FLYING STATS from 1st Half of 2012

Thanks to your team work, all this is possible!  Private funding from the US and around the world is what assists the airplane to fly and my family to have the funds to direct this non-profit work.


Please pray as we need to build a team to carrying on the growing work in Gabon, and as we build the critical team of prayer support and financial support from all over the world.

General Aviation alive and well in Gabon!

On the last Saturday in June, I sat at a table with 12 other residents of Libreville at the Aero Club cafe at the Libreville International Airport.  We spent almost two hours discussing how, together, through the formation of an association, we could see the environment in Gabon more conducive for general aviation.  The name of the association will be "Aviation Generale du Gabon" (we're on FaceBook!).

I really should have snapped a photo, because this was our biggest turnout to date and shows the momentum that has been growing from our humble beginnings.  Here is a photo of one of those meetings (left).  Saturday's meeting was our largest yet!  The conversation was lively and all agreed to, in one way or another, participate in the group's work going forward.

The group of 13 agreed that, once our association is formed, we will aggressively lobby for a fixed base of operation for general aviation at the airport.  A hangar!  What a blessing this would be for our group and, especially, for AMB!  Our beautiful aircraft has weathered storms and the harsh sun rays tied down on the ramp with no home.  
 
Please pray for the completion of the constitution, the elections of officers, and our initial steps to enhance the aviation environment in Gabon!

JUNE! A busy month of flying!

 So, I've just done some tabulations and...


In June, we had 3 times as many flights as January, 3 times the number of miles covered, and 9 times more useage from our teammates!


We had our most total number of patients flown in June, the most flights delivery mail/equipment/groceries, and a whopping 28 visitors to Gabon made use of our flights!


It was one busy month!  Thanks to God.


We are a growing program and our praying for additional teammates.  Please join us in praying for another pilot/mechanic (or one of each) and some administrative help.  Our vision is to support the national church initiatives (like Bongolo Hospital) and to add an education component to invite others in to how aviation can be used to bless others as a way to live out the Gospel of Jesus.

Do you know someone like this?  Please have them contact me at -

Gabon.pilot@gmail.com.

Flight pictures- 29 June

Preflight- Adding oil.  One quart of Aeroshell 100w is $18 for me.  By comparison, it's about $6 in the US.

Departure off of Runway one-six from LBV International.  "Point Denis" off to the right...

... Libreville off to the left.

We were following the coast up at 4000 feet- mainly clear as we headed 187 degrees.

Oil operation along the coast.

During dry season. many people like to burn off their fields to keep the jungle at bay.  Dry season is generally June through August.

Some interesting sights along the coast as we came back north toward Libreville, after our Omboue visit.

A cool eco-tourism outpost in one of the protected areas of Gabon- Wonga-Wongue.

A large compound at Point Denis, across the estuary from Libreville.

Turning onto final approach for runway one-six, behind the Lufthansa Boeing 737, we passed the "Friendship Stadium"- one of the main venue's for February's "Cup of African Nations" soccer tournament.

Flight- 29 June Visit to Omboue Hospital

Just a one hour flight from Libreville is the coastal village of Omboue.  It's a popular tourist destination as the savannah's surrounding have a high elephant population and the beautiful lakes and the ocean nearby are also attractions.  Access to this village is limited to boat and airplane.  We touched down on the gravel runway and were greeted by Dr. Kisi, the medical director of the regional medical center (pictured to the left).

Dr. Kisi has been in Omboue for a few years and was thankful for our visit and offer to assist in linking them through our service- Aviation Medicale de Bongolo.  Dr. Kisi took us on a tour of the hospital.  This is his office and examination room.

Here's part of their lab.

The lab tech spoke to the challenges of keeping the lab running when access to technicians to maintain the machine and the material to use in the machines are so limited.  With our aircraft, we hope to enhance their services to their community.

This young mother (who agreed to the photo) brought her child to the hospital, traveling by a dugout canoe (pirogue), after he stumbled into a cooking fire and burned his hand.

 

 

Patient room.

Labor and delivery... in case you couldn't tell...

Just down the street, I was greeted by a delegation at our local Alliance church.  The pastor's wife is far right, front row.  Her husband was traveling on this day.  They were very welcoming!  Dr. Kisi attends this church.

