MMS Field Report #6: Thursday at Oshkosh, Paul Jones

Here's a picture of Paul Jones getting ready to return to Coshocton in MMS' Bakeng Deuce. It will take Paul two to four days to make the flight from Oshkosh, WI to Coshocton, OH, depending on the prevailing weather conditions.

Paul at the controls of the Bakeng Deuce.

Paul will soon complete his first year of apprenticeship at MMS and is called to serve as a pilot/mechanic in mission aviation. Before joining MMS, Paul served as a Captain with a regional airline based out of Columbus, OH.

MMS Field Report #5: Thursday At Oshkosh, Dave Spangler

Another IAMA Tent reunion between Team Oshkosh and missionaries we've served at MMS has taken place at AirVenture!

Dave Spangler is a missionary that flies a Piper Aztec throughout the Caribbean region. We were privileged to hang two new engines on his Aztec a year or so ago.

Here's Tim with Dave in the IAMA tent.

Here's Chuck working with Dave at MMS as they prepare to install one of the two new engines on his airplane.

MMS Field Report #4: Thursday At Oshkosh, Cessna 185

As mentioned in Field Report #1, the amphibious Cessna 185 that MMS restored for ministry in Canada is participating in this year's AirVenture.

The airplane's previous owner had the misfortune of landing the airplane, on water, with the landing gear extended from the floats causing the airplane to flip and incur severe damage. Edgar, the missionary who purchased the airplane as scrap, heard about MMS Aviation and asked if we could help him restore and repair the airplane for missionary use in Canada. We said we could and shortly after that Edgar towed the damaged and disassembled airplane up from Texas to our hangar facility in Coshocton, Ohio.

Edgar and the Cessna 185 arrive at MMS.

The airplane undergoing restoration and repair at MMS.

After restoration in Ohio and missionary service in Canada, here's the 185 moored at the AirVenture seaplane base.

Edgar and friends getting ready to fly.

The seaplane base viewed from the air.

Missionary airplanes, like missionary pilots and mechanics, come in all shapes and sizes. Some are better suited for one type of work than another, some better suited for one environment than another, and each having different capabilities by design or God's gifting as best meets the mission need.

Thanks for following MMS Team Oshkosh. There's more to come.

MMS Field Report #3: Wednesday At Oshkosh

The excitement of Oshkosh continued Tuesday under beautiful weather and building attendance. The guys and gals of MMS' Team Oshkosh are putting in 12-15 hour long days just keeping pace with speaking requirements, event commitments, sharing with the public, and developing new opportunities for for MMS to minister within the mission community.

There's good crowd flow through the IAMA tent (where our table top display is located) and events in the Fly-4-Life tent (featuring mission, medical, and humanitarian aviation), up on Shell Square, are going well.

Here's Robert and Dave during their shift at the MMS display table.

Some of the crowd in the IAMA (International Association of Missionary Aviation) tent.

Another airplane at the event with a direct connection to MMS is this DC 3 which Ian had flown as a special assignment a couple years ago.

There are more posts to follow. Stay tuned!

MMS Field Report #2: Additional Photos

Here are photos of two airplanes at AirVenture with direct ties to MMS Aviation.

MMS Bakeng Deuce

MMS's own Bakeng Deuce, which was donated to the mission several years ago. The Deuce was flown to Oshkosh, WI from our hangar in Coshocton, OH by MMS apprentice, Paul Jones.

MFI's Turbine 3

Missionary Flights International's turbine powered DC-3 flown up from Florida. Two graduates of MMS, Roger Sands and Brian Lites, serve with MFI. MMS also assists MFI with regular maintenance on this airplane as well as their other DC-3s.

MMS Field Report #1: Monday at Oshkosh

While Monday started bright and clear in Oshkosh, an afternoon thundershower did move through the area creating some challenges for schedules, activities, and transportation. The report from our team is that everyone is doing well and is fully involved.

IAMA Tent & MMS Display
The majority of the mission-related displays are going to be featured in the tent sponsored by the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA).

IAMA tent before display set-up.

Here's our display inside the IAMA tent.

Cessna 185 Restoration Reunion
Several years ago, MMS finished a complete restoration of a crash-damaged Cessna 185 for missionary use in Canada. The airplane came with amphibious floats which also needed to be repaired and restored. It was a long, labor-intensive, yet rewarding project that has allowed Edgar Schreiber, the missionary pilot, to effectively meet ministry needs throughout the region surrounding Lake Winnipeg.

