Safety in aviation is
an absolute necessity.
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One of the ways safety
is enforced by having every
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aircraft meet FAA regulations
and maintenance requirements.
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Every airplane must be routinely
inspected and maintained
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to be considered airworthy.
Adventist World Aviation holds
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it's entire fleet of aircraft
up to these safety standards.
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Every plane must meet the
Federal Aviation Administration
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flight regulations. Even
those, who fly in the jungles,
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where the FAA
has no jurisdiction.
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Safety of our pilots
and passengers is paramount.
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And Adventist World Aviation
takes great effort to make sure
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each aircraft
meets safety standards.
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Each aircraft can fly a
certain number of hours before
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it reaches TBO,
meaning time before overhaul.
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Once a plane has reached TBO,
it is taken out of service and
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brought back to our headquarters
maintenance facility, located
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in Wisconsin, to be
refurbished and rebuilt.
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TBO is the time before overhaul,
so if you start with a freshly
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overhauled engine, you're
going to start at zero time.
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And then most engines, they
will give you up to 2,000 hours
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of operation before TBO.
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Currently 2 of Adventist
World Aviation's aircrafts are
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up against TBO. In order to
follow safety protocol, every
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plane must be taken back
to the States and undergo
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a complete rebuild.
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The first plane that
needs work is a Cessna 182
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known as 8838 x-ray.
That's the aircrafts name.
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Once completed it will be placed
in the mission field of Guyana
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to fly medical
evacuations from the jungles.
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Safety of aircraft is
extremely important to me.
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But it's equally more important
to our missionaries, who are
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in the field that have
no maintenance facilities
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to speak of where they are
located at especially in Guyana.
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Vonzell Chancy is here
training as well as working
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on an aircraft that
we're planning to deploy here
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very shortly to Guyana. But in
order to deploy it, it has to be
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completed. We're sitting here
with an aircraft. It's in many
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pieces because of the additional
maintenance that was required.
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We've called up experts. Experts
from Texas, Luis Acosta is here
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with us. And Luis Acosta will
be with us for the next week.
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He is training, as well as
making sure that this aircraft
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is in absolute tip top shape.
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In order to be extra thorough
and be as safe as possible
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the entire plane is stripped of
all of it's parts, so it can be
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meticulously examined for any
cracks, corrosion, or damage.
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Every inch of the plane
must be inspected and reviewed.
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Safety is paramount, so
this step is time consuming,
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but it is proven to be worth the
time it takes to do it right.
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Detailed inspection of
the aircraft is always a plus.
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When we conduct these detailed
inspections we are going to be
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able to find cracks or any
damage that is hidden underneath
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the paint. With us putting a
new paint job on the airplane
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we were able to strip the
complete aircraft and inspect
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the airframe for any damage.
We were able to find damages,
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such as cracks dents
and so forth to perform
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the proper repairs on them.
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This aircraft is going to Guyana
We have to take extra heroic
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measures to make sure that there
is extra corrosion proofing
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going on. That any small
detail is not overlooked.
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Even the smallest crack in
a piece of metal must not be
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overlooked. What we are doing
here is making sure that every
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detail is covered.
That safety abounds.
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Vonzell Chancy is preparing
to become an AWA mission pilot
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in Guyana. He is both a pilot
and a mechanic. Vonzell has
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the wonderful opportunity
to work on the aircraft,
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that he will be flying.
An advantage that most pilots
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do not have.
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Here in Wisconsin he is
helping to rebuild a Cessna 182.
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By the time he gets to Guyana,
he will know every inch of this
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aircraft. Vonzell also takes the
opportunity to learn from his
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highly skilled peers. Frank and
Luis. Anything they can teach
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him here, will greatly
assist him once he is in Guyana.
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With this experience and
knowledge he is gaining, he can
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do repairs and maintenance
on the plane in Guyana.
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This will help eliminate cost
and down time of having to send
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the plane back to the
United States for maintenance
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and repairs.
