One of the hardest things
about aviation ministry is that
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in order to maintain pilot
safety we adhare to very-very
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tight standards on the
mechanical shape of our aircraft
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every so many hours we have
to send the airplane back to
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the United States
for refurbishment.
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One of our airplanes actually
is in that condition almost.
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It will be by
the end of this year.
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The cost involved in maintenance
is just hurrendes, it's really
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unfortunate that it does cost
so much, but it's so important,
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because not only our pilots
are flying those airplanes,
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but passengers as well.
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Safety is just an absolute
assential item in this ministry
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We are here to save lives.
We want to keep everybody alive.
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Today in the AWA
Guyana mission field,
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the pilots are undertaking
a very important task.
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They are inspecting the
planes and performing general
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maintenance to increase
their performance and safety.
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However, they have no airplane
hangar or shelter to work under;
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therefore they are forced
to do their maintenance routine
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exposed to the hot Guyana sun.
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We are out here today at the
airbase working on the airplane
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doing some routine maintenance
for our airplanes here.
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We got a few problems, a few
issues that we are dealing with
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all the time and part of that is
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that we just really have no
place to work on the aircraft
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and the other part is,
that the weather is very hard
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on the aircraft, a hangar
is just desperately needed.
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We are working on the logistics
of placement of the hangar.
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But, you know those
things have not worked out yet.
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It always takes money. A
few things that we have to watch
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out for the aircraft
being outdoors is corrosion.
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This is the tail section
of the aircraft obviously,
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And corrosion isn't
quite as important maybe on the
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fuselage as much as it
is on the control surfaces.
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If the control surfaces have
corrosion issues, they can snap
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and break and cause all
sorts of serious problems
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with the aircraft. So we need
to be very careful that we are
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watching out for corrosion.
And having an aircraft inside
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makes all the
difference in the world.
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The need for the hangar is not
only important for the exterior
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of the aircraft, but it is
also important for the interior
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of the aircraft.
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We are not so worried
about the looks of the interior,
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it's not that
important that they look good,
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although that's nice to
have a good looking aircraft,
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but the instrument 	panel
is very sensitive to heat,
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and we try to protect it as best
we can. So having an aircraft
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outside exposed to
the elements, also affects
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the instrument controls.
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To protect those, we really need
to get these aircraft inside.
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But not having shelter for
the airplanes is more than just
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an inconvenience for the pilots
during their maintenance days;
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leaving the planes in the open
Guyana weather actually causes
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harm to the planes themselves
and it forces the pilots
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to keep a closer eye and
tighter maintenance standards
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on their aircraft.
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All the pilots work together
during these maintenance days.
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They check all the fluids,
valves, engine components
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and moveable parts. They also
clean and wash their aircraft
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so they can see any
cracks or corrosion.
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Since they don't have a
work shop, the mechanics
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have had to improvise.
They constructed a make shift
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trailer that they tow
behind their only vehicle,
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an arctic cat buggy.
They pull their trailer out to
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the airstrip and work out of it.
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This way, in the event
that it starts raining,
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the tools and
equipment are protected.
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Jud Wickwire has been in
Guyana for almost 5 years now.
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He is the chief pilot and is
most familiar with the mechanics
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and maintenance needs of the two
aircrafts stationed in Guyana.
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However his term is almost
finished and he will be moving
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back to Canada soon, so the
team is searching for someone
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to take over his position.
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This airplane in particular,
this has been... it's been
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in service with AWA
now for 2,413 hours.
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That's the tact time on the
engine and that's been since
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the engine's
overhauled, but the same time,
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or basically the same
time the whole airplane was,
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was restored, with a whole
series of repairs and things
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that were done anything that
needed to be repaired was done.
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It was all painted
up, real nice and pretty.
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A brand new engine, propellor,
all those things in it.
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So now after 2400
and some hours of service
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it needs some help now.
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Everything is actually
working pretty well on it.
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It's routine
maintenance is keeping it going.
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But there comes a time when,
you can just see certain things
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are starting to get to the point
like the paint, for example.
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On the wings, is
coming off the leading edges.
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And that actually is a
factor of that is the rain is
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that we fly in here.
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At home you know
in North America,
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when you fly in the rain,
it doesn't really have too much
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impact on the
airplanes as for as affect.
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The rain drops are smaller.
Here the rain drops are so large
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and so intense, that it actually
makes big nix in the prop.
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It wears the prop out, it's
taking the paint off the wings,
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it takes the paint
off the leading edges
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of the landing gear.
That combined with the sand
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and stones from landing
on those kind of runways,
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you know, different needs...
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So you just get to the
point where an airplane has been
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in service for a certain amount
of time and it just needs to be
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sent back and refurbished.
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The radios for example are now
giving a little bit of trouble.
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They are getting dated in
age. There is some great new
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technology out now that,
for navigation and communication
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systems that would... that this
airplane is now due to have.
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And be put back
into service with those.
