and was fresh into a tail dragger endorsement.
In other words, I was a menace.
Looking out to the Bridger Mountains that evening, I thought to myself “don’t let anyone think you know anything and listen to those that do.”
That’s how I came to know the RAF. I’ve been in that living room many times since and in lots of others too. At first I thought it was about grass strips and airplanes, but that’s just a point of entry.
Generous friendship is the bond that makes the RAF work and is the source of its rewards. The only credential you need to be a good member is neighborliness. And you have to like orange.
Is there another organization that gathers in homes all across the country? I’ve been welcomed into a dozen RAF member homes in the North West, the Mid West and the North East in the span of a few years.
Is there another organization whose members welcome you as if you were the oldest of friends as they help push your airplane into their hangar or hand you the keys to their car?
Is there another organization that takes you to the people and places that come to fill your photo files and memories?
It’s easy to be sentimental about the RAF community. I’m sitting at a desk in Piqua, Ohio but my walls are covered with photos from places farther away. I see people in jeans and orange that have told me about their families, their favorite camping site, and where to get the best burger in Manhattan. Kansas, that is. I’ve gotten hours of training and advice from those with more skill.
It was only later that I really got thinking about who these folks are outside of the RAF. They may have been camouflaged by RAF swag, but you probably passed the bread to an astronaut, or a mom who flies G650s, a combat pilot with a DFC, an airline CEO, a tech titan, a history teacher, a large-scale Pizza franchise operator and a guy that commanded the Thunderbirds. I’m sure you know what I mean about the talent in the RAF hiding its light under a bushel.
I suspect all of us have had a similar experience coming into this membership. We have plenty to celebrate in our members and the energy they have for life. One of our younger members has racked time in more airplane models than anyone I know and earned his ASEL, AMEL and ASES by a week or so into his 17th year. The chat room with updates and videos of his epic journey had about forty people cheering him on like he was our godchild.
As you get older, you tend to think about the people and activities that give meaning to your life. You think about the good fortune of family, friends and experiences with them. It’s humbling to be content.
Thank you, RAF friends, for your company and wisdom. Thank you for your helping hands in all that we do as an organization. May we always leave the backcountry and our friends glad for our visits.
Submitted on March 28, 2023.
Posted in Guest Editorial, News
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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 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
“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
RAF Virginia Liaison Paul Kosubinsky organized volunteers the weekend of May 8-9 to clean up the campsite and install new amenities at Front Royal Warren County Airport, Virginia, KFRR. Assisting were the Warren County Airport Commission and Friends of Front Royal. “Together, we accomplished an amazing amount in a short time. From removing loads of trash to installing the beautiful new RAF-branded fire ring, entrance sign, and flag pole, the campsite has already been transformed into a welcoming destination pilots and campers will enjoy for years to come,” Kosubinsky reported. The team also cut and stacked enough firewood to last several seasons to benefit future visitors. The volunteers also set up an RAF table and greeted visitors during the airport Wings and Wheels event. This public-use airport has a paved 3,000-ft runway and offers camping with access to a porta-potty, indoor restrooms, and a courtesy car. It’s known as a gateway airport to the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail. “Thank you again for helping make the KFRR Stokes Airfield Campsite something we can all be proud of. I look forward to many future gatherings around that new fire ring,” Kosubinsky added. Find more on Front Royal Warren County Airport in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 13, 2026
RAF New York Liaison Doug Turnbull organized a work party at Great Valley airfield, N56 near Salamanca, in southwestern New York on Saturday, May 2. The group of volunteers cleaned up the riverbank, performed seasonal maintenance, and added a new RAF windsock. They removed encroaching brush along the 3,200-ft turf runway to make the approach more visible. The airfield is privately owned but open for public use. “Owner Anna Northrup was very appreciative of the fellowship and that she didn’t need to worry about these things. She generously provided morning donuts and coffee and lunch from the adjacent Katy's Fly-In restaurant,” Turnbull said. “The many hands made quick work, and it was good to spend time with other RAF volunteers out in the field working on this strip,” Turnbull added. Find more on Great Valley in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 11, 2026
