But it takes a lot of work to host these events.  For years, MASA has been hosting IAMA at the EAA Airventure event with increasing excellence.  Now, a new opportunity has surfaced because of the gernerous and high-energy efforts of people like John Hoke and Robert and Teena Ray.  John Hoke and the Ray’s have assembled a MASA – Florida chapter that will allow more mission aviation organizations to be represented at Sun ‘n Fun this year.  Thanks guys, for the great work.   And Check Out what they are doing!

Now, with over 3 million people in need of emergency aid, there is much work to be done.  With massive amounts of supplies coming and  thousands of people still in need of critical medical attention, the aviation teams in Haiti have been running full speed.  Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), working in partnership with other organizations such as Missionary Flights International (MFI), Samaritan’s Purse, and JAARS, estimates that to date, they have transported some 3500 passengers and moved over 1,000,000 pounds of cargo – primarily medical supplies.

One such passenger was a young lady named Julane, who was injured with a spinal injury.  MAF organized her evacuation and put her on a Samaritan’s Purse Kodiak and flown to Port au Prince by Mark Wuerrffel, a JAARS pilot. This kind of partnering and sharing is what makes this huge relief effort work.

There is still much work to be done.  Please pray for the safety of the hard working crews in Haiti.

From the beginning, Missionary Flights International (MFI) has been providing a critical air link between Haiti and the US.  Having served in Haiti for many years, MFI was already in place when the need arose.

Other organizations immediately put their resources on the table and began partnering as necessary to get the job done.  On February 4, JAARS Pilots, Steve Otaviano and Jerry Gardener, flew a Samaritan’s Purse Kodiak to Haiti.  They joined the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) operation in Port-au-Prince, and the next day began relief flying.

As of February 14, MAF had reported that they had moved “10 tons of food over the last few days”, having transported an estimated 3200 passengers and 670,000 pounds of cargo.

IAMA will continue to facilitate the work of mission aviation around the world so the body of Christ will be well equipped to answer the call for help in the time of need.

Course Information

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Download Application

Download Schedule

Survival Training Extraordinaire

This is as good as it gets, folks.  Every once in awhile, a special offer comes along that simply can’t be ignored, and that’s what we have here.  Thanks to a cooperative effort between MSI, Moody Aviation, and especially a dedicated team of instructors from Emergency Response International (ERI), some top-notch survival training is being made available to the mission aviation community at an incredibly low price.  Trust me, these ERI guys are good.  They train many of the world’s best—be it military, special ops, industry executives, or the like—and now they are using their talents to serve the mission aviation world.

The initial training session will be held June 14-18, 2010 at the Moody Aviation facilities at Felts Field in Spokane, WA.  By design, this training will be broad spectrum, covering a wide variety of topics and environments.  Class size is limited and priority will be given to Safety and Training staff who can multiply the effectiveness of this course by incorporating what they learn into their own organizational training.

The training is being provided at cost with those costs being divided equally among participants.  Estimated costs per person for the week are between $250-300.

Course Detail

This is a pilot program specifically designed for mission aviation aircrews that operate in some of the most remote regions of the world.  It is presented by Emergency Response International (ERI) in cooperation with Mission Safety International and Moody Aviation.

The course will be held 14 – 18 June 2010 at Moody Aviation, 6719 East Rudder Ave, Spokane, Washington 99212.  Classes begin at Moody at 0800 on Monday, 14 June and will conclude by 1700 on Friday, 18 June.  Contact information is included at the end of this list.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to Spokane, all meals and lodging, and transportation to and from the field training.  Car pooling is recommended.

Training will consist of classroom discussions, field activities including an overnight bivouac, and water training in a swimming pool using the Shallow Water Egress Trainer (SWET).  During field students will construct their own shelters and will spend the night in them.  Certain materials will be provided to assist with shelter construction.  A  Survival Handbook will be provided and will be used as the course text, along with numerous handouts.

The following list of clothing and equipment will be needed for the various labs and the field portion of the survival course, adjusted as needed for weather and environment.  However, we do not recommend that you buy a lot of new gear for this training.  This is an opportunity to try out what you have and to find out what really works and what does not.

Pool Lab

Swim suit and tee shirt are acceptable. Old tennis, beach shoes or dive booties recommended. No leather shoes, boots or belts. Bring a towel and dry clothes to change into after the exercise.

Field Training

The field training will be conducted in a wooded area within an hour’s drive of Spokane.  Weather is typically warm and dry with a chance of thunderstorms.  The nights may be cool.

Student Clothing and Equipment List

Pack: Large enough for the items on the equipment list.  A water proof cover, such as a large trash bag, is recommended.