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Today, we have taken a break
from the actual maintenance part
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of it, so that Luis, who is a
master mechanic and so is Frank
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and they are showing me some of
the procedures what we would do
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in order to
continue our inspection.
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There are some airworthiness
directives, some things that
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need to be checked to make sure
we comply with Federal Aviation
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requirements on these aircrafts
so we've taken some time
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right now and
gone over those things.
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This detailed inspection of
the plane literally requires
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the examination of
every inch of the plane.
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Once it's finished, there'll
be no doubt, that this plane
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will be one of the
safest aircraft to fly.
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Adventist World Aviation has
many airplane mechanics, that
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volunteer their services. These
mechanics live all throughout
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the country and
some even in Canada.
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These dedicated individuals
travel from far and wide,
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when there is a call to get
an AWA mission plane deployed.
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OK, we have lots of people in
the hangars they got an airplane
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that's been in the process
of number of modifications over
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the last few years actually and
now it is just about finished,
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so we got really the
final push to get it completed
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getting all the surfaces
ready for paint, getting all the
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materials off, all the paint
scuffed and prep for paint.
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And of course reassembly,
piecing it back together
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and get it back in the air.
So we just have as many people
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as we can right now. All tasked
out, to get this thing done,
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and out to the mission
field as soon as we can.
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Adventist World Aviation
is blessed to have such great
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and talented mechanics.
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The individuals
working on this plane are truly
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top notch mechanics, who
have volunteered their time
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and services, because they want
to see this plane fly once again
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There have been many mechanics,
who come and shared their
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specific talents on this project
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The riveting, the painting
stripes, electronics, painting,
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each individual has come to
faithfully share their talents.
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We got Elden Bower, he is a semi
retired mechanic, I don't know
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if he will ever actually retire.
He's been working on airplanes,
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flying airplanes and helicopters
all around the world, missions
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last 50 years I think at
least. He's come to work for us
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for couple of weeks.
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The remake of this aircraft,
removing all the corrosion
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that was in it and stripping
it down to the bare metal.
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Preparing the metal for paint.
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It will be
repainted and reassembled
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any worn part
should be replaced.
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Our hope is that we can
paint this next week and than
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start assembly.
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Hopefully within a two
week period we have this thing
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ready for service.
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Ray Young is here, he is
also a mechanic from Canada,
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has quite a bit of experience.
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They are just giving their time
out of their very busy schedule
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they got people calling them
right now asking to get their
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work done back there.
They're saying no, we are gone
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for two week to work
on these mission planes
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to put them back in service.
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Ray Young is one of the
individuals, who especially
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devoted himself to the
completion of this project.
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He and his wife Julie have
put their lives back in Canada
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on hold, as they come to
Wisconsin to see this project
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to completion.
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Ray has worked consistently
on this plane day in and day out
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for several months now.
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He truly has dedicated himself
whole heartedly to this project.
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Once the plane has been equipped
with all the necessary and
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lifesaving modifications, it's
all perfectly puzzled pieced
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back together and assembled.
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The plane now begins
to take it's true shape.
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After assembly it's time to
beautify the plane and paint it
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the pathfinder colors.
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Ray Young has been
tasked with the new paint job
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of this aircraft.
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This is a standard, simple
water trap. Air comes in, cools
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certain amount. The water drop
that can't make through the high
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micron filter as easy as the air
can. So it separates out of the
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air and falls to the bottom
and than the trap automatically
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allows to drip out,
as it starts to fill up.
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And that takes out the majority
of our condensation and water
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in our hoses and paint.
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Unfortunately if we shoot paint
with water mixing in with it
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splashing in it, than it's going
to leave huge marks in the paint
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And it will also interrupt the
bonding process of the paint.
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So naturally I want as
much moisture out, as we can.
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And this happens to be
a very high humidity area.
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It's a daunting
task to say the least.
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This airplane is being painted
yellow to honor the Pathfinders,
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who have worked
alongside AWA for some time now.
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You notice this airplane is
primarily yellow. We started out
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doing that because we were
associated with pathfinders,
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So we started out with
the Pathfinder, it was yellow.