Then, as if the warm welcome, tour of the hospital, meeting the local Prefet, and a visit to the church weren't enough, they invited Jeff and I to Dr. Kisi's house for a HUGE lunch!  Did I mention that all this was set up only 24 hours earlier!?! The Gendarme never left our sides!  We were treated like V.I.P.'s all afternoon long in Omboue.

Here we are just prior to departure:  L to R; Jeff (flight nurse from Alaska), Dr. Kisi, myself, and the elder from the local church.

Flight Pics- 02 July

Our last flight produced a few more than your normal nicks in the prop- an unimproved gravel runway.  So, a little TLC on each propeller was needed with the file.

An hour and 40 minutes later, we were buzzing by the Bongolo Hospital, descending for the airstrip.

Final approach, runway zero-niner, Bongolo International Airport!

Touchdown!

Our humble Bongolo base.  Plans are afoot to enhance this hangar and place a 20 foot container adjacent to act as office.  We're still trying to solve some solar power issues.  After adding electrolyte to the 10 year old batteries, our voltage went from 17.7 to 18.8 in one week.  Let's hope it continues to climb back to the 24 volts that they should be at.

See that big bug along the bottom of the window sill?  Our back seat passenger snapped this photo right before trying to kill it.  The bug flew into the window as we were taxiing for takeoff at Lebamba.  The passenger managed to shove the bug deeper into the sill, so it was his job to keep an eye on it for the next hour and 45 minutes!

During dry season, there is a constant cloud deck that ranges from 500 feet above ground level to about 3000 feet- usually on the low side.  On the way back to Libreville, we had enough room to stay at a lower altitude for the first 45 minutes so that the passengers could do some sight-seeing.  Later in the flight, we headed up to 8500 feet and caught a nice tailwind into Libreville.

Here's take off from Bongolo- about 400 feet off the deck, getting ready to pass over the Bongolo Hospital as we continue the climb.  The is the view from the 3rd row of seats.

A neat aspect of this flight was my co-pilot, Joela.  Joela is the son of one of the chaplains at Bongolo Hospital who would like to become a pilot!  This was his first ride every in an airplane!  He spent the first half of the flight taking photos and videos (he posts a lot on Facebook!) and then, the second half of the flight, asked a lot of questions and followed me on the controls.  His flight was sponsored by a visitor to Bongolo, a surgeon, who Joela had shadowed for about a month, doing his translation from French to English.  Well done Joela!

Mobile Medical Clinic- a tool of blessing!

Led by our local friends at "OSPAC", Alace and the kids joined with a short term mission team to support the work of a mobile medical clinic in a remote village near Libreville.

Here's Joe using an electric blood-pressure cuff to start people through the evaluation process. Next, they are weighed in and receive a consultation by a clinic worker.  Most workers have been trained at the Bongolo Hospital nursing school.

There is always a skit and/or testimony from someone from the team to explain that the clinic is the work of Jesus-followers seeking to live our their faith and be a blessing as God's Word instructs.  They are then told that, among the stations around the clinic, there will be one station where they can go to for more information about the health of their soul.

Sam is helping Envision intern, Suzanne, at the eye station.  Third line down?  P - T - L !

"Papi" Joe always keeps everyone laughing and smiling!

Hope Flights!

Today, because of the generosity of God's people both in Gabon and around the world, we were able to transport a boy and a girl from the "Hope House" home for abandoned children from the city of Libreville to the Bongolo Hospital.  There, they will receive medical care- also provided through the generous gifts from around the globe in the name of Jesus.

L to R:  Henrika, Flavienne (guardian), and Famou.

Loaded up and briefed on the safety features!

Henrika was my co-pilot.  This was her first time in an airplane!

Her dream is to be a pilot!  Sadly, there are no flight training opportunities for her in Gabon... yet!

After arrival at the hospital airstrip, I put them to work rolling N207FD into the hangar.

"Watch the wings!  Watch the wings!"  Will it fit???

It fit!  Famou will have to have his leg re-broken and repaired with a "sign" rod.  Henrika will have dental work done. (note- within an hour and a half of this photo, "phase 1" of Henrika's care was finished!  Thanks Dr. Neni!!!)

Incredible things happen when God's children come together to be part of the heritage of blessing!  These two lives are going to be changed forever with this medical care.  More important, the resulting eternal impact will be a loud testimony for the world to see.  Thanks for supporting this team!