Mission Aviation Fellowship Inaugurates "New Era" in Missionary Aviation

courtesy of BCN breakingchristiannews.com

Michael Ireland (May 7, 2009)

"This new KODIAK is more than an example of leading-edge technology. It is an example of what God's people can do when they pursue God's will in God's way. The unprecedented cooperation between missionary organizations that made this day possible is a model for 21st century missionary efforts. It is both exciting and humbling to be in the midst of a project that God has blessed so abundantly."

(Nampa, Idaho)—MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) inaugurated a new era in missionary aviation when it dedicated its first KODIAK aircraft on May 2 at its headquarters in Nampa, Idaho. MAF is a faith-based, nonprofit ministry that serves missions and isolated people around the world with aviation, communications and learning technologies. The event, attended by 900 guests, featured a full afternoon of activities to unveil the next generation in missionary aircraft. (Photo: ASSIST News Service)

A media release says the new KODIAK is the first of the next-generation bush planes to be produced under a visionary arrangement between MAF and the manufacturer, Quest Aircraft Co. of Sandpoint, Idaho. This first KODIAK will be deployed in Papua, Indonesia.

A crowd of MAF staff, Christian leaders and Nampa residents participated in the dedication ceremony, as well as an afternoon of activities, the release stated.

"Today's events celebrate a technological achievement that will allow MAF to be more effective stewards of the resources God has given us," said John Boyd, president of MAF.

"But this new KODIAK is more than an example of leading-edge technology. It is an example of what God's people can do when they pursue God's will in God's way. The unprecedented cooperation between missionary organizations that made this day possible is a model for 21st century missionary efforts. It is both exciting and humbling to be in the midst of a project that God has blessed so abundantly."

Paul Schaller, chief executive officer of Quest Aircraft Co., told the crowd, "Serving the needs of the missionary community and those they help is the purpose for which Quest was built. It is gratifying to see it come to fruition with this first delivery to MAF."

Among local leaders participating in the dedication ceremony were Tom Dale, the mayor of Nampa, and Montie Ralston, lead pastor of Boise Valley Christian Communion and a member of the MAF board of directors.

The dedication ceremony marks a milestone in missionary aviation in part because the KODIAK will be significantly less expensive to operate than the planes it will replace in the MAF fleet.

The media release explains that most MAF planes, including the popular Cessna 206, run on aviation gasoline, or 'avgas,' which is scarce and expensive in many of the remote areas where MAF operates. However, the KODIAK is powered by jet fuel, which is more plentiful and much less expensive than avgas.

Over the next few years, MAF will replace 20 of its Cessna 206s with planes that operate on jet fuel, either KODIAKs or Cessna Caravans. Because the KODIAK can carry nearly twice the cargo of the C206, MAF will transport medicine, food and disaster relief supplies much more efficiently, reducing operating costs, the release stated.

With its fleet of 122 bush aircraft, MAF serves in 55 countries, with an average of 242 flights daily across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Latin America. MAF pilots transport missionaries, medical personnel, medicines and relief supplies, as well as conduct thousands of emergency medical evacuations. MAF also provides telecommunications services, such as satellite Internet access, high frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless systems.

Source: Michael Ireland—ASSIST News

Mission Aviation Planes grounded due to lack of fuel

Funds needed as the Kodiak -- new-generation bush plane -- comes to the rescue

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

NAMPA, IDAHO (ANS) -- With a fleet of 52 aircraft, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) serves more than 800 Christian and non-profit agencies in remote areas, as well as thousands of isolated people in Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Latin America.

But a shortage of aviation fuel -- or "av gas" -- has grounded missionary pilots of MAF, a faith-based, non- profit ministry that serves missions and isolated people around the world with aviation, communications and learning technologies.

Because of the shortage, some 150 air strips currently are without service, according to John Boyd, president of MAF.

The new, more fuel-efficient Kodiak bush plane.

In response to the crisis, MAF is embarking on an aggressive 10-year plan to acquire 20 of the new Kodiak 100 aircraft, manufactured by Quest Aircraft, said Boyd.

Not only does the Kodiak use jet fuel, which is more readily available and cheaper, the plane also is larger, flies faster and can still get in and out of small air strips. The Kodiaks even come at a discounted cost to the ministry.

MAF is raising some $29 million for this "Fleet Optimization Project." Of that, nearly $10 million already has been raised. MAF will take delivery of its first Kodiak in October.

"The aircraft we have now -- the Cessna 206 -- often can't fly because we can't get avgas," Boyd said. The Cessna has been the backbone of the MAF fleet for 60 years.

When available, avgas can cost up to $12 a gallon, whereas jet fuel is $3.50 a gallon, said Boyd. In addition to the fuels savings and its ability to fly farther with more payload, there are other benefits, he said.

"As the fleet changes, it will help us increase our reach, expand the ministry and enable us to meet needs we can't meet currently," he said. "It's a win-win situation."

A recent MAF study showed that most unreached peoples around the globe are unreached because they lack transportation, communications or technology.

The new Kodiaks will allow MAF to reach even more of the isolated peoples in remote places around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Boyd said.

Founded in 1945, MAF stations some 200 missionary families in the remotest regions of 27 countries on five continents. MAF pilots fly approximately 40,000 flights a year, transporting missionaries, medical personnel, medicines and relief supplies, as well as conducting thousands of emergency medical evacuations.

MAF also provides telecommunications services, such as satellite Internet access, high-frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless systems, in isolated areas.

More info at www.maf.org.

Source: (ANS) www.assistnews.net