Edgar flew the plane down to AirVenture with his wife, Gisella, and friend, Karl.

Edgar's, MMS restored, Cessna 185

Edgar, Gisella, and Karl at their display tent at the seaplane base.

Zambian Reunion
Another reunion took place as well. Two years ago, Tim and Scott G. traveled to Zambia, Africa to assist Jacques, a missionary pilot, make repairs to Cessna 206 he operated in Congo. They formed a great working relationship and weren't sure they'd ever have the privilege to meet up with Jacques again in this life. But who did Tim and Scott bump into Monday in the IAMA tent? That's right, Jacques!

Scott, Jacques, and Tim.

Behind The Scenes with MASA
Michele is busy working behind the scenes as part of the Missionary Aviation Support Association's (MASA) effort to handle the logistics required by caring for the 400 or so missionaries who've traveled to Oshkosh for the event. Michele helped with registration and is responsible for helping make sure that all the missionares are fed. I believe she helped oversee more than 1000 meals on Monday in the MASA tent.

Michele organizes registration materials.

Stay tuned and check back often for additional AirVenture updates and field reports!

AirVenture 2009 Monday Video Highlight

Here's the EAA's official video update from AirVenture 2009.

MMS and EAA AirVenture 2009, Oshkosh, Wisconsin

Sorry about being out of the hangar and unable to post for the past week or so.

Thanks for your patience in checking back. I'm just now able to start getting some info up about our team in Oshkosh representing MMS at EAA's AirVenture 2009.

Over the past couple days, our ten person team (Ian, Paul, Scott G., Dave, Andy, Robert, Tim & Michele, and Dwight & Rena) made it safely up to Oshkosh, WI by car, scheduled airline, and private aircraft and prepared for their first day of display in the Fly-4-Life Tent.

Over 500,000 people are expected to attend this year's week-long AirVenture which, as one of its features, is focused on missionary, humanitarian, and rescue aviation. While missionary aviation has been represented at Oshkosh in various venues for many years, this is the first year it has ever been featured in the primary display area. Consequently the missionary presence swelled five-fold from last year's AirVenture growing from 85 missionaries to over 400 missionaries representing Christian aviation progams from all around the world.

Members of our team will man our display in the Fly-4-Life tent, answer questions about mission aviation, speak at churches, represent MMS at special activities, assist Missionary Aviation Support Organization (MASA) with the logistics of feeding 400+ missionaries 3 meals a day, share opportunities to serve through apprenticeship with MMS, and build relationships that will help expand God's Kingdom even further. For the MASA list of special events click here.

I'll post info and updates from the team as I receive them!

Stay tuned and check back often!

Here's the EAA's official Sunday update video:

Winding Down the Week, Winding Up for Oshkosh

The trip to Oshkosh to participate in EAA's AirVenture 2009 continues to grow in priority. With some of the ten person team leaving next Wednesday and everyone else being on the road or in the air by that Saturday, final details are being worked out as the final repairs are made to the two airplanes flying-in: the Commander 114 and the Bakeng Duece.

Ian continues installing the interior of the Commander 114.

Paul gains some major insight into the repair of spark plug leads on the Bakeng Deuce as Tim F. observes and Ian provides instruction.

Here's a shot of Scott G. who's overseeing the Bakeng Deuce project.

Of course the other four projects continue as well. While Josh continues to track down parts necessary to complete the engine he's building for a ministry in Zambia, Africa; and Chuck continues with the Cessna 337 for service in Canada:

Andy continues work on the Brazilian 206's horizontal stabilizer

and Mike prepares to install an antennae cable on the Moody 182's firewall.

MMS Benefits from Mission Aviation

It's interesting as an organization that directly supports mission aviation so that others may benefit from it, we very seldom directly benefit from mission aviation. However last week was one of those times.

Plans had been made for Dennis, our Chief Inspector; Mary, our Director of Office Administration; and Tim, our Production Manager; to meet with their counterparts at JAARS in Waxhaw, North Carolina. The meeting would take one full day. Driving to and from Waxhaw would add two full days to the trip.

As mission schedules were being adjusted to absorb Dennis, Mary, and Tim's three day absence from our hangar, and as driving plans were being made, the thought occurred to check and see if Gospel Carrier International (GCI) would be able to support this effort with one of their aircraft.