Clothing:  For 1 day and 1 night of field training, suitable for the terrain and anticipated weather conditions

Boots: Suitable for the terrain and anticipated weather conditions

Gloves: Leather recommended for shelter construction and other tasks

Water proof shell layer: Includes jacket with hood and pants, either Gore-tex or coated material.

Head protection: A hat with a brim for sun/rain protection.  A large bandana to augment sun and wind protection is recommended and a stocking cap may be appropriate for cool nights…

Personal survival kit: Bring any items that you might normally carry for outdoor activities.  This is a good opportunity to try out clothing and equipment

Sunscreen and Chap Stick: Essential!

Sun glasses: Wrap-around for maximum sun protection are recommended.

Base-plate type compass: Basic orienteering style compass such as a Brunton or a Silva.   Lensatic compass acceptable but not recommended.

Multi-tool: Gerber, Leatherman, etc

Headlamp and Flashlight: A headlamp for working at night is recommended along with a backup flashlight and extra batteries.

Canteen, water bottle, Camelback, or other water container:

Cup: Metal cup that can be heated over a fire recommended.

550 Line: Also known as parachute cord or para cord, 7-strand, minimum of 50’

Signal Mirror: Glass with aim hole recommended

Whistle: Plastic, not metal

Fixed-blade knife: Durable full-shank utility knife for general use and wood splitting.

Saw: Utility saw such as the Pocket Chain Saw or Gerber or Buck folding saw

Food: Enough for 3 meals (1 day and 1 night) in the field.  MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) recommended, or other high carbohydrate foods

Sleeping Bag: A light-weight bag or a bivouac sack should be sufficient.

Sleeping Pad: A closed-cell foam pad or a self-inflating pad such as a Therm-a-Rest recommended.

Applications and course coordination

Stephen Quigg, Mission Safety International
Phone:  717.284.4788

Download Application

Email:  CaptainQuigg@netzero.net

Questions about schedules, activities and equipment

Download Schedule

Ralph Wilfong, Director of Operations, Emergency Response International
Office:  509.443.1377
Cell:  509.993.0092
Email:  emtspec@comcast.net
Web Site:  www.eri-online.com

Questions about Moody and the Spokane area

Allison Pfening, Moody Aviation
Office:  509.535.4051 Ext 256
Email:  Allison.Pfening@moody.edu

Download Application

On August 1, 2009 a mission operated 1976 Cessna U206 equipped with Monarch fiberglass tanks to replace the bladder tanks, and Flint tip tanks experienced a loss of engine power while conducting a low level photo flight over a slum area just outside the traffic pattern at home base. While gliding toward a forced landing, the aircraft struck a utility pole, the ground, and a building, catching on fire. The pilot and front seat passenger were fatally injured. The two photographers in the back received non-life threatening injuries. No mechanical discrepancies were found, and the fuel was not contaminated.

On October 22, 2009 a mission training operated 1977 Cessna U206 equipped with bladder tanks and Flint tip tanks experienced a loss of engine power while flying at gross weight over mountainous terrain. The aircraft struck trees and the ground, catching fire. The instructor and commercially rated trainee were fatally injured. No mechanical discrepancies were found, and the fuel was not contaminated.

Have you experienced, or are you aware of similar power losses in similar aircraft, even momentary?

We would like to hear from you if you have experienced even momentary power loss in Cessna 206 aircraft, especially if it was a normally aspirated one with bladder tanks. We would also like to hear from you if you have information that might be helpful in solving the mysteries as to the cause of these events.

Contact Jon Egeler at jegeler@msisafety.org or call 423-542-8892 or 423-502-9460 or Skype:  jonegeler

Where are we heading? IAMA is committed to providing increasingly valuable member services and benefits, and encouraging cooperation and mutual success of all our members. Further major developments of the website are underway, with plans to begin listing services being offered with ways to rate them by those who have used them; a screening function for initial inquiries, so people wanting to get involved with missionary aviation are pointed to the ministries most suited to their interests and skills; listing of resources available; listing of resources needed; contact information for key people in organizations; listing of important documents and reference materials; and the list goes on.

Along with the website, our newsletter is being published online and sent out primarily by email. This not only saves a lot of postage, but people get it faster, and continue to get it when they move or go on furlough.

IAMA continues to seek an Executive Director who can help develop the organization and bring together all the different people who want to support and promote missionary aviation. A job description has been drafted and agreed upon by the Board, and we are now seeking funding for the position.

