Thursday, October 15, 2015

Tuesday's Medevac

Here's Tuesday's flight:

Blast-off from Yaounde

Great weather enroute on this leg (1.3 hours)-
You can see Mount Cameroon rising in the distance.

The pickup happened at an airport next to this large Del Monte
Banana plantation- "TIKO" airport
With the patient loaded in the Cessna 207, the clinic workers got out
their cell phones to snap a couple shots with the aircraft.
Next leg was to the mountainous and beautiful NW region of Cameroon.
Our takeoff was at sea level, we cruised at 11,000 feet, and landed at 7,000 feet.
The airport (Mbingo) sits in a "bowl" of mountains.  This is on the "crosswind"
portion of the traffic pattern.  Yes- those are water falls up in the mountains.

In this valley sits the Mbingo Baptist Hospital- where nationals and internationals
come for great medical care.

We landed, taxied to the top of the sloped runway (12% upslope) then
spun it around to prep for takeoff.  This is looking NW'erly out of the end of
the horseshoe/bowl of the valley.
Dennis refuels some Jet A into the Cessna 207 (turbine engine modification) while
a thunderstorm cell passes down the valley.  We already offloaded the patient to
the ambulance- the second time in a week that ambulance
drivers watched me do their job.  Hmm...
Interesting sign at the end of the fenced in airstrip (on the inside).  Apparently they don't want
pilots jumping the fence and getting loose among the community!
(by the way- in NW Cameroon there is an English speaking region)

On the way back to Yaounde, we buzzed by the national soccer stadium where
the "indomitable Lions" play their games.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Update From the Flight Deck - September 2015

Here are some great reports from our chief pilot, Rob:

Inflight entertainment with some international staff and family.
June was AMB's (Aviation Medicale de Bongolo's) busiest month of flying since the program began! We are encouraged to see the program serving well and the extra flying is helpful for us to meet our 200-hour goal this year in spite of the program being suspended while we were in the US.

AMB Gabon also conducted its annual runway inspection with the local aviation authorities. In order to maintain approval, we had to
widen the width of the runway. Bongolo hospital provided the use of the hospital backhoe and, after 30 days of work, we were granted approval for an additional year of service!

In the beginning of August, the mission team held its annual spiritual retreat in Lamberene. It was a blessing to spend time with Pastor Blaine and his team that came from the US. The theme this year came from Galatians: "until Christ is formed in you."

During the month of August, two families had to return to the US for medical care including a medical evacuation flight. As a result, our team has shrunk considerably since the retreat time. Please pray for the staff of Bongolo as they carry a very heavy load.

Also in August, Efi Tembon, the Director of CABTAL, a Cameroonian Bible translation organization, returned for his second trip to Gabon. This was a follow-up trip to meet with church leaders and begin the practical work of organizing a national interchurch committee. Since that meeting, The Seed Company (a Wycliffe sister organization) is now planning to visit Gabon in early 2016 to explore partnering with the Gabon churches! It was encouraging to see how Pastor Jean-Marc and the other locally-led churches have stepped up to provide leadership. AMB Gabon provided transportation for Efi to and from Cameroon.

Yaoundé for the annual inspection of the airplane. We are thankful for another 100 hours of safe flying and no cancelled flights due to maintenance issues!

September was another full month of flying for AMB Gabon- the second most flight hours logged in the program history!

Thank you for your prayers and support.