GCI was contacted and they quickly made their Cessna 310 available for the flight. Willams Chang, GCI's president and pilot, flew in the night before and the team departed early the next morning with the landing gear coming up as the sun was rising. They returned just before the sun began to set.

Willams Chang, Dennis, Mary, and Tim on the MMS ramp with GCI's 310.

Ready to pull away from MMS.

Taxing to the runway.

Williams, Dennis, Mary, and Tim depart for Waxhaw, North Carolina.

What a blessing! Because of the airplane, a three day trip turned into a one day trip, 20 hours of driving turned into 4 hours of flying, important meetings were held, and disruption of hangar operations was limited to only one work day.

This is the kind of thing that is happening all over the world as you read this blog. In some instances a twenty minute flight can save nearly two weeks of hard, dangerous travel on both land and water.

As a ministry serving the ministries that do the flying which serve the missionaries who'd otherwise be doing the walking, hiking, running, climbing, and paddling, we're greatly aware of the benefits of safe air transportation. We spend our days dedicated to preparing the people and the airplanes which will ensure this type of service for many more years to come. It's just nice to enjoy to fruit of our labor now and then.

Thank you for your gifts and prayers that enable each of us at MMS to serve the Kingdom in such a unique way.

Inspection and Repair

Inspection is one of the key aspects of aviation maintenance. Sure, if a wing falls off everyone knows it but we don't want wings falling off. Or engines quitting. Or parts breaking. The key to preventing all of that is: inspection. It's important to find the little things and fix them to prevent them from becoming big things.

Two major inspections are going on right now. The smaller of the two inspections, both in size and scope, is of the Bakeng Deuce. The Bakeng Deuce was donated to MMS not too long ago and is going through a "condition inspection" which, for an "experimental" aircraft, is the equivalent of an "annual inspection" for a FAA certificated aircraft like a Piper, or a Cessna, or a Beechcraft. The Bakeng Deuce is a two seat, single engine, open cockpit, covered airplane.

Tim F. works in the forward cockpit while Paul inspects structure inside the leading edge of the Bakeng Duece wing.

The larger, more complex inspection is of the Cessna 337 used by LAMP for ministry in Canada. The 337 is a twin engine, six passenger aircraft made of aluminum and is in for an annual inspection and to have both engines overhauled.

Chuck, inside the fuselage, inspects the hydraulic lines that lock the retractable main gear in place on the Cessna 337.

Scott Grote, one of MMS's three Production Mechanics, is in charge of both inspections. He has a lot on his plate right now and is doing a great job managing the challenges.

CMML Engine and Commander Prep

The parts Josh was waiting for have arrived so he's back assembling the engine for use in Zambia, Africa by Christian Missions in Many Lands (CMML).

Josh and the CMML engine.

Toward the end of the month, we're sending a team of ten people to represent MMS at EAA's AirVenture 2009, held every year in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The week-long airshow is one of the largest airshows in the world with over 500,000 people expected to attend. We're planning to fly two airplanes to Oshkosh: the Bakeng Deuce and the Commander 114.

Dale and Ian are working to make sure the Commander is ready to go.

Ian continues his inspection of the Commander's engine.

Scott Lazaros Completes Service

It was a special morning as MMS President & CEO Dwight Jarboe presented Scott Lazaros with his completion certificate today.

Scott began service with MMS back in October of 2007 as a Trainee, already holding his Airframe & Powerplant certificate. With nearly three years of advanced training under his belt, Scott is now ready to begin the transition to service with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Alaska.

Scott, Lela, and their four boys are excited about the ministry opportunities open to them through service with CEF. Their plan is to wrap things up here, raise the additional support necessary, and organize for a move to Alaska, Lord willing, this October.

It's always exciting when families finish at MMS and continue into ministry far beyond our hangar doors. Thanks for being a part of it through your gifts and your prayers.

Scott receives his certificate from Dwight.

Back From The Weekend

We're back from the long Independence Day weekend and are continuing to enjoy warm temps and low (for Ohio) humidity. With eight different projects underway, there's no time to lose. Here's photos of four of the projects:

Scott & Paul inspect the Bakeng Deuce.

The CMML engine build-up is coming along nicely though it's on hold waiting for parts to be delivered.

Scott L. installs the flaps on the Honduran 206.

Josh installs a wing faring helping complete an inspection of a regional Cessna 182.