008's Final Hop to its New Home

Friday, Sept. 25: After a night at the Mapang mission guest house in Pt. Moresby it was time for our final leg of the journey to the Ukarumpa mission station in the highlands. Brian caught an airliner back to the States, unfortunately unable to go on to Ukarumpa, since he had pressing commitments back home.

Rick Nachtigal and I took 008 on the final hour and a quarter flight along the mountainous spine of the island.

A good number of the Wycliffe/SIL staff had come out to the airstrip at Aiyura to greet us. The Kodiak had been many years coming, and expectations ran high for this day.

Several leaders made some comments and led the group in thanksgiving to God for His bringing this first Kodiak to its place of service.

Most of our greeters were veteran passengers of our air service to the many airstrips in PNG, and were eager to take a close look at the new airplane and imagine what it would be like to finally be transported in it.

The mechanics at our facility wasted no time in  taking a first close-up look at their new machine and getting the tanks out of the airplane.