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Then we've discovered
that having yellow airplane
00:11:14.77\00:11:17.27
is quite unique in most
places. It's an unusual color
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for an airplane. People
in communities were able to
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instantly identify
the yellow mission plane.
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Also in some places, some
of the flights that are done,
00:11:27.42\00:11:34.92
they're not legal. Most people
who are flying illegally aren't
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interested in having a
high visibility airplane.
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So, just having a bright yellow
airplane makes what we do unique
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It separates us from anyone
else that's operating out there.
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So people just recognize
and know that this airplane
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is about mission flying.
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The AWA maintenance hangar is
alive with activity, as skilled
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volunteers pour hundreds
of hours into this aircraft.
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They all feel the urgency to
get this plane into the mission
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field as soon as possible.
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As the plane is reassembled,
the mechanics add specialty
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modifications to it, to make it
suitable for the mission field.
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We're in the middle of
getting an airplane ready to go
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into the mission field.
Now, there are lot's of Cessna
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airplanes out there. We use
Cessna 182-s and Cessna 206-s.
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When we go to buy an airplane,
or have one donated, provided
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we have to do
quite a few modifications
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to make it
suitable to go overseas.
00:12:36.52\00:12:38.82
For example this you
know airplanes come with
00:12:38.85\00:12:42.86
seatbelts, they all come with
seatbelts, but the older models
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are the ones that
are the most useful to us
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to carry the most weight.
They have the most versatility.
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They come with shoulder
harnesses or they come with
00:12:50.37\00:12:53.00
normal harnesses, the once
that are fixed at a certain
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point in the airplane
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So this is called the inertia
wheel like the one you have
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in your car and you had
it in your car for years.
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Probably just take out
everything out of one of these.
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Once you're in an impact,
it snaps shut like that and it
00:13:02.18\00:13:04.71
keeps you from going anywhere.
00:13:04.75\00:13:06.08
So we put these in the airplanes
because these save lives.
00:13:06.21\00:13:09.18
If there is ever an accident,
we are prepared for that.
00:13:09.22\00:13:12.05
But these cost money. These
are just modified to put these
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seatbelts in the front seat
of one of our mission airplanes
00:13:15.96\00:13:18.79
cost about $1,500 $2,000 by
the time they are installed.
00:13:18.83\00:13:21.86
These are the things that we
have to do to these airplanes.
00:13:21.90\00:13:25.03
Number of things like this to
make the airplanes more useful,
00:13:25.07\00:13:27.77
and safer for use
in the mission field.
00:13:27.80\00:13:30.07
So we are talking about doing
modifications to our mission
00:13:30.17\00:13:32.04
airplanes to send them over seas
where they're more functional,
00:13:32.07\00:13:34.81
more safe. This is one of the
ones that we do on almost all
00:13:34.84\00:13:39.01
the airplanes. Extend the wings.
This is a piece that will go
00:13:39.05\00:13:43.02
on to the end of the
wings. Makes the wingspan of the
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airplane 2-3' wider and that
actually allows the airplane
00:13:45.89\00:13:50.53
to fly at slower speeds and
take off at shorter distances.
00:13:50.56\00:13:54.00
But even more significantly,
allows the airplane to carry
00:13:54.03\00:13:56.36
more weight in this particular
case. The airplane has a gross
00:13:56.40\00:13:59.23
weight of 300lb.
00:13:59.27\00:14:01.24
The kit weights less than 50
so you are carrying and extra
00:14:01.27\00:14:04.21
250lb at least in the
airplane which is often 2000
00:14:04.24\00:14:08.11
in the mission field.
00:14:08.14\00:14:09.48
You are looking at you know out
on a remote airstrip you got an
00:14:09.51\00:14:12.08
extra patient comes up to
the airplane and you can say
00:14:12.11\00:14:14.88
yes we can take
you to the hospital.
00:14:14.92\00:14:16.25
We have the wing extension
that allows the airplane
00:14:16.28\00:14:18.62
to carry more weight.