Jerry Miel, the IAMA Vice President, has graciously agreed to serve as the official Office Manager for IAMA, so we have a new address. It is:

IAMA
P.O. Box 5612
Tucson, AZ 85703

520-908-7122

The very active IAMA Board is shouldering much of the work now, with Jerry taking the office responsibilities, Jack Sluiter covering the website and newsletter, Bill Jones taking care of trademarking our logos, Scott handling minutes and agendas, and  Vic, John A., Jack and me serving on the website committee. This arrangement is enabling us to get a lot done even when we are very busy with our primary ministries.

One other area of note is that we are encouraging individuals who are interested in supporting missionary aviation in any form to join IAMA as associate members. For a nominal fee of $50, they will get regular updates on what is happening in missionary aviation, and the dues they pay will go a long way toward increasing the benefits to all the IAMA members. Now is a good time to encourage someone to join IAMA!

Jon Egeler
IAMA President

Please contact Gordon Hanna if you have any information.
gordon@hannalink.net

Date: 6 August, 2001
Jack Sluiter

Ya’ know, it started out like any other day. Up at 5:00 am to get the airplane ready and off the water by 7:30. Everything was going as planned and nothing was going to set this day apart as anything strange or unusual. That was until I called in to our home base at noon. I was sitting in a little jungle village (five or six houses) eating my lunch while I waited for passengers. They were coming by canoe from someplace unknown and would maybe be another hour before they arrived.

So I called Lisa on the radio to update what was happening. When I contacted her, the flight coordinator advised me that there was a medical emergency in Atsakus, another small jungle village (as if there was anything other than small jungle villages around). It happened that there was a women who had been in labor for three days and still had not given birth. They needed to get her to a hospital today or she may not live through the night. Since Atsakus was a river village without a runway, and I was sitting in the only float plane flying in Peru, it dawned on me that I might have to change my schedule.

Upon arriving at Atsakus I found our sick passenger in a large canoe being attended by several people. As they pulled the canoe along side the plane, I removed two of the seats so she could lie down. She was still in labor as she was making her way from the canoe to the airplane. Mind you this was her third day of labor. I said a prayer, asking the Lord to have mercy on this woman and to save her life and the life of the baby. I have to say that in all my schooling, I was not prepared for this day.

After giving an abbreviated briefing (“Here’s your seatbelts, here’s the door, I’ll be up front”) we pushed off for our trip back to Pucallpa. I stayed as low as practical weighing the pros and cons between passenger comfort and keeping enough altitude between me and the expanse of endless jungle below me. Before I picked them up, my boss had given me directions on what to do if my passenger died during flight. He didn’t prepare me for what came next.

SAMAIR: We Deliver

We were passing Yurimaguas, (Not a small jungle village) when the husband got my attention and said, “She’s giving birth. Now!” My first reaction was, well, she’s been giving birth for the last three days, what’s new? He convinced me they were serious so I called the tower at Yurimaguas and advised them I had a medical emergency and would be landing at their river port. The next time I looked back I could tell we probably wouldn’t make it. I started talking to my boss via the radio and getting as much advise as possible – like he could really help. Sixty seconds later I looked back to see a little blue-faced baby passenger lying on the floor. The mother had a very refreshed appearance to her and the baby looked as healthy as any newborn does. I called the tower and canceled the landing and continued the flight to Pucallpa where she would be cared for at the hospital. “Just another day at work”, I thought as I shook my head and resumed my course.

When we landed at Cashibo there were plenty of people on shore to watch us come in and to greet the new baby. When I went back to help my passengers out of the back of the plane, they asked me if I could cut the umbilical cord. Well of course, what do you think I carry a Leatherman for? . . . snip!.

I went back to Atsakus several times since then and tried to keep up with little Jack Duane Hempts Remierez. I would love to get back there some time and see how he and his family are doing. Every now and then I get updates from other pilots who have recently stopped by. So far it sounds like he is doing great!

Flying Mission Botswana has an immediate opening for a Cheif Engineer.  Flying Mission Services operates two King Airs and couple Cessnas.  Applicant should have 3-5 years of maintenance experience and PT6 Turbine experience.

Spiritual Qualifications

• Mature, committed Christian with a call to serve the Lord through FMS

Personal Qualifications

• Good Christian character, motivated by a desire to serve, ability to work with people, a good communicator, self-motivated.

Specialised Qualifications

• Aviation engineer’s licence (Inspection Authorisation)
• At least five years of experience in aircraft maintenance
• Computer inventory experience desirable
• Experience on turbine aircraft
• Engineer or A & P license required

Interested persons should contact Flying Mission HR at: hr@flyingmission.org