MAF Presentation

by Cadet Sergeant Lisa Whitaker

On the 30^th May, Brian Harris, who was a CCF officer, and Mike Beetham, who was in the ATC, visited 1224 Wharfedale Squadron to educate us on Mission Aviation Fellowship's (MAF) work, including flying over 130 aircraft all over the world for medical evacuations and safaris, blood and equipment ferrying and carrying mail, with planes taking off or landing every 3 minutes.

They started their presentation with some facts about the MAF. They revealed that 25 countries now have their planes, flying to over 1500 different destinations worldwide, more than any other airline. MAF have many different models of planes, specialised for their cargoes and destinations. Bangladesh is mostly covered by water, so MAF brought in the Cessna 208 Floatplane so that they could land on water. Other planes are designed to carry large loads, such as the Twin Otter, capable of carrying 22 people, or the Cessna 208 Caravan, which can fit a quad bike in it's hold.

 

MAF have helped to bring aid and rescue to the Boxing Day tsunami in Haiti back in 2004, battling rugged airstrips with rough landings. In many countries the MAF are under threat from rebel attacks and so keep their time on the ground to just 20-30 minutes. But MAF have had good flights aswell, such as flying with Princess Anne, who is a patron to Save the Children, who work alongside MAF.

Mike told us that MAF started out in 1948, with 3 men who served in the RAF flying out to Kenya to meet locals and find out if aid was needed. Their flight took nearly a month with endless refuelling. MAF now can turn a 2 and a half day drive in a 2 hour flight, supplying those in need with life-saving supplies and doctors. They can also provide flights for nearly half the price of most airlines.

The MAF have a display of a Cessna 182 on the 6^th July in Sherburn in Elmet, from 10:30am – 3:30pm.