00:14:18.65\00:14:19.99
Many hands work on this
aircraft as Jud Wickwire,
00:14:20.22\00:14:24.06
AWA Director of operations,
oversees the project.
00:14:24.09\00:14:27.73
This plane has been
transformed from an old rusty
00:14:27.76\00:14:32.10
Cessna 182, to a newly
updated fine piece of machinery.
00:14:32.13\00:14:36.67
Now many people say, why don't
you just go and buy a brand new
00:14:37.47\00:14:39.81
airplane,
wouldn't that be cheaper?
00:14:39.84\00:14:41.18
Well, a new aircraft would cost
somewhere in the neighborhood
00:14:41.21\00:14:43.24
of about $250,000 to purchase
an aircraft that's equipped
00:14:43.28\00:14:48.78
like this. And than add to
the additional equipment that
00:14:48.82\00:14:51.45
we have on it, the equipment
list it need to make it work
00:14:51.49\00:14:53.99
We would probably dump in
another 100,000, so we're well
00:14:54.02\00:14:56.99
in excess of what we need.
We can refurbish this aircraft
00:14:57.03\00:15:00.43
and make it even better than
it would come from the factory
00:15:00.46\00:15:03.53
with $110,000 from tip to tail.
00:15:03.57\00:15:05.83
The plane was completely
stripped to it's bare shell
00:15:05.87\00:15:09.20
and then reassembled with
new and modified components.
00:15:09.24\00:15:13.48
The mechanics have updated
every inch of this plane,
00:15:13.51\00:15:17.01
and it is nearing completion.
00:15:17.05\00:15:19.51
8838 x-ray, the
new pathfinder plane
00:15:19.55\00:15:24.62
is desperately needed in Guyana.
00:15:24.65\00:15:26.82
The project there is in
dire need of a new plane that is
00:15:26.89\00:15:30.93
especially equipped
with modifications to be able
00:15:30.96\00:15:34.00
to fly in the
difficult terrain of Guyana.
00:15:34.03\00:15:37.13
Unfortunately, there have
been many set backs on getting
00:15:37.47\00:15:41.67
this plane deployed, but
now, after over a year, the AWA
00:15:41.70\00:15:46.68
mechanic team has everything
they need to properly assemble
00:15:46.71\00:15:50.61
this plane into a safe,
effective tool to save lives.
00:15:50.65\00:15:55.18
Piece by piece 8838
x-ray takes shape over the next
00:15:56.28\00:16:01.56
couple of months.
00:16:01.59\00:16:02.92
The bright yellow
gleams in the skies is a symbol
00:16:02.96\00:16:06.76
of help and hope
for those it flies.
00:16:06.80\00:16:09.83
Once the painting is complete,
there is just a few finishing
00:16:09.86\00:16:14.30
touches that need to be done.
00:16:14.34\00:16:16.00
Mechanics pour over
manuals to insure that they have
00:16:16.04\00:16:20.64
assembled the plane properly.
00:16:20.68\00:16:22.64
Each component is checked, and
each screw is securely tightened
00:16:22.68\00:16:28.25
The interior
avionics are calibrated.
00:16:28.28\00:16:31.35
Everything on this plane
is balanced to perfection.
00:16:31.39\00:16:35.09
There is zero room for error
here, so the mechanics work
00:16:35.12\00:16:40.50
together to make sure this
aircraft is built correctly.
00:16:40.53\00:16:45.27
Of course when you do a lot
of these modifications on the
00:16:45.30\00:16:47.64
airplanes, you take a
lot of things apart and then
00:16:47.67\00:16:49.87
they have to be reassembled.
There're very strict
00:16:49.90\00:16:53.51
specifications for airplanes.
Manufacturer's specifications.
00:16:53.54\00:16:56.95
We have to make sure they return
to those exact specifications.
00:16:56.98\00:17:00.18
So it's all the rigging of the
control surfaces they have to be
00:17:00.22\00:17:03.82
weigh in a certain way balanced
and they have to have a certain
00:17:03.85\00:17:07.16
amount of deflection. I
mean there are books, manuals
00:17:07.19\00:17:11.76
with all these numbers and
references. We have to make sure
00:17:11.79\00:17:14.06
that we meet, to put the
airplane back into service.
