DHC6 Twin Otter – A True Canadian

Flying the Twin Otter has been a new and very unique experience. For one thing, this is the first twin aircraft I fly commercially. Even though I did do a multi-engine rating during our time at Prairie School of Mission Aviation, I have not flown an airplane with two engines since. For another thing, the Twin Otter is a turbo-prop aircraft, and, obviously, a turbine is not quite the same to handle as the piston engine I am familiar with. And lastly, the DHC6 is much bigger having about four times the capacity of the Airvan, the little piston plane I flew up to now.
The Twin Otter was built to fly in the rugged environment of the Canadian North and, thus, is very suitable for PNG. With its STOL (Short Take-off and Landing) capabilities it lands comfortably on strips of 1300ft length and 12% slope. Therefore, it is able to go to places the Airvan could not, while still taking a full load in and out. Because of its big cabin it can not only take more, but also a different kind of cargo. Large iron roofing sheets, wood panelling and metal stilts for houses, water tanks, bags of cement, rolls of fencing, portable saw mill, and especially around Goroka, bags of green coffee beans.

Bags of green coffee beans awaiting their transport to a roastery

Iron roofing sheets out - coffee bags in

Heavy lifting: each coffee bag weighs 50kg - we can take about 36

Goroka and the Twin Otter

After arriving back in PNG for the third term with MAF, we traveled to Goroka for Markus to start training on the Twin Otter. Goroka is in the Eastern Highlands and with 19,000 inhabitants the seventh biggest city in the country. It is situated along the Highlands-Highway which connects the port city of Lae in the East with Mt Hagen and Tari in the West. Goroka is famous for its coffee roasteries. Thus, green coffee beans are the main source of income for a lot of villages surrounding Goroka and contributes to about halve the cargo MAF is flying in this area.

Our home for the stay on Goroka

Goroka is also famous for its Cultural Show which takes place once every year. Groups from all over the country come to present their traditional costumes, dances, and songs to tourists and locals alike. We had the privilege to visit this event for a fee of about $2 a person.

Dancing men from the Eastern Highlands at Goroka Show

In the mean time Markus has finished his training and is flying as First Officer on the Twin Otter. Compared to the Airvan the Twin Otter is a huge aircraft, able to transport 1.5 tonnes of cargo or 19 passengers. This obviously requires much more time when loading or unloading, so we seldom fly more the 4 rounds per day.

Twin Otter in front of the MAF Base in Goroka

Switzerland – here we come

Switzerland! Long awaited with high expectations, we finally arrived late March. Especially our kids were looking forward to the stay, as they were anticipating all the nice things that they thought would be available there: cars, trains, McDonalds, theme parks, etc. Naturally, they were also looking forward to seeing their grand parents, aunts, and uncles again – and of course going to school.
Staying with close friends, we enjoyed a marvellous 5 month home assignment. The weather showed off with warm temperatures, making it easy for us to adjust. Then, it thrilled the children with a few days of snow (something they wanted to see for a long time), before presenting a picture book spring and summer.
There were several highlights, most notable a week holiday for Madeleine and myself on our own, something we have not been able to do for over 7 years. Then we had a family holiday at Beatenberg and Bürchen, both small villages in the Alps. We met with a tonne of supporters, had several speaking engagements, and helped out MAF Switzerland at some functions. And last but not least, we enjoyed some of the long missed culinary treats Switzerland has to offer. Hard to imagine how satisfying a piece of freshly backed bread spread with an inch of real butter can be.

A new experience: Leaving home in the morning to go to school

Holiday as a couple and the view that comes with it

Family retreat at Theological Seminary Beatenberg

A very special cable car

Hiking in the Alps

Amazing view from the Eggishorn

Yawo, Rumginae!