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So there a wide range of things
that need to be done in the
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refurbishment and this airplane,
the is due for that now.
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It's not really like a
car where you fix things
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as they need to be fixed.
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With an airplane, when
you overhaul something,
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there are certain requirements
that have to be met.
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The new airplaines would require
so many modifications to them
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and they don't have the useful
loads that the older ones have,
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so a new airplane,
well you'r looking at
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about a half million dollars,
and then you'r still going to
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have to do a bunch of
modifications to it to make it
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useful for what we want to
do and I'm not sure if even with
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that, it would still be as good
an airplane as this one here.
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So we have to look at
refurbishment like the engine.
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Just to overhaul the engine
alone is probably going to be
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about $40,000.
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The avionics, that's
more difficult to pin point.
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But you can easily spend
15-20 thousand dollars there
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without doing very
much at all really.
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Of course paint; to do a proper
strip, you take off all the old
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paint, and treat the
metal and repaint it,
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that alone can be around twelve
to fifteen thousand dollars.
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A lot of this has to do with
how much the labor component is,
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for how much as far
as... is time donated
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or do we have to
pay regular in a shop.
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All three pilots here in Guyana
are both skilled with knowledge
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of how to operate the planes in
the skies, as well as how to fix
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and maintain them on the ground.
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However, they do
occasionally need assistance
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for more complex
repair endeavors.
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We are capable here
of doing pretty much
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all the routine maintenance.
The oil changes, the you know
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compression check, clean and
change the plugs as necessary,
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the wheel bearings, dress the
propeller. As parts wear out,
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I mean like changing
these hoses on the airplane,
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you know these are
things that we do here.
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We can do on a more annual
basis, we have more experienced
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mechanics that come down and do,
like if you have a particularly
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sheet metal work
needs to be done.
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Last year we had to replace some
parts on the elevator on the 206
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which required skills
that we don't really have.
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So someone came and
did that for us here.
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We have most of the tools
needed to do these things,
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but not
necessarily all the expertise.
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But we do have the support
of people that come down and
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give us a hand when needed
down here, to get the work done.
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All of our parts and support
has to come from the States.
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Here there is effectively
nothing available here.
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If we get in a jam one of
the other operators may loan us
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something or sell us something
they have that's extra but if
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it's the only one they have
left of something, they probably
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won't let us have it, because
they want it for their airplanes
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So we have to really
try hard to keep ahead
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of our parts needs.
The consumable things,
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like filters	, that we know
we are going to need, we try to
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have it in advance, like bulbs,
different things like that.
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But everything has to
be brought, or shipped down
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from the States
that we have here.
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There is a verity of ways
we do that. We send things down
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in barrels. We have, people
who are coming down bring things
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with them when they fly
down. Various things like that.
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But everything has to...
We have to really think ahead,
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because if we have something
big that we need to ship down,
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not only is it really
expensive but it also takes,
00:09:25.72\00:09:28.42
a container can take two or even
three months to get down here.
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So we have to think ahead
on all the parts that we need.
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Living in Guyana brings
with it some difficulties.
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One of the major ones is
not having local access to parts
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they need to keep their
aircraft up and running.
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If something breaks, it could
take months before they can
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have the part shipped to them
and the team can't take the risk
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of being grounded that long.
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Yah, we have had a couple
of times and it was when we had
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only one air plane here
where, this airplane was
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broken down at one point, we
needed an engine mount for it
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and we weren't
able to do that here.
00:09:59.38\00:10:01.06
And so it was down
for almost two months.
00:10:01.09\00:10:03.42
It was very frustrating
because we were not able to do
00:10:03.45\00:10:06.09
the work that we are here to do.
00:10:06.12\00:10:07.49
And we were getting requests
for things and we had to say no,
00:10:07.52\00:10:09.21
we can't do it. And then when
we did get a second airplane,
00:10:09.24\00:10:13.48
we also had to do an engine
overhaul on one of the airplanes
00:10:13.51\00:10:17.13
then and we had to be
down for a few months.
00:10:17.16\00:10:18.53
But at least then, we had
a second airplane here so we
00:10:18.56\00:10:21.04
actually grounded.
00:10:21.07\00:10:22.44
We were just
limited to what we could do.
00:10:22.47\00:10:23.84
Having the two airplanes really
gives us a lot more protection
00:10:23.87\00:10:25.88
as far as having breakdowns
where we can't do the work
00:10:25.91\00:10:28.00
that we are here to do.
00:10:28.03\00:10:29.40
We often talk about needing	fuel
to get the airplanes from
00:10:29.43\00:10:31.11
point A to point B to save
lives you know and how important
00:10:31.14\00:10:33.83
that is, and you can't
go without fuel, that's true
00:10:33.86\00:10:36.51
but what you really need to also
remember is that the maintenance
00:10:36.54\00:10:39.39
is equally import. Because,
the fuel may get you there,
00:10:39.42\00:10:41.74
but it's the maintenance,
the parts, the service
00:10:41.77\00:10:44.71
that gets you there safely.