00:17:14.10\00:17:17.73
After the painting process,
the control surfaces of the
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.74
plane must again be
balanced and put into alignment.
00:17:20.77\00:17:24.24
Even a layer of
paint is enough to impact
00:17:24.77\00:17:27.48
the way the plane flies.
00:17:27.51\00:17:29.04
Ray and Vonzell work
together to balance the plane.
00:17:29.08\00:17:33.68
Every aspect of this project
required great consideration.
00:17:34.48\00:17:38.52
Attention to
detail and teamwork.
00:17:38.55\00:17:41.59
So, what we are doing here right
now, is we are leveling out our
00:17:41.62\00:17:45.83
control surface, make sure it's
balanced so it doesn't flutter
00:17:45.86\00:17:49.73
at high speeds. And on the
front here we have 3 solid lead
00:17:49.76\00:17:53.90
weights, that bring us close
to balance. With the stick and
00:17:53.94\00:17:58.71
level we're finding out
how far out the balance we are.
00:17:58.74\00:18:03.14
Because after you paint
the control surface, you can
00:18:03.18\00:18:07.32
put it out of balance. So
bringing it back to within the
00:18:07.35\00:18:10.92
manufacturer's specifications.
We're checking it, testing it
00:18:10.95\00:18:15.76
and it appears, we are bang on.
00:18:15.79\00:18:18.59
Pretty close there.
00:18:19.89\00:18:21.60
Tiny bit. There you go. You
are balanced right there. OK
00:18:23.70\00:18:27.14
After many months of hard
and intensive labor, All that
00:18:27.37\00:18:31.17
remains to be done
is the finishing touches
00:18:31.21\00:18:33.98
and put on its new decals.
00:18:34.01\00:18:37.05
Finally the last
piece is set in place.
00:18:37.08\00:18:39.88
As all the mechanics
step back, they can't help but
00:18:40.22\00:18:43.62
marvel at the
beauty of this plane.
00:18:43.65\00:18:45.89
8838 x-ray is finally completed!
00:18:45.92\00:18:50.83
The transformation this
plane underwent is remarkable.
00:18:50.86\00:18:54.40
This plane went from
piles of disassembled parts
00:18:54.43\00:18:58.00
to a masterpiece.
And it all could not have
00:18:58.03\00:19:01.97
been done, without the
dedication and hard work
00:19:02.00\00:19:05.44
from our AWA volunteers.
00:19:05.47\00:19:07.88
But the journey for this
mission plane has just begun.
00:19:08.48\00:19:12.18
After the assembly is finished,
it's time to test fly the plane
00:19:12.21\00:19:16.75
and make sure every
single component is working
00:19:16.79\00:19:19.69
perfectly. Safety is paramount!
00:19:19.72\00:19:23.12
It's first long distance flight
is straight over to the Andrew's
00:19:23.16\00:19:27.40
University aviation facility.
The mechanics there are
00:19:27.43\00:19:32.60
a fresh set of eyes, as
they examine this airplane.
00:19:32.63\00:19:37.74
They too are amazed
at the transformation
00:19:37.77\00:19:40.94
this plane has made.
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.31
They can hardly believe that
this beautiful aircraft is the
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.71
same airplane previously seen
in piles of junk in the hangar.
00:19:45.75\00:19:51.12
After a meticulous inspection,
all agree that this aircraft
00:19:51.85\00:19:55.26
is air worthy.
00:19:55.29\00:19:57.09
AWA leaders waste no time.
As soon as the plane is cleared,
00:19:57.39\00:20:02.36
they begin the deployment
process. This plane is slotted
00:20:02.40\00:20:06.53
for Guyana, and it
cannot arrive there soon enough.
