Mission Aviation Fellowship

The plane of Mission Aviation Fellowship missionary Nate Saint is on display at MAF headquarters.

Mission Aviation Fellowship is a Christian missionary organization whose primary purpose is to provide air transportation in support of missionary efforts and humanitarian needs in hard-to-reach areas of the world. Medical assistance is provided to people in remote areas of the globe.[1].

Mission Aviation Fellowship was founded after World War II by a combination of Christian pilots from Britain, America, Canada, New Zealand and Australia who saw the increasing usefulness of air transportation in the mission field. It was initially called Christian Airmen's Missionary Fellowship (CAMF). MAF's first flight was made in 1946 when Betty Greene flew missionaries in a Waco biplane to a remote part of Mexico. Branches of MAF were founded in many countries, including the UK and Australia, within a few years. One of its planes was used in Operation Auca, in which five missionaries, including pilot Nate Saint, were killed in Ecuador by Huaorani warriors.

MAF PNG Twin Otter at Kafa, Papua New Guinea

Currently around 20 national branches of MAF operate in many parts of the world where travel is difficult, including Africa, Aceh, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Mongolia, Madagascar, Arnhem Land and Papua New Guinea. As well as providing transport for missionaries they also provide medical emergency flights, relief flights in case of natural disaster and transport for government agencies and NGOs.

MAF also provides internet, I.T. and RF communications to its various projects around the globe. They have developed a mobile VSAT terminal which can be 'checked' onto most commercial airlines as baggage. This terminal can provide emergency communications anywhere in the world and can be quickly deployed. MAF's technology services played a critical role in the infrastructure and emergency aid to Indonesia's devastating tsunami. They have been providing aviation and communications support to remote parts of Indonesia for decades.

A MAF Twin Otter, P2-MFR, unloading in Telefomin, 25km Northeast of Tabubil.

A typical crowd at the Tabubil Airport, 1994, and an ill-fated MAF Twin Otter plane.

Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Mission Aviation Fellowship is maintaining flights for civilians and aid agencies in two of the Democratic Republic of Congo's current trouble spots. The latest fighting around the eastern town of Goma between government militia and rebel forces has displaced an estimated 250,000 people who are being forced back and forth between villages in some confusion. MAF pilots are flying medical supplies and medical staff to Goma. Relief flights would have increased had it not been for a relatively open road network permitting delivery of aid by trucks. Despite recent staff evacuations and looting of personal belongings, MAF has been able to maintain or resume work in and around the eastern DRC towns of Goma, Bunia and Nyankunde.^[1]

Video

• Wings Like Eagles (DVD), Christian Television Association (of the UK)

Accidents

On 16 October 2008 23 year-old MAF Pilot Hadleigh Smith was killed while flying his GA8 aircraft (registration VH-WRT^[2]) to several Australian Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Australia, although at the time he was off-duty from MAF and working for another agency.^[3][4][5]

On 23 March 2006 a Cessna 206 aircraft operated by Missionary Aviation Fellowship crashed close to Tari on the 23rd of March 2006 killing its pilot and injuring 3 passengers.^[6] The pilot was a 42 year Swiss man who had been in PNG with the Swiss Mission for 12 years, and left a wife and four children behind. The pilot had reportedly entered the circuit area around Tari airfield and appeared to be flying well, but never made it to the runway. The three passengers were PNG nationals.^[7]

On 22 February 2005 a de Havilland Twin Otter 300 with registration P2-MFQ, operated by the Mission Aviation Fellowship crashed en route from Tabubil to Bimin. In a scene reminiscent of the similar 1994 crash, the plane hit a mountain whilst trying to detect the village runway. The two captains, Chris Hansen, 37, and Richard West, 40 (both from New Zealand), were killed in the accident but the cabin attendant and 8 passengers survived and were able to walk to the village.^[6]

P2-MFQ in its heydey at Selbang airstrip.

On 17 December 1994 a de Havilland Twin Otter 200 with registration P2-MFS, operated by the Mission Aviation Fellowship crashed while en route from Tabubil to the nearby village of Selbang.^[8] 28 people were killed, including both the crew and all passengers. The aircraft struck a mountain due to poor visibility and lack of functioning instruments at 6400 ft.^[9]

References

External links

• Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship Cambodia website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship UK website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship USA website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship USA Recruiting Website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship USA Learning Technologies Website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship New Zealand website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship Europe website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship South Africa website
• Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada website
• "Bush Flying at its Pinnacle" in SWAviator