In this issue, we venture to a unique area of general aviation: backcountry flying. The topic is special for me as tailwheels make up a large percentage of my flying experience. I began my flight training in a Piper J-3 Cub, learning the “old school” way with three-point landings, a grass runway and a taildragger. And while I had initially been concerned flying would be riddled with an overwhelming amount of buttons, processes and radio calls, in the Cub, I was met with only a handful of basic instruments. Looking back, the experience taught me a proper understanding of the feel of the airplane – and it was a blast.
In the years since, I have accumulated additional flight hours with my father, Randy Groom, in another incredible tailwheel – and true bush plane: an Aviat Husky. Mainly, we’ve enjoyed local scenic flights accompanied by practice landings at a grass strip or an airport breakfast stop. But in his nearly 15 years of Husky ownership, my father has taken the airplane far beyond breakfast runs – trekking across the country on multiple adventures, primarily in the Northwest and Southwest.
Also a Bonanza owner with thousands of hours in high-performance pistons and turbines, I asked him what sets backcountry flying apart.
“Backcountry flying is absolutely magical. It can take you to beautiful remote strips, some of which would otherwise take hours to get to by ground vehicle, if at all. Idaho and Utah are my favorites, with well-established, published public-access airstrips. And stunning scenery.”
While “off-road” operations are not a typical focus in Twin & Turbine, a unique organization recently came to my attention that is of relevance to many of our readers and industry as a whole: the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF).
The RAF focuses on preserving, improving, and creating backcountry airstrips for general aviation use throughout the United States. The Montana-based nonprofit partners with national and state government organizations to identify new areas for airstrips and then assists with their funding. The group also commonly works with private landowners wishing to donate, create or maintain their private airstrip for pilots to access and enjoy for decades to come. In short, the RAF is in the business of backcountry airport development and protection.
“We are to airplanes what Ducks Unlimited is to ducks – we’re here to preserve and protect our backcountry aviation habitats,” said John McKenna Jr., the Chairman of the RAF. “We want to partner with public and private owners and help advocate to keep their unique airstrips open.”
I met with John McKenna Jr. and Bill McGlynn, president of the RAF, during EAA AirVenture last year and was fascinated to hear more about the mission and its passionate members behind the scenes. Support takes many forms, from partnerships to donations (i.e., land, equipment, monetary) to good old manual labor.
Since its founding in 2003, the RAF has grown to more than 10,000 supporters, and the group is always seeking new partnerships and members. Whether you own a backcountry airplane, enjoy the occasional recreational adventure, or simply wish to support an important component of GA infrastructure, you can learn far more about the RAF mission within our cover story on page 10.
“The RAF membership includes a long list of owners and operators of twin-engine, cabin-class, turbine-powered aircraft,” said McKenna. “Whether solely for recreation or as a supplemental lift for business, our members also love to fly aircraft with the unique capabilities needed to access the remote and hard-to-reach strips that the RAF supports.”
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