00:20:06.57\00:20:10.54
After careful consideration,
the AWA leadership asks Ray
00:20:10.84\00:20:15.54
and his wife Julie if
they would do the honor
00:20:15.58\00:20:18.71
of ferrying this
plane all the way to Guyana.
00:20:18.75\00:20:24.22
They eagerly accepts the
opportunity to make this trip
00:20:24.25\00:20:28.06
a trip of a lifetime.
00:20:28.09\00:20:30.53
Ah, the day has finally come for
8838 x-ray to begin it's long
00:20:43.00\00:20:47.94
journey to its
new home in Guyana.
00:20:47.98\00:20:51.08
All are anxious to see
this plane put to work saving
00:20:51.11\00:20:53.95
lives in the Guyanese jungles.
00:20:53.98\00:20:57.39
Well, we have been working on
this plane now since early May.
00:20:57.42\00:21:00.66
With a short brake
in-between, roughly 3 months.
00:21:00.69\00:21:04.03
We got it painted, reassembled
and we are delivering it here
00:21:04.06\00:21:07.66
in the next few days
to Guyana, South America.
00:21:07.70\00:21:10.63
The journey will begin
in Wisconsin and will travel
00:21:11.07\00:21:13.30
across country,
making stops along the way.
00:21:13.34\00:21:16.44
Once it reaches Florida, it
will have to fly over the open
00:21:16.47\00:21:20.78
waters of the Caribbean.
00:21:20.81\00:21:22.44
Ray Young is a very
talented pilot and mechanic.
00:21:22.48\00:21:27.42
He has worked on this
plane for several months now.
00:21:27.45\00:21:30.75
It is only fitting
that he delivers the plane.
00:21:30.79\00:21:34.59
This is a once in a
lifetime opportunity,
00:21:34.62\00:21:38.46
it's what little boys dream of.
00:21:38.49\00:21:42.36
I really didn't know if this
day will ever going to show up
00:21:42.40\00:21:46.90
some days. Yeh, a little sad to
see it go, Yeh, a lot of work.
00:21:46.94\00:21:54.24
It's exciting to get it
back to the mission field,
00:21:54.28\00:21:58.08
where it belongs.
00:21:58.11\00:21:59.45
Every aspect of aviation
takes a large amount of planning
00:21:59.48\00:22:03.08
and calculated decisions.
00:22:03.12\00:22:05.35
The same is true when
loading the cargo in the plane.
00:22:05.55\00:22:08.96
In order to fly properly,
the weight in the plane
00:22:09.46\00:22:12.86
must be distributed.
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.20
Nothing can be done hastily.
Each item that is going to be
00:22:15.23\00:22:19.10
in the plane is placed there, it
must be weighed, assigned a spot
00:22:19.13\00:22:24.04
in the plane
according to its weight.
00:22:24.07\00:22:26.14
We are loading the plane this
morning here for the take off
00:22:26.44\00:22:30.75
here shortly. And one of the
crucial steps to it of course
00:22:30.78\00:22:34.92
is weight and balance. You
can be a little bit over weight,
00:22:34.95\00:22:37.59
if you are careful,
that it is balanced correctly
00:22:37.62\00:22:41.59
So we don't want to, we
really don't want to do either.
00:22:41.62\00:22:43.73
We're carefully adding up each
item. We're weighing each item
00:22:43.76\00:22:47.66
right down to the oz, to make
sure that there is good safety
00:22:47.70\00:22:51.37
on the plane. Weighing
balances is extremely important
00:22:51.40\00:22:54.54
in an aircraft, the way it flies
there is something that's called
00:22:54.57\00:22:57.01
center of gravity. Center
of gravity is of course at the
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.84
center, where the axis of
the plane would tilt this way,
00:22:59.87\00:23:04.71
or that way, to make it simple.
If the center of gravity...
00:23:04.75\00:23:08.58
It always remain the same,
but if your weight is heavier,
00:23:08.62\00:23:13.09
in the front of the center of
gravity, than the nose is going
00:23:13.12\00:23:15.46
to want to naturally pitch over.