00:10:44.74\00:10:46.22
And that you know that you
can not only get yourself there
00:10:46.25\00:10:47.90
safely, get your patient,
person who is sick, pick them up
00:10:47.93\00:10:51.10
and take them out and know that,
you know that safety is the most
00:10:51.13\00:10:53.80
is the most important thing.
00:10:53.83\00:10:55.20
They're going to get there
and get the treatment they need.
00:10:55.23\00:10:57.18
Around airplanes,
safety is the number one thing.
00:10:57.21\00:10:58.84
Anywhere. Not just
here, but anywhere.
00:10:58.87\00:11:00.46
But it takes on a
greater urgency and importance
00:11:00.49\00:11:04.30
in this environment here.
00:11:04.33\00:11:05.84
What we fly over,
is just virgin jungle.
00:11:05.87\00:11:11.02
There is nothing out there.
00:11:11.05\00:11:12.42
And if something goes wrong
and you go down in that jungle,
00:11:12.45\00:11:16.00
I mean you can
just simply disappear.
00:11:16.03\00:11:17.60
We can't prevent
absolute anything from happening
00:11:17.63\00:11:19.69
but we can certainly do
our very very best to make sure
00:11:19.72\00:11:22.97
that these airplanes are
in top mechanical condition
00:11:23.00\00:11:25.21
all the time, so that we
are not putting ourselves,
00:11:25.24\00:11:28.26
and our families
and the people here
00:11:28.29\00:11:29.73
that we are
trying to help at risk.
00:11:29.76\00:11:31.13
And that is just the most
important part; just maintaining
00:11:31.16\00:11:33.01
these airplanes, so that we know
00:11:33.04\00:11:34.74
that we can rely on them
everyday, day in and day out.
00:11:34.77\00:11:37.96
(Music)
00:11:37.99\00:11:39.36
Jud is very familiar on why it's
so important to keep the planes
00:11:41.82\00:11:45.08
in optimal flying condition.
00:11:45.11\00:11:47.15
A few weeks ago Jud received
an emergency med-evac call
00:11:47.35\00:11:51.01
about a young boy who is
badly hurt and needed to be
00:11:51.04\00:11:54.25
immediately transferred to
Georgetown to receive a higher
00:11:54.28\00:11:57.25
level of care then what he can
receive in his small village.
00:11:57.28\00:12:00.58
Jud immediately rushes to
the airstrip with the knowledge
00:12:00.61\00:12:03.78
that the planes are both ready
and in their peak condition
00:12:03.81\00:12:06.70
to hit the skies.
00:12:06.73\00:12:08.16
However, today the skies
do not seem to be so friendly.
00:12:08.19\00:12:11.55
Since they have no hangar, Jud
must do his preflight inspection
00:12:11.58\00:12:15.22
He must check the entire
plane for damage that might have
00:12:15.25\00:12:17.74
occurred over night, and
also make sure there is no water
00:12:17.77\00:12:21.16
in the plane's oil or fuel.
00:12:21.19\00:12:23.12
Just as he finishes his check
list, the ambulance pulls up
00:12:23.15\00:12:26.75
to the airstrip with
the patient and his doctor.
00:12:26.78\00:12:29.35
The rain comes down relentlessly
and makes the transport process
00:12:29.38\00:12:33.10
all the more difficult.
00:12:33.13\00:12:34.54
Over the phone Jud wasn't given
very many details about today's
00:12:35.54\00:12:39.16
emergency, so he
speaks to the ambulance driver
00:12:39.19\00:12:41.92
to get more information.
00:12:41.95\00:12:43.51
From the side door,
the young crying boy
00:12:43.54\00:12:46.78
is carried towards the plane.
00:12:46.81\00:12:48.59
He has many cuts and
scratches on his entire body
00:12:48.62\00:12:51.68
and his right leg is bandaged.
00:12:51.71\00:12:53.65
At first glance it's
very apparent that his is
00:12:53.68\00:12:56.61
in a great deal of pain.
00:12:56.64\00:12:58.12
The transporters try to
handle his leg with great care
00:12:58.15\00:13:01.52
but this is tricky when trying
to place him in the plane.
00:13:01.55\00:13:04.24
(crying)
00:13:04.27\00:13:05.64
Jud has removed the back
seat for the young boy so he can
00:13:11.03\00:13:13.66
lie down and
keep his leg straight.
00:13:13.69\00:13:16.07
Once he is in the plane,
they carefully strap him in.
00:13:16.10\00:13:19.49
Unfortunately the patient's
families aren't always able
00:13:20.72\00:13:23.88
to accompany
them to the hospital.
00:13:23.91\00:13:25.80
This child, no doubt scared,
waves good bye to his mother
00:13:25.83\00:13:30.38
as he cries and holds
tight to a stuffed toy.
