WORTH THE READ: MATHIEU LABS 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 guest editorial is by Mathieu Labs, a pilot, and RAF Vice President of Appreciation.

A Life in Flight – From My First Ride to Giving Back:

My aviation story really started before I can even remember. When I was just a year old, my grandpa, Bob Ross, put me in his Cessna 150, N11630, for my very first ride. That might have been the only time I ever needed a seat cushion to see over the dash, being tall has its perks. Before he passed, we shared countless flights across Wisconsin and even made it to Oshkosh together more than once. I remember him waking up at sunrise for the show, dragging me out onto the grass in my sleeping bag, and when he returned from his shower, I was still half-asleep. Years later, when I earned my Private Pilot License, I finally got to return the favor. I took him up in a Cessna 172. He didn’t touch the controls that time, but the smile on his face told me everything I needed to know.

Since then, aviation has been a constant part of my daily life. I’ve been lucky enough to experience things I never would have dreamed of, like flying hammerheads over Monterey Bay in an Extra 300 with Sean D. Tucker, or proposing to my wife in a Cessna 172 over a snow-covered landscape. None of those moments would have happened without my grandpa giving me that first ride.

I’ve found myself deeply involved in the aviation community through a handful of organizations that I love for different reasons. With EAA Chapter 1710, I serve as President and Young Eagles Coordinator. Through the Civil Air Patrol, I fly as an Orientation, VFR, and Transport Mission Pilot. With the Recreational Aviation Foundation, I help out as one of VPs of Appreciation, personally writing thank you notes to our donors. And with the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame, I get to write and share stories that inspire others. Across all of these, the most rewarding part has been giving back, flying over 400 Young Eagles and 40 CAP cadets, and watching their faces light up when they take the controls for the very first time.

One of the things I look forward to most lately is spending PTO time at Gillette’s Lakewood Lodge (14WS) for the RAF’s spring and fall work parties. People always say nonprofits feel like family, but with the RAF, it’s absolutely true. At my first spring work party, I was welcomed like I’d been part of the group forever. We worked hard, but between the meals, the laughter, and the stories, I think I left with just as much weight as I lost sweating out in the field. I even wrote an article about that experience, which ended up getting some great traction.

This fall’s work party was just as special. Over 40 volunteers showed up, and I told the organizer we’d finish before Sunday, which he didn’t believe. By early Saturday afternoon, everything was done. That’s the kind of energy and teamwork you find at these events. Beyond the work, it’s about the friendships you make, the people you meet at fly-ins, through mutual friends, or sometimes folks who aren’t even pilots at all but come to support Bob and Judy’s incredible work at the lodge.

At the end of the day, aviation has given me so much more than just flying. It’s given me community, purpose, and memories that will stay with me forever. I always encourage others to give back however they can. Whether it’s flying Young Eagles, joining a local chapter, or picking up a shovel at a work party, every effort makes a difference. Aviation may be a small world, but the impact we leave on others can be huge.

Mathieu’s love of aviation started at the age of 1 when his grandpa gave him a ride in his Cessna 150. Since then, he has been to OSH every year since 1990. Mathieu attended the University of Dubuque for aviation management and marketing, received his MBA, and serves as a Senior Logistics Coordinator, providing support to Fortune 500 companies. Mathieu likes flying around Wisconsin with his wife Lauren in a Cessna 172 or Citabria. When Mathieu isn’t flying, he enjoys doing any outdoor activity and traveling with his two 4-legged kids Moose & Zanna, competing at dock diving events.

Submitted October 22, 2025