That's not quite as dangerous
00:23:15.49\00:23:18.99
as having the center of gravity
or the weight past, behind or
00:23:19.03\00:23:23.20
after the center of gravity
will cause the plane to pitch up
00:23:23.23\00:23:27.10
What will end up happening if we
have too much weight in the rear
00:23:27.14\00:23:29.80
of the aircraft. The aircraft
will pitch up and you will never
00:23:29.84\00:23:32.27
be able to get it out of
that attitude and it creates a
00:23:32.31\00:23:35.58
catastrophic, almost eminent
catastrophic failure condition.
00:23:35.61\00:23:38.75
Were your aircraft
would actually stall and fail.
00:23:38.78\00:23:41.95
You might get it up off the
ground, as it climbs, but what's
00:23:41.98\00:23:44.75
going to happen, it's going to
go up like this and come right
00:23:44.79\00:23:46.86
straight down, so balancing
is probably more important
00:23:46.89\00:23:50.39
than anything else. We're
making sure that as we load our
00:23:50.43\00:23:52.46
aircraft, that the
aircraft is properly balanced.
00:23:52.49\00:23:55.36
Once the plane is packed,
the pilot begins to mentally
00:23:55.56\00:23:59.53
prepare for the journey.
00:23:59.57\00:24:00.90
First and foremost he keeps
a close eye on the weather.
00:24:01.10\00:24:05.47
Not only does he need to
consider the current weather
00:24:05.51\00:24:09.24
of where he is, but also he
needs to monitor the weather
00:24:09.28\00:24:14.12
ahead of him and throughout
his whole flight plan.
00:24:14.15\00:24:18.25
As they look over the
weather forecast, they see
00:24:18.29\00:24:21.79
some alarming
activities. A weather system has
00:24:21.82\00:24:25.33
developed and is quickly
moving towards Wisconsin;
00:24:25.36\00:24:27.90
right in their flight path.
This could mean that if they
00:24:27.93\00:24:32.87
don't leave now, they may be
stuck another week in Wisconsin.
00:24:32.90\00:24:36.60
The weather system is moving
in faster than we anticipated.
00:24:37.11\00:24:40.58
Whether we want to try and
get an hour or two of flying in
00:24:40.81\00:24:44.45
today and be stuck on the ground
until we can get going again
00:24:44.48\00:24:48.72
or stay put and hope that maybe
tomorrow it opens up a little
00:24:48.75\00:24:53.86
down there and we squeak out
of marginal weather here to get
00:24:54.96\00:24:59.36
down to better
weather down there.
00:24:59.39\00:25:00.73
Or we could be stuck
for 2 or 3 days right here.
00:25:00.76\00:25:03.16
It's the conundrum of
every pilot, you know.
00:25:05.27\00:25:08.90
This storm system is very
bad news, and Ray and Julie need
00:25:08.94\00:25:13.14
to make a decision to
either change their flight path,
00:25:13.17\00:25:16.34
or postpone the
trip for up to a week.
00:25:16.38\00:25:19.38
So lower cloud
would be flying lower.
00:25:19.41\00:25:22.88
Little bit more bumpy ride, just
realizing that at the end we
00:25:22.92\00:25:29.02
might have to stay there for a
couple of days till it opens up.
00:25:29.06\00:25:32.03
It won't be
perfectly blue, sunny skies.
00:25:33.13\00:25:35.96
The weather is unpredictable.
You can get there and it can be
00:25:36.36\00:25:40.87
way better than what they say,
or you can get there and it can
00:25:40.90\00:25:44.31
be a lot worse than what they
say, because it changing so fast
00:25:44.34\00:25:48.11
In 2-3 hours down the road. It
can be a whole different picture
00:25:48.14\00:25:51.85
right?
00:25:51.88\00:25:53.21
So weighing it in the balance
and trying to figure out,
00:25:54.05\00:25:57.29
what's the best decision.
00:25:57.32\00:26:00.16
After talking it over with
other pilots, Ray makes the
00:26:01.06\00:26:04.59
call to begin the journey today.