00:13:30.48\00:13:33.77
(crying)
00:13:33.80\00:13:35.17
Scared and in pain, he must
now bravely travel to Georgetown
00:13:37.83\00:13:41.87
with his doctor being the
only familiar face he knows.
00:13:41.90\00:13:45.46
The AWA team has a practice
of giving out small stuffed toys
00:13:45.89\00:13:49.96
to young
children they transport.
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.24
Often it brings them
comfort in this scary time
00:13:52.27\00:13:55.00
and they cling to them.
00:13:55.03\00:13:56.61
The patient's doctor
climbs in beside the boy;
00:13:57.69\00:14:00.94
he attends to the boy's open
wounds, on his head and face.
00:14:00.97\00:14:05.31
Jud starts the plane and
begins to warm up the engine.
00:14:06.86\00:14:09.64
He checks all of his gages and
settings before he moves forward
00:14:09.67\00:14:13.34
The doctor then shows an
x-ray of the young boy's foot.
00:14:13.37\00:14:16.38
He has a broken ankle and
his foot is bent 90 degrees
00:14:16.41\00:14:20.60
away from his leg bones.
00:14:20.63\00:14:22.07
This part is
actually bulging out.
00:14:22.10\00:14:24.82
This part here,
bulging through the skin.
00:14:24.85\00:14:27.03
(music)
00:14:27.06\00:14:28.43
Painful stuff.
00:14:29.53\00:14:30.99
Pilot Jud is now
ready to take off.
00:14:32.85\00:14:35.18
The rain has eased up and
Jud takes advantage of the break
00:14:35.21\00:14:38.88
and takes off into the sky.
00:14:38.91\00:14:40.66
It's an hour and a half flight
into Georgetown and it will be
00:14:40.69\00:14:44.04
a very painful one for the young
patient, if they are going to be
00:14:44.07\00:14:46.95
in turbulent
weather the whole way.
00:14:46.98\00:14:48.63
The patient needs his leg
to remain still and straight
00:14:48.66\00:14:52.41
however it looks like today
the plane will be bounced around
00:14:52.44\00:14:55.55
by the winds and the rain.
00:14:55.58\00:14:57.31
(music)
00:14:57.34\00:14:58.71
The doctor does everything
he can think of to help
00:15:02.01\00:15:03.90
the young boy have as
comfortable flight as possible,
00:15:03.93\00:15:06.89
but in these conditions,
there isn't much anyone
00:15:06.92\00:15:10.02
can do to ease his pain.
00:15:10.05\00:15:11.89
Alright, so we pick up
this ahh, this patient.
00:15:13.59\00:15:16.49
He is nine years old. And they
said he had a partial amputation
00:15:16.52\00:15:21.18
I didn't really realize
what the problem was until
00:15:21.21\00:15:23.47
he got to the airplane. As
it turns out, he was riding his
00:15:23.50\00:15:25.77
bicycle down this steep hill,
and lost control and crashed
00:15:25.80\00:15:30.46
I guess he's got cuts on his
face. They did some stitching
00:15:30.49\00:15:33.65
on him already, but his leg
right down by his ankle is bent
00:15:33.68\00:15:37.31
about 90 degrees. And
after they got him in,
00:15:37.34\00:15:40.53
I talked to him for a minute
and he said that when he fell
00:15:40.56\00:15:44.08
his legs went between the
spokes, and that's broke his leg
00:15:44.11\00:15:48.28
There's a doctor from the
hospital escorting with us today
00:15:48.88\00:15:51.92
He's actually going to go
with the patient to the hospital
00:15:51.95\00:15:54.86
in the capital of Georgetown
and make sure that he gets
00:15:54.89\00:15:59.21
the surgery that he needs.
It's really important that when
00:15:59.24\00:16:01.40
a patient goes in, that someone
goes to escort them to the
00:16:01.43\00:16:04.33
hospital, otherwise, even
if they go in an ambulance,
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.31
the ambulance may just drop them
off at the at the emergency,
00:16:07.34\00:16:10.88
and they might, they just sit
there for hours in a chair if
00:16:10.91\00:16:14.30
no one is there to see
them through the system.
00:16:14.33\00:16:16.55
So hopefully he'll get
in for surgery right away
00:16:17.25\00:16:19.41
with the doctor there with him.
00:16:19.44\00:16:20.81
So, but because he's by himself
we'll try and keep track of
00:16:22.01\00:16:26.93
what's happen to him when he
gets in there so that when he
00:16:26.96\00:16:29.25
does, get released, we will
try and bring him back home.
00:16:29.28\00:16:33.15
We have a little bit of
time while we are waiting
00:16:33.18\00:16:35.99
for the patient to get to the
airstrip today I called ahead,
00:16:36.02\00:16:38.94
I'm going to call the Amerindian
hostel, which is where people
00:16:38.97\00:16:42.30
from the interior, if they
don't have family out there,
00:16:42.33\00:16:44.84
then they stay at the Amerindian
hostel, so when they they get
00:16:44.87\00:16:47.34
discharged from the hospital
they stay at the hostel until
00:16:47.37\00:16:50.38
they can find a way back.
