Trans- Atlantic Flight

Many of us at MMS Aviation have been following a Cessna 207 on it's journey from the United States to Gabon, Africa.  The plane came to MMS in a sea/land container needing repair after a mishap. MMS invested many man hours in the repair of this missionary airplane and friends and churches are praying for its safe journey as it flies home.

The damaged airplane under repair

You can follow the airplane's journey as it flies back to Gabon. A skilled pilot from Weaver Aero is piloting the "ferry flight" and you can check out the trip on missionary pilot, Steve Straw's blog. http://gabonpilot.blogspot.com

Another Mechanic Certificate Issued

A few days ago, on the shortest daylight day of the year, I finished administering Andy Porter's FAA Oral & Practical Mechanic exams.  Andy and I began the testing process on December 20th.  He answered 176 oral questions without access to any reference material.  Following the oral questions, Andy completed practical projects covering all 44 subject areas in the general, airframe, and powerplant exams.  It was a pretty intense ten and a half hours of testing, and Andy came through with flying colors.  Andy completed MMS Aviation's aircraft mechanic apprenticeship earlier this month and, being from England, actually came through the exam with flying colours.)

Andy accepts his temporary FAA aircraft mechanic certificate, December 21, 2011.  (Upon reviewing the paperwork I submit, the FAA issues the permanent certificate.)

A Beautiful Aluminum Water Bird

Several years ago, Asas de Socorro (Wings of Aid/Help) of Brazil was scouting around the US for good Cessna 206 parts and a complete airframe in Alaska caught their attention.  It was ultimately purchased and shipped to MMS Aviation.  The aircraft was sound but needed some repair and several FAA approved modifications to make it more useful for missionary flying.



The Airframe arrives at MMS Aviation in the summer of 2008.

Funds had to be raised for the refurbishment of the plane.  A more powerful engine and propeller combination were planned.  Updated instrument panel and radios were to be part of the plane's preparation.  Installation of seats designed to be more crashworthy than the originals and new interior material was also on the work order.  And, the whole airplane would be put on a set of composite amphibious floats that had yet to be approved for the Cessna model 206.

 

Fuselage repair and cabin floor modification began right away.

MMS Aviation staff member, Ian Hengst, led a varying number of crew members as the work progressed. Apprentice mechanics worked along side experienced staff mechanics through all phases of the restoration and modification.  In December 2010, most of the work was done except the float installation.

The Cessna is hoisted in Hangar A for float installation.



A new set of recently approved Aerocet amphibious floats rolls into position.

Final rigging and checking of all systems were pretty well completed by February 2011, and then the real fun began - paperwork!  Records of work performed had been kept throughout the process, but there are some things that have to wait until the end.  Ian did all the technical paperwork and I began producing documents for the plane's importation into Brazil.



A lot of visitors saw the airplane during its "paperwork" phase.  Chanelle and Javin got a special tour of the plane from Grandpa.

 In late summer, a missionary pilot who flys a Cessna 206 on Aerocet amphibious floats on Lake Victoria in Africa, was in the US and was able to do the return-to-service (RTS) flying.

"Zero-nine-xray" taxies in following its first RTS flight.

With an Export Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the FAA and approval from Brazilian authorities to bring the plane into Brazil, Asas pilots arrived early this month to take delivery of the airplane and fly it to Manaus, Brazil.  Ryan Joy, Asas' maintenance cheif and MMS graduate, was here in Coshocton for the transfer of the plane as well.



The float plane arrives in Manaus.

In an email he sent yesterday Ryan said, "Yesterday, Thursday, Dec. 15, at 4:50pm, our float plane pilots Tim Ault and Márcio Rempel landed on the water in front of our hangar in Manaus, wrapping up a trip that took 6 days, over 6000km of terrain, and involving 30 flight hours, bringing them from MMSAviation in Ohio to Asas de Soccoro, Manaus, Brazil. Removing any doubt that they had made it to the Amazon, they landed in the middle of a tropical rainstorm!



Arrival celebration in the Asas de Socorro hangar

Ryan added, "We had a party all set up to welcome them, with 8 different families represented, complete with some cold Coke and some pão de queijo (traditional cheese puffs-can't have a party without them!). We celebrated their arrival praising God for bringing them back home in safety with this newest tool which will be used to take the message of salvation to the ends of the earth/the Amazon!

It's a thrill for Just Plane Dwight and Rena to have a part in this story.