Preserving the Freedom to Fly: The RAF’s Mission for America’s Airstrips

Since the founding of the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), our mission has been clear—preserve, improve, and create airstrips for recreational access. What began as a small group of pilots saving threatened strips on national lands has grown into a national movement.

In the coming Plane + Pilot issues, I will use this column space to bring you updates from airstrips pertinent to each issue, news on reopened runways, volunteer updates, and a look at the advocacy work that keeps the RAF going. 

The RAF, for which I serve as president, was born in 2003 out of necessity. At the time, a significant number of airstrips on national lands were threatened with closure. Had it not been for a small, dedicated group organizing a larger movement, those runways would likely have been lost forever.

We know all too well that once a backcountry airstrip is closed, reopening it requires years of monumental effort, if it happens at all. RAF volunteers recently celebrated the reopening of a Utah strip that had been shuttered for 30 years, and this spring, an airstrip in California’s Southern Sierra will welcome aircraft again after 15 years of persistent advocacy.

People often ask, “Why all this effort for a short, remote strip in the middle of nowhere?” Our volunteers have a common retort: “For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation is possible.”

Stepping out of an airplane into a remote landscape, far from the reach of civilization, is nothing short of transformational. Environmentalist and author John Muir once captured this feeling perfectly: “I go into the wild to lose my mind and find my soul.” Sharing that magic around a campfire with friends and family creates the kind of memories that last a lifetime.

While Texas is the largest state in the Lower 48, it lacks the vast public lands prevalent in the West. To bridge this gap, the RAF collaborates with state agencies and private landowners to identify airstrips with exceptional “user-experience” potential, crafting solutions for both owners and the general aviation community. 

Many aviators are already familiar with the stunning landscapes of Big Bend National Park, accessible via Lajitas (T89) or Big Bend Ranch (3T9), which offer everything from river hiking to world-class golf.  However, the RAF is focused on even more rustic developments farther west and south. We have been working closely with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) to open and improve airstrips within the Devils River State Natural Area (DRSNA).

The primary airstrip at DRSNA is so remote that an airplane is, in fact, the most feasible way to reach this pristine site. It is a ruggedly beautiful country, offering mountaintop views of surrounding canyons—the perfect place to sit under a wing with a hot cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. We are in the planning and design phase to refurbish the runway surface and provide improved campsites, complete with covered tables and composting toilets.

The excitement surrounding this project is a precursor of things to come. The RAF has waited a long time for the opportunity to open more of the Texas backcountry to aviators, and in the TPWD, we finally have the partner to make that goal a reality.