Either on their own or we can
00:16:50.41\00:16:54.82
come and give them a ride.
So today we have actually have
00:16:54.85\00:16:56.75
three patients to
pick up to bring back.
00:16:56.78\00:16:58.15
One, we are going to
drop off in Port Kaituma
00:16:58.18\00:16:59.68
and two to come to Mabaruma.
00:16:59.71\00:17:01.16
And I don't know anything
about who they are just yet
00:17:01.19\00:17:03.93
but they will bring them
out to the airstrip to meet us
00:17:03.96\00:17:06.38
so we can bring them back.
And we are also going to try
00:17:06.41\00:17:08.75
and get some oxygen.
We just found out that the
00:17:08.78\00:17:10.36
hospital is out of oxygen.
00:17:10.39\00:17:11.76
There was a patient last night
that we loaned our little bottle
00:17:12.46\00:17:15.56
to, who was having some distress
Apparently they were supposed to
00:17:15.59\00:17:20.17
get 3 or 4 big bottles of oxygen
on the last boat that came in
00:17:20.20\00:17:23.69
but none came so... I'm
going to see if we can get a
00:17:23.72\00:17:26.02
couple of big bottles to
take out with us today as well
00:17:26.05\00:17:27.76
so that they can have
that to treat the patients.
00:17:27.79\00:17:30.39
Otherwise they have to
wait for two more weeks
00:17:30.42\00:17:31.85
before they can get any.
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.25
Half way into the flight,
the young boy is still crying.
00:17:33.28\00:17:36.65
No doubt he is in great
pain, but he also has to face
00:17:37.55\00:17:40.74
making this trip
to Georgetown alone;
00:17:40.77\00:17:42.86
a very intimidating
endeavor for anyone,
00:17:42.89\00:17:45.58
let alone a
young, injured, child.
00:17:45.61\00:17:48.05
As they get closer to their
destination, Jud reaches the
00:17:48.95\00:17:52.03
Ogle air space. Ogle is the
airport he intends to land in
00:17:52.06\00:17:55.98
and he must be in communication
with them to inform them
00:17:56.01\00:17:58.84
of his current location.
00:17:58.87\00:18:00.24
The air traffic controler
gives Jud permission to land
00:18:00.86\00:18:03.57
and Jud goes in
for his final approach.
00:18:03.60\00:18:06.12
It's raining here in Georgetown
as well, and Jud knows that
00:18:07.12\00:18:10.35
this landing might be a bit
bumpier then he or his patient
00:18:10.38\00:18:13.44
would like. However
despite the rain, he is
00:18:13.47\00:18:16.01
able to safely land the plane.
00:18:16.04\00:18:17.99
Now they are all safely at
the Ogle airport in Georgetown.
00:18:18.02\00:18:21.33
This is where the AWA team
delivers all their patients.
00:18:21.36\00:18:24.67
The local hospital sends
out ambulances to the airport
00:18:24.70\00:18:27.43
to collect their new patients.
However, it looks like there is
00:18:27.46\00:18:30.40
no one here to pick up the
patient. The doctor breaths
00:18:30.43\00:18:33.08
a sigh of frustration
because he knows how much pain
00:18:33.11\00:18:35.93
his patient is in.
00:18:35.96\00:18:37.33
During transport, the patient's
leg began to bleed and it now
00:18:37.36\00:18:41.17
needs immediate attention.
The young boy has pain written
00:18:41.20\00:18:44.95
all over his face and
he anxiously looks around
00:18:44.98\00:18:48.02
for some sign of an ambulance.
00:18:48.05\00:18:49.96
Jud and the doctor
are both anxious as well.
00:18:50.66\00:18:53.05
The boy's bleeding is heavier
and he needs to be transported
00:18:53.75\00:18:56.91
and treated at the
hospital right away.
00:18:56.94\00:18:59.20
There is very little they can
do for him here, other then try
00:18:59.23\00:19:02.48
and keep him calm. So Jud calls
the hospital to get an updated
00:19:02.51\00:19:06.47
location on the ambulance.
00:19:06.50\00:19:07.94
Jud and the doctor stay with
the patient nearly 30 minutes
00:19:07.97\00:19:11.41
after they have touched
down on the Ogle runway.
00:19:11.44\00:19:13.99
transportation to
the hospital has arrived.
00:19:14.02\00:19:16.71
The airport security
opens the gates for the vehicle
00:19:16.84\00:19:19.53
to drive to meet the
patient still in the plane.
00:19:19.56\00:19:22.03
There are no stretchers or back
boards to transport the patient
00:19:22.65\00:19:25.61
between vehicles,
so Jud and the doctor
00:19:25.64\00:19:28.09
must pick him up and carry him.
