038 in Aiyura

On Friday 038 and 008 made the 75 minute flight to our aviation center in the central highlands of PNG.  Our aviation team there serves with seven airplanes and two helicopters, carrying personnel and supplies in and out of approximately the 400 airstrips sprinkled all over the mountains, lowlands and islands of that geographically and linguistically diverse country.

 

With nearly 800 distinct languages within its boundaries, PNG provides a very concentrated opportunity for the ministry of the Bible translators (expat and PNG citizens) who dedicate their efforts to providing the Word of God for this population.



Here are just a few more images of the aviation facilities at Aiyura.   The Kodiaks will be replacing the aging Cessna 206's, and our team has already sold the twin turbine Islander (pictured here with the two Kodiaks in Port Moresby).  As Quest produces more Kodiaks, we look forward to a fleet of four based out of Aiyura, besides the two Long Ranger helicopters.

038 Joins 008 in its New Home

On Sunday November 14 Leon made the final flight into Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, after 16,000 miles and twelve days of flying since leaving Moundridge, Kansas.

First Half of Day Eleven

Final Day into AYPY

Our team in PNG is wrapping up the details of re-registering it in its new country, with the tail number "P2-SIR."  Once the paper work is finished, and the new numbers are put on its tail and wings, 038 will join our first Kodiak in service to the people of PNG.  For images of the ferry of 008 across the Pacific last year, you can look back to entries in this blog from September '09, and for images of the environment in which these two planes operate, you can go to posts for October of last year.

Kodiak 038 Tonight in Colombo



Leon's been making good time, arriving in Sri Lanka around 9:00 p.m. local time.  As he heads further south, the winds will be less favorable, but each individual planned leg is easily within the range of #038 with its auxiliary ferry fuel tank.

For better detail, just click on the SPOT tracking image.  Here's a snapshot of #038's arrival in Europe:

038 Has Launched!

Tonight our newest Kodiak is sleeping in Santa Maria in the Azores on its way to Papua New Guinea.  Last night it was in St. Johns, Newfoundland.  These images are from our SPOT tracking site.  If you want to join the spectating fun, go to the JAARS tracking site.  You can watch up-to-date position information for 038 as it makes its way around the globe.

The week before, Mark Wuerffel and I had dropped 038 in Moundridge, Kansas, handing it over to the care of Carl Weaver, founder of Weaver Aero International.  Carl's company has already delivered four or five Kodiaks for different customers to SE Asia, Europe and South Africa.  Carl is a former MAF pilot, and intimately familiar with our type of flying.

 

The pilot is Leon Stoman, pictured here with 038.  Notice the Red-cowled Kodiak in the background -- MAF's next delivery to SE Asia.