Helicopter pilot Jeff Johnson, JAARS President Woody McLendon, and chief pilot Bruce Powell are in Wichita, Kansas to take delivery of the nearly new R66 that will serve in northwest Cameroon.
Thanks for your prayers yesterday. Keep praying! The Robinson R66 helicopter is now headed to Waxhaw!
Getting ready for take-off
Our pilots took off earlier this morning from Mid-Continent Aviation Services in Wichita, Kansas. Pray for good weather and safety as they make their way east. They had planned to leave yesterday but on startup got a warning alert on the Garmin 500. After getting it checked out, they decided to wait until this morning to leave.
Pilots Bruce and Jeff with the crew from MCAS in Wichita, KS.
Acquiring the R66 is a response to our commitment to SIL Cameroon through the Africa Aviation Initiative to help them keep their helicopter service uninterrupted. The R66 will replace the existing R44 helicopter that has served in northwest Cameroon for eight years, flying translators and supplies to hard-to-reach locations, as well as emergency medical evacuations. The machine will be shipped to Cameroon by sea container in late June. More on that later.
Praise God for the gifts and prayers that made it possible for JAARS to acquire the new helicopter!