00:19:28.12\00:19:30.11
The patient again begins to
cry. The doctor gently picks up
00:19:30.14\00:19:35.01
the boy's leg while Jud
secures the patients upper body.
00:19:35.04\00:19:38.23
They carefully pull him from
the plane and walk him towards
00:19:38.56\00:19:42.18
the hospital truck.
00:19:42.21\00:19:43.58
They must be as
quick as possible
00:19:43.61\00:19:45.71
since they are
at a busy airport.
00:19:45.74\00:19:47.92
Finally the patient is handed
over to the hospital's care
00:19:48.89\00:19:52.02
and Jud can
breathe a sigh of relief.
00:19:52.05\00:19:54.58
Despite all the obstacles
of the weather; the AWA team
00:19:54.61\00:19:58.68
and the AWA aircraft
were able to safely transport
00:19:58.71\00:20:02.49
another patient today.
00:20:02.52\00:20:04.41
This incident is just
one of many examples of why
00:20:04.44\00:20:08.62
it's so important to
keep the AWA aircrafts working
00:20:08.65\00:20:12.29
in prime condition.
00:20:12.32\00:20:13.92
The main things that we need on
a consistent basis is a steady
00:20:13.95\00:20:16.71
known supply of regular
consumable parts and a budget
00:20:17.04\00:20:23.27
to know that when we
have greater parts needs and
00:20:23.30\00:20:26.53
maintenance needs that
we can look after that.
00:20:26.56\00:20:28.46
In the longer term we need
to know that we are putting
00:20:28.49\00:20:32.71
these hours on the airplanes
and we need to know that those
00:20:32.74\00:20:35.69
when those airplanes reach a
point and need to go back for
00:20:35.72\00:20:38.86
for major overhauls, the engines
to paint and other components
00:20:38.89\00:20:42.63
that the budget is there to be
able to send that airplane back
00:20:42.66\00:20:46.94
and get it restored and put
back into the field as quickly
00:20:46.97\00:20:50.05
as possible where
it's needed the most.
00:20:50.08\00:20:51.75
It costs a lot of
money to run an airplane.
00:20:51.78\00:20:54.03
For new parts,
and our planes are
00:20:54.06\00:20:56.52
starting to get
a little bit old.
00:20:56.55\00:20:57.92
And we are starting to need new
parts and new things for them
00:20:57.95\00:21:00.70
and its constant. We
are constantly having
00:21:00.73\00:21:02.33
to have to change things
out. And that costs money.
00:21:02.36\00:21:05.50
And even though it's not
exciting, that's a huge need.
00:21:05.53\00:21:08.29
We are here to save lives
both physically and for eternity
00:21:08.32\00:21:11.22
and the key to doing that is
we have to have an aircraft that
00:21:11.25\00:21:14.28
is reliable,
efficient, and trust worthy.
00:21:14.31\00:21:17.64
In order to be able to do that
we have to maintain very tight
00:21:17.67\00:21:20.17
maintenance standards. And the
cost of these maintenance items,
00:21:20.20\00:21:23.59
especially when we have to
travel an airplane back to the
00:21:23.62\00:21:25.62
United States. It's very costly.
00:21:25.65\00:21:27.87
As the AWA pilots continue
to work on the aircraft,
00:21:32.46\00:21:35.43
they draw the
attention of the locals.
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.84
How many years you got?
00:21:37.87\00:21:39.86
Laura Labore takes
advantage of the opportunity
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.61
and uses it for
ministry and education.
00:21:42.64\00:21:45.35
She talks with one of the young
village children and gives him
00:21:45.38\00:21:48.41
personal attention. Something
all the village children crave.
00:21:48.44\00:21:52.32
The curious boy stays a
few hours with the mechanics
00:21:52.35\00:21:55.89
and enjoys this opportunity
to interact and learn with new
00:21:55.92\00:21:59.51
objects that he
has never seen before.
00:21:59.54\00:22:01.67
We really need a
hangar for the airplanes.
00:22:03.97\00:22:05.98
Every time we go out
and work on the airplanes,
00:22:06.31\00:22:09.01
it's... whether its..
it's either hot sun or rain.
00:22:09.04\00:22:11.46
And this is an example of why
we need a hangar at the airstrip
00:22:11.49\00:22:15.56
It's raining outside
and the oil in the air plane
00:22:16.64\00:22:20.64
has to be changed.
00:22:20.67\00:22:22.04
And these are the
conditions we deal with.
00:22:24.92\00:22:27.56
Having a hangar at the airport
here would allow us to do our
00:22:28.81\00:22:32.70
own maintenance here on site
and not have to do so many trips
00:22:32.73\00:22:34.87
to Georgetown.
00:22:34.90\00:22:36.27
Place to store our tools
and a sheltered area to work.
00:22:36.30\00:22:40.81
Laura begins to wash the plane.
00:22:41.92\00:22:44.21
It's kind of a hassle washing
airplanes here because there is
00:22:45.71\00:22:47.11
is nowhere to wash them at.
