Global Missions Organization Showcases New KODIAK Bush Plane; Participates in 'Fly4Life' Exhibit
OSHKOSH, Wisc., July 27 /
Christian Newswire/ -- MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) will be highlighting important aspects of the past and future of mission aviation July 27-Aug. 2 at the 2009 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh, the largest show for general aviation enthusiasts in the world.
The "must attend" Oshkosh air show, founded in 1953, is where general aviation companies introduce new products, and where exciting and experimental innovations – such as exotic flying cars, jet packs and the newest satellite navigation screens – are often unveiled to the public. The event, attended by hundreds of thousands, includes acres of displays and a steady stream of flyovers by both the latest home-built aircraft and lovingly restored vintage planes.
The new MAF KODIAK aircraft will fit right in. The KODIAK is a nine-seat, next-generation turbine bush plane taking the world of aviation by storm. The MAF KODIAK went into service earlier this year, and will be on display in AeroShell Square, the focal point of the air show.
The KODIAK is produced under a visionary arrangement between MAF and the manufacturer, Quest Aircraft Co. Designed with input from MAF and other humanitarian organizations, the KODIAK carries a larger payload than the Cessna 206s in the MAF fleet. It also runs on jet fuel, which, compared with scarce aviation gasoline, or "avgas," is more readily available and much less expensive in the remote parts of the world where MAF operates. This ensures the reliability and cost efficiency of missionary flights.
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.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for people to see one of these beautiful planes up close and personal," said John Boyd, president of MAF. "People attend AirVenture because they are passionate about aviation. But some of them are also passionate about Christ and the Gospel. So being at Oshkosh is a wonderful opportunity for us."
This year AirVenture focuses on public benefit aviation, in which missionary aviation plays a major role. AirVenture's weeklong "Fly4Life" program (
www.fly4life.org) features MAF and other members of the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) (
www.iamanet.org), as well as humanitarian groups that are part of the Air Care Alliance (
www.aircareall.org).
Highlighting its past, MAF will feature a Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser aircraft alongside the KODIAK. This aircraft is a replica of the plane flown by martyred MAF aviation pioneer Nate Saint, and was used in the film "End of the Spear," which tells the story of five missionary martyrs and their attempts to make contact with a primitive tribe in Ecuador. The PA-14 will be nestled under the wing of the KODIAK – one representing the past of MAF, and the other its future.
The MAF tent display, situated at spaces 151 and 152, will include a Cessna 185 that was used by MAF in Indonesia and is now a training aircraft for Moody Aviation. The plane will be set in a village scene with murals and a "movie screen" consisting of a white sheet, typical of how MAF shows the "JESUS" film in remote areas of the world.
The connections of MAF to the history of aviation run deep. Its first pilot, the late Betty Greene, was a World War II Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) flyer. On July 1, President Obama signed a bill honoring living and deceased WASP members, including Greene, for their distinguished service. A local group has put together a one-person show on Greene's life as a missionary pilot. The MAF booth will have information on times and locations of that show.
Boyd said that while in Oshkosh, MAF staff will also be conducting free seminars. Topics include "Mountain and Ridge Flying," "Aviation STOL Technologies" and "Homes Built for Missions." In addition, MAF staff members will be speaking in area churches.
Founded in the United States in 1945, MAF (www.maf.org) missionary teams of aviation, communications, technology and education specialists overcome barriers in remote areas, transform lives and build God's Kingdom by enabling the work of more than 1,000 organizations in isolated areas of the world. With its fleet of 130 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 in remote areas. MAF also provides telecommunications services, such as satellite Internet access, high frequency radios, electronic mail and other wireless systems.
