MAF pilots wear two hats—that of pilot and mechanic—and they come in handy when it comes to problem solving their aircraft.
A man was working on a roof in the northern Congolese town of Karawa when it suddenly collapsed from under him. His sternum broke and breathing became difficult and painful for […]
There is an air of excited anticipation so tangible you can almost see it as Matt Monson, our newest pilot, taxis off the runway and into the MAF area. Our entire staff is poised to give Matt a soaking he’ll likely not forget. Matt is none the wiser. Our buckets are filled and carefully positioned […]
MAF pilots are required to regularly inspect the airstrips where we fly to ensure that our standards for runway maintenance are kept appropriately. Last week I went to Ilu to check over the runway. It’s a nice long runway, but it’s perpendicular to the valley, which means there is a tight little turn at about […]
Every once in a while I have a flight that I know will be forever etched in my memory. It could be because it’s traumatic, as is often the case with a medical evacuation. Or it can be a happy occasion, such as the one I experienced recently.
This story really begins decades before I was […]
Jim Manley served 17 years in Ecuador as a pilot, radio tech and program manager. He is now assigned to Learning Technologies serving at MAF Headquarters in Nampa, Idaho.
I stand at the plane’s open door. My helmet hangs in the cockpit, its cables dangling to panel connectors. My navigation notes lay on the clipboard over […]
The pilot’s seat gives great perspective. Even in bad weather, the instruments tell me everything I need to know. Blue, in the round gage directly in front, represents sky; black, the ground; white dividing line, the horizon. So, the center white dot means my nose is below the horizon. The short lines left and right, […]