00:22:47.14\00:22:48.97
There is a ditch over there,
in rainy season it fills up with
00:22:49.00\00:22:52.07
water and we can get
our water from there but...
00:22:52.10\00:22:54.42
We need to keep them clean
not just for appearance sake,
00:22:54.45\00:22:56.79
but also you can see if
anything is wrong better.
00:22:56.82\00:23:00.69
If it's clean and corrosion,
it's also good for not having
00:23:00.72\00:23:05.71
corrosion develop. We
try and keep them clean
00:23:05.74\00:23:07.73
but it's not easy. Especially
after you've been flying all day
00:23:07.76\00:23:10.63
the last thing you want to do is
come back and wash the airplane.
00:23:10.66\00:23:13.26
So ours look like we've
been 4 x 4ing all day long.
00:23:13.29\00:23:16.92
And we kind of have been.
00:23:16.95\00:23:18.32
These are all new scratches.
00:23:23.41\00:23:24.96
Because we're parked
out here with no hangar,
00:23:26.00\00:23:27.99
people come and
just mess with stuff.
00:23:28.02\00:23:31.92
We've come out with hand
writing on here and stuff.
00:23:31.95\00:23:35.56
We have had a few problems
with people vandalizing.
00:23:35.59\00:23:38.27
It's not as bad as a problem
as I thought it would be.
00:23:38.30\00:23:41.76
People like to come by
and there's something called
00:23:42.66\00:23:45.60
the static wick, these
little things that stick out and
00:23:45.63\00:23:47.77
everyone loves to go by and
just break those. And pop those
00:23:47.80\00:23:51.09
and those are hundreds
of dollars to buy a new one.
00:23:51.12\00:23:53.52
Children coming out here writing
on it, scratching the windows,
00:23:53.55\00:23:56.29
scratching the paint,
trying to get into the key hole.
00:23:56.32\00:23:59.80
That's been damaged
because someone took scissors
00:23:59.83\00:24:02.00
and tried to get in.
00:24:02.03\00:24:03.40
And it is not only the
children, it is also GDF,
00:24:03.43\00:24:06.31
which is the army. Because
they are based right behind us.
00:24:06.34\00:24:09.12
And come out here and
you know we'll find stuff.
00:24:09.16\00:24:14.35
We know that
they've been messing around.
00:24:14.38\00:24:15.95
We desperately need a
hangar. Now we have a hangar,
00:24:15.98\00:24:19.53
it's in a container in Texas,
waiting, ready to be shipped.
00:24:19.56\00:24:23.26
The problem is, we
don't have a place to put it.
00:24:23.29\00:24:25.40
And in Mabaruma where we
are right now, because it is
00:24:25.43\00:24:29.17
a bigger town, there is just
no physical space to put it.
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.47
And so we are
thinking. We have been trying
00:24:32.50\00:24:35.58
for years now to move
to a different village.
00:24:35.61\00:24:37.91
A 30 minute flight
away is the Bemidji strip,
00:24:37.94\00:24:40.83
the location the AWA team would
like to call their new home.
00:24:40.86\00:24:44.67
Here they have
plenty of room to put up
00:24:44.70\00:24:46.96
their so desperately
needed airplane hangar.
00:24:46.99\00:24:49.81
We are in Bemidji, which
is in the region of Moruca
00:24:49.84\00:24:53.01
and this is the Bemidji strip.
00:24:53.04\00:24:54.52
We'v been trying for
years now to move here.
00:24:54.55\00:24:56.91
It's been really difficult
because of political issues
00:24:56.94\00:24:59.51
and things, but we
really need a hangar.
00:24:59.54\00:25:01.78
And Moruca is basically
centrally located between
00:25:01.81\00:25:04.37
Georgetown and Mabaruma
where we currently live.
00:25:04.40\00:25:07.82
It's a location that
we've looked at for a while
00:25:07.85\00:25:10.00
as a possible
base for our operation.
00:25:10.03\00:25:12.11
We need to have a
hangar for the airplanes.
00:25:12.14\00:25:15.20
You know, we have our pilots
working out in the hot sun
00:25:15.23\00:25:18.10
doing mechanical work out
there, it's very difficult
00:25:18.13\00:25:20.94
and it's just not ideal at all.
00:25:20.97\00:25:23.10
So we've been searching
for a base and this opportunity
00:25:23.13\00:25:25.31
has come up here at Maruca.
00:25:25.34\00:25:26.81
We've been talking to local
authorities and working with
00:25:26.84\00:25:29.98
them for almost, two years
now and I think we are finally
00:25:30.01\00:25:32.77
getting close to
where we can close the deal
00:25:32.80\00:25:34.78
for some acres of land.
00:25:34.81\00:25:36.18
Right behind me, is the
area that we are looking at.
00:25:36.21\00:25:38.80
The hangar would be
positioned right here.
