News From Brazil: PT-MMS Takes Off On Its First Mission!

I'm passing along a message from Rachel Joy, wife of Asas de Socorro Chief Engineer (and MMS grad) Ryan Joy, about the Cessna 206 we restored for them and which recently arrived at their base in Brazil.

Rachel has some exciting news to share--The 206 is to take off on its first mission flight today! From Rachel:

Hello All:

Ryan called home at 9am and all is set -- the new plane, soon to be PT-MMS, is in the water, fueled up and ready to take off for its first mission flight today from our base on the outskirts of Manaus. Tim is piloting the plane, this time headed over the Amazon, not the Caribbean! And Ryan is accompanying him!

Tim will do some training at the local airclub then they'll head to the Nhamundá River, where they'll pick up some missionaries in Kassawá, bringing them back to the city. If you want you can follow them on the SPOT at www.adsfrota.blogspot.com clicking where it says PT-MMS (novo avião). This is where I'll track them today! Lord willing, by 4pm, they will land back out at our hangar.

Hope to send you fotos from this first mission soon-told Ryan not to fall off the floats into the river with the camera!(He did that once a long time ago!) Ryan is excited to be able to participate in this first official mission flight for the new plane. Thank you all for the part you had in it!

Update to come. Working Together Till Jesus comes, Rachel

Lord willing, we'll have some of those photos to post soon!

Closing-out 2011

With the Gabon 207 headed to Africa and the Asas 206 safely in Brazil, with two new long-term aircraft projects already arrived, an annual inspection underway, and GCI's 310 back in the hangar, the 402 project continues to inch toward completion.

And as I type this, Andy Porter, our latest apprentice to complete the program, is undergoing his FAA Oral & Practical Exam to receive his Airframe & Powerplant mechanic's certificate.

Here's a video clip of the 402's post-inspection engine runs:


Lord willing, we'll have it up in the air early next year.

Asas 206

Here's the Asas 206 landing on the Amazon River in Manaus.

Here's the airplane in its hangar.

Hangar A

We have three airplanes up front.

GCI's Cessna 310 is in the foreground. It's in for an avionics cooling fan to be installed. The QRCBC SR-22, centered in the photo, is opened up for annual inspection under Chuck and Geoff's care, and Amazon Salt & Light's Cessna 185 is in the background.

Hangar B

Mark works on the heating system on Wings With the Word's Cessna 402.

The Asas 206 Departs for Ministry in Brazil!

Wednesday Hangar Update

AndyPorter has completed apprenticeship, the Brazil 206 should depart for Brazil tomorrow, the Cessna 402 is nearly ready for its return to service flight, the King Air is waiting on parts, and the next two aircraft projects have arrived.

Mark Beckwith: Senior Apprentice
Part of the recognition when an apprentice completes their thirty months and 4,800 hours of aviation maintenance experience, is the transfer of the title of "Senior Apprentice" from the apprentice that's completed the program to the next apprentice to finish the program. That "wrench ceremony" took place on Monday as Andy Porter passed the Sr. Spanner (that's UK English for "wrench") to Mark and his daughter Abigail.

Mark & Abigail receive the "spanner" from Andy Porter.

Asas de Socorro Amphibious Cessna 206
As I type this, the Asas de Socorro 206 is outside, its engine at idle, as the two pilots from Brazil prepare for more familiarization flights with the airplane. The airplane was dedicated for service Monday afternoon and the plan is for them to start their flight to Brazil tomorrow morning, weather permitting.

The Asas 206 is dedicated for service.

Dwight Jarboe, left, accepts a plaque of appreciation from Ryan Joy, MMS graduate and Director of Maintenance for Asas de Socorro.

The guys from Asas explained that this airplane is slated to provide aviation services to 450 churches along the Amazon River and that one, forty-five minute flight can save 16 hours of dangerous travel on the Amazon.

Wings With The Word's Cessna 402
The 402 is nearly ready for its return to service flight. The oil is in its engines, the weight & balance process is complete, and the guys are just tidying up the last few nuts, bolts, and screws before filling the airplane's fuel tanks and conducting the post inspection engine runs.

WWtW's Cessna 402

Gospel Carrier International, King Air 200
GCI's King Air is back for some electrical troubleshooting. The guys have identified the problem and ordered the parts.

GCI's King Air 200

New Project: Amazon Salt & Light Cessna 185
Amazon Salt & Light just shipped their Cessna 185 up to us to inspect, repair, and reassemble. AS&L works closely with Asas de Socorro in Brazil.

Here's a shot of the guys unloading the Cessna 185 from a big rig's trailer.

New Project: Kissito Cessna 206
This airplane was damaged in a wind storm in Virginia and shipped to us for complete restoration and repair.

Notice that the tail is in front of the airplane's nose.

Thanks for your prayers and gifts which make it possible for MMS to prepare tomorrow's missionary airplane mechanics through returning today's missionary airplanes to the field service.