It was November 11, 2011 when we landed in Rumginae, not knowing what would wait for us. Now, 5 ½ years later, at the end of March, it was time to say “Yawo – Goodbye” to this remote outstation in the lowlands of the Western Province and its people.
We take many fond memories with us as we leave. And of course Lucien, warmly referred to as their “Rumginae boy” by the locals, will always remind us of our first home in PNG.
Life in Rumginae was not always easy. We’ve seen it all: the abundance of water and the shortage of it. The lack of power and the oppressive heat. This provided us with countless opportunities to grit our teeth and exercise perseverance. However, it also brought to the surface personality traits that we are not proud of. God’s affirmation “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9) became practiced reality.
Sharing these lessons with our Christian brothers and sisters through preaching and Bible study and to learn from their experiences has definitely been a privilege and one of the highlights of our time in Rumginae.
Looking back we realize that some of God’s special blessings lie in challenges. Our trust in the Lord was strengthened through Him keeping His promise: Whenever we felt we couldn’t go on any longer, He supplied us with His strength. God is indeed trustworthy!

Farewell dinner with the Hospital Community

A Vital and Long Lasting Relationship

"When we look back over the decades, and the many missionaries who gave their young lives to serve in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, we wonder what many of them are doing now. Some return for a last, quick look-see, but others just can’t let go of the place, the people, the need. One such couple came back, and then came back again, each time responding to the call of God when they saw the need was still so great."

I had the privilege to fly Dale and Carin LeRoy, as well as many of the pastors attending their courses, to and from Yehebi and other bush strips. As we pilots only provide a small part to the ministry puzzle it is encouraging to sometimes see the picture fully assembled.

Here the full story as released by MAF PNG:

Click here to read the story as PDF

Dale and Carin LeRoy with village kids

New Cessna Caravan P2-MAH for Papua New Guinea

Today the latest addition to our fleet arrived at Kagamuga Airport, Mt Hagen. P2-MAH a Cessna Caravan with a G1000 cockpit was transferred from Mareeba, Australia where it was prepared for its service in Papua New Guinea. MAH was welcomed by a watery salute from the airport fire brigade as it taxied off the runway.

P2-MAH under two fountains of water

P2-MAH taxies up to the MAF hanger

Grass Seeds

Living in the jungle of Papua New Guinea has many a challenge we do not face in the Western World. And while there are things we might expect (e.g. the humid heat and all kinds of critters), there are always some that take us by surprise. One of those are grass seeds.
After the Rumginae Missionary's maintenance shed caught fire last July, burning everything including the lawn mower, the grass around our houses could not be cut anymore. To buy a new mower proved to be very difficult, as we could only find cheap quality at an exorbitant price. So, by the time we got back from our holiday at the end of August the grass had grown rather high.

Maintenance Shed after the fire

Lawn in front of our house

Long grass in itself is not such a big deal. However, we also have a kind that grows to about calf height and carries a lot of seeds on a thin stalk. These seeds will stick to everything that brushes against them. This grass is the reason we pilots wear sock protectors, as it can be found at most airstrips throughout the Western Province. Sock protectors are made of a strong fabric, which allows to easily "brush" the seeds off with a knife at the end of the day, instead of having to laboriously pick them out of ones socks one by one.

Seeds on a stalk

Trusty sock protector

Unfortunately, we do not have sock protectors for our kids. Not that these would make any difference. Our kids do not wear socks to start with and they would rather need a whole body protector. Hence, after a short stroll through our gardens, their shorts or skirts get a prickly pelt of grassy seeds.

Shorts spiked with grass seeds

It's Madeleine's task to remove those seeds again before washing. Otherwise, the seeds will transfer into all other clothing in the washing machine. This would be rather unfortunate, because one single seed can prick irritably. Even with the greatest care, some seeds always make it to the most inconvenient places. And once it's in your underwear you have to remove it lest you go crazy.
If we assume that one pair of shorts takes 15 minutes to "un-seed", with four kids this amounts to one hour of extra work per day. I think it's self-explanatory why we put everything in motion to get a new mower as soon as possible.

Bakwa and Lucien mowing the lawn around our house

Commitment

"When Canadian CEO Brad Bell recently visited our MAF PNG Program, he was very impressed how committed our pilots are to help those in need and even fly the extra mile..."

Here the full story as released by MAF PNG:

Click here to read the story as PDF

Remi vanWermeskerken with one of the patients