00:25:38.83\00:25:40.68
The airstrip is right
there. And our housing
00:25:40.71\00:25:44.47
we would build three houses.
00:25:44.50\00:25:46.45
One for each of our families,
a volunteer house for volunteers
00:25:46.49\00:25:50.12
to stay in that would house
maybe 15-20 people with hammocks
00:25:50.15\00:25:53.07
and tents and things like that.
And also an outreach center
00:25:53.10\00:25:56.12
where we can have literature
there and health teaching,
00:25:56.15\00:26:01.75
and a variety of things of that
nature. And this is the area
00:26:01.78\00:26:05.15
really where
that's going to happen.
00:26:05.18\00:26:06.55
We're praying for that anyway.
00:26:06.58\00:26:07.95
This is considered Amerindian
land and so we're not allowed
00:26:07.98\00:26:11.97
to buy it. And we can
only live on it by leasing it
00:26:12.00\00:26:15.84
and with an agreement.
00:26:15.87\00:26:17.24
And so it's taken the
counsel this long to try and say
00:26:17.27\00:26:20.86
that yes we can move here.
00:26:20.89\00:26:22.26
There's lots of people on the
Amerindian counsel who would say
00:26:22.29\00:26:25.03
"yes please come move here"
There's a couple people at first
00:26:25.06\00:26:27.82
who were opposed.
00:26:27.85\00:26:29.22
One person in particular who
was opposed to us, we ended up
00:26:29.25\00:26:32.69
med-evacing out,
with a heart attack.
00:26:32.72\00:26:34.76
and so he changed his mind. So
... just waiting for approval.
00:26:34.79\00:26:40.15
And everything moves slow
here. So all we have to do is
00:26:40.18\00:26:43.69
get the permission.
And we will sign a lease.
00:26:44.10\00:26:46.91
I think it's a 50 year lease,
that we will sign to be here.
00:26:46.94\00:26:50.10
So there are 7 acres that we've
been it's about 7 acres that
00:26:50.13\00:26:53.80
we are trying to get.
00:26:53.83\00:26:55.53
And it goes back this
way, till there's a creek.
00:26:55.56\00:26:58.72
Originally our goal here was to
be able to assist missionaries,
00:26:59.75\00:27:04.07
who are on the ground, we would
be the infrastructure for them.
00:27:04.10\00:27:07.82
But there aren't any
missionaries on the ground.
00:27:07.85\00:27:09.98
So we kind of feel like
we are doing everything.
00:27:10.01\00:27:11.81
We're trying to do
Bible studies, and fly
00:27:11.84\00:27:14.30
and outreach and everything.
00:27:14.33\00:27:15.70
The needs are so great here.
00:27:15.73\00:27:17.44
And basically we're
just short on workers.
00:27:17.47\00:27:19.70
Jesus said in the great Gospel
Commission in Matthew 28:19-20
00:27:20.81\00:27:24.62
that we are to go
into all the world!
00:27:24.65\00:27:27.04
Well, Adventist World Aviation
is dedicated to doing just that!
00:27:27.07\00:27:30.93
There are between six and a
half and seven billion people
00:27:30.96\00:27:34.10
now living on planet earth.
And two billion of them have
00:27:34.13\00:27:37.27
never heard of Jesus.
00:27:37.30\00:27:38.79
Of the two billion,
eight hundred million
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.97
of them can only be reached
like means like aircraft.
00:27:42.00\00:27:45.24
or through aviation support.
00:27:45.28\00:27:47.08
We go into the
un-reached areas of the world.
00:27:47.11\00:27:51.07
What we find when we go in there
00:27:51.10\00:27:52.76
we find death and
disease and despair.
00:27:52.79\00:27:55.68
What we bring them is
hope, health and life.
00:27:55.71\00:27:59.94
And a great Gospel
message that Jesus loves them.
00:28:00.19\00:28:02.57
That there is somebody
out there, who does care.
00:28:02.60\00:28:05.01
They often ask,
why do you do this?
00:28:06.14\00:28:08.13
We say, because Jesus loves you!
00:28:08.16\00:28:10.49
And so the message that we
bring them is absolute hope.
00:28:10.92\00:28:14.46
Since it's inception, 1995,
AWA, or Adventist World Aviation
00:28:14.49\00:28:19.55
has been able to relieve
over thirty five epidemics.
00:28:19.58\00:28:22.52
We've literally flown
millions of missionary miles.
00:28:22.55\00:28:26.01
We are relieving the pain
and suffering of those who live
00:28:26.04\00:28:28.49
in these remote parts
of the world. Helping them.
00:28:28.52\00:28:30.80
Will you pray for us! We need
prayer more than anything else!
00:28:31.53\00:28:34.61
If you like more information
please contact this station
00:28:34.64\00:28:38.18
3 Angels Broadcasting Network
Or call the number on the screen
00:28:38.21\00:28:42.06
Thanks for watching!
00:28:42.09\00:28:43.53
(Music)
00:28:43.56\00:28:44.93