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.96
Although the weather here is
ideal for flying, and he will
00:26:07.36\00:26:11.03
have to closely monitor
the weather ahead of them,
00:26:11.07\00:26:13.70
as they fly.
00:26:13.74\00:26:15.40
It's hard to believe that
8838 x-ray is finally ready
00:26:15.44\00:26:19.77
to begin its journey.
00:26:19.81\00:26:21.14
This plane is in
perfect condition and ready
00:26:21.18\00:26:25.01
to be put into service.
00:26:25.05\00:26:26.55
Today is the big day. We worked
long and hard on our second
00:26:26.58\00:26:30.75
pathfinder plane that, we
have sending in the field.
00:26:30.79\00:26:32.72
November 8838 x-ray is
getting ready to take off here
00:26:32.75\00:26:36.22
in just a few moments.
00:26:36.26\00:26:37.59
It's loaded. We've carefully
done the weights and balance on
00:26:37.63\00:26:40.93
it to make sure that everything
is just pristine in it.
00:26:40.96\00:26:43.33
We have been working on this for
well over 2 years. Hundreds and
00:26:43.37\00:26:47.64
hundreds of hours, many
mechanics, experts from all over
00:26:47.67\00:26:50.91
the world have come to look,
investigate and make sure that
00:26:50.94\00:26:57.85
this aircraft is in its absolute
pristine condition, that it can
00:26:57.88\00:27:03.79
possibly be, as we
deploy this thing to the field.
00:27:03.82\00:27:06.86
The moment has finally
come and it is ready to leave
00:27:07.06\00:27:11.13
the AWA maintenance facility.
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.56
But before it leaves,
Ric Swaningson offers up
00:27:13.60\00:27:18.17
a prayer for God's safety
and blessing on this journey.
00:27:18.20\00:27:23.77
The moment that so many
worked for has finally arrived.
00:27:24.27\00:27:27.64
The long journey for
8838 x-ray begins now.
00:27:27.68\00:27:32.11
The hard work for
so many has paid off.
00:27:32.15\00:27:35.25
The plane is ready. Ray
and Julie say their goodbyes
00:27:35.28\00:27:39.82
and with eager anticipation,
climb into the plane.
00:27:39.85\00:27:44.03
Off to Huntingburg
Indiana Alma Georgia and
00:27:45.96\00:27:51.80
on to Fort
Lauderdale. For me first stop.
00:27:51.83\00:27:55.30
It's exciting
Getting very excited
00:27:55.34\00:27:59.47
They adjust their
navigational maps and systems.
00:27:59.51\00:28:02.48
This long journey will be broken
up into a few days of flying.
00:28:02.51\00:28:07.02
Today they hope to
get as far as Florida.
00:28:07.72\00:28:10.35
With the stormy weather in
their path, they will have to
00:28:10.39\00:28:13.76
keep a vigilant eye
on their conditions.
00:28:13.79\00:28:16.59
With happy hearts, they
start their engine and roll out
00:28:16.62\00:28:20.80
unto the runway.
00:28:20.83\00:28:22.20
The preparation for today
has been in the works for a long
00:28:22.26\00:28:25.83
time, so today is the climatic
celebration as 8838 x-ray taxis
00:28:25.87\00:28:32.27
on to the runway.
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.64
Within seconds the wind
soars under the wings of the
00:28:42.58\00:28:46.35
plane and they are airborne!
00:28:46.39\00:28:50.46
The team gives them a hearty
sendoff. All rejoice as this
00:28:54.13\00:28:58.40
plane lifts off into the
skies, headed south to Guyana!
00:28:58.43\00:29:03.30
This moment was the moment
that so many worked so hard
00:29:03.34\00:29:08.34
for the past year. The thousands
of hours of hard work have paid
00:29:08.38\00:29:13.58
off as 8838 x-ray majestically
soars through the air,
00:29:13.62\00:29:19.15
headed to fulfill its purpose
as a lifesaving-mission airplane
00:29:19.19\00:29:25.86
in Guyana.
00:29:25.89\00:29:27.40