By this stage in my MAF career, I have proven my aptitude in the Tech Eval, trained for and completed “base training” which is the actual ability to use the machine (in my case a GA8), and now I am doing this next phase: line training. This is where we consolidate all of the skills and learning into real daily flying - making decisions, using all the tools made available to me, assessing and controlling risks, dealing with people, passengers, airstrips, weather, terrain, ground crews, paperwork, duty time, stresses, pressures, family life, heat, humidity…everything that goes into the day’s work of a MAF pilot.
From outside I thought the training and induction for MAF PNG seemed a little much, but now that I am here I am grateful for all the training and see its value.
Flying here can be very hard work.
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| 7am - preparing for the flight day |
The last week...
My trainer right now is Rick Velvin, a long term veteran of MAF with an exceptional amount of experience here in PNG. Rick and I have been working long hours. He is officially retired from MAF, but has agreed to come here to do this training with me, leaving his wife to her work in New Zealand. Since he is only here for a limited amount of time we want to take advantage and get as much done as we can.
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| Usually we have two planes stationed in Rumginae, but the Caravan (and the Eatwell family) have been away for a couple weeks |
Some of what we accomplished this week was:
1. Flew our neighbour, a 20 year veteran missionary, to Kawito where she did a week of Bible teaching.
1. Flew our neighbour, a 20 year veteran missionary, to Kawito where she did a week of Bible teaching.
2. Flew 3 doctors in residency to villages for the outstation work component of their training.
3. Flew medications and dispensary stock to outstation health centres.
4. Took urgently needed vaccinations to a village dealing with a whooping cough outbreak.
5. Brought 5 students into Rumginae to start their first year of “Community Health Worker” training at the school here.
6. Flew several young people from their village to the main centre to continue their high school education.
7. Evaluated two airstrips that had been closed due to lack of maintenance.
8. Transported a woman to hospital who had been in labour with twins, one baby was born healthy, but the second was stuck. We flew the woman and a care taker, along with the healthy newborn about 40 minutes to the provincial capital.
9. Medevac’d another woman into Rumginae who had given birth to a son but had severe complications. She was laid down on the floor of the aircraft, with the husband holding the newborn baby for the flight.
I am now taking a day of rest. It is cool and rainy today, a welcome relief. Now that I have some time to think back at what I have learned this past week - and there was lots - the main lesson was this:
(I’m not making any grand revelations here, but truly important none the less)
There is so much work to do here, so many people in need of God’s provision. I cannot help everybody, but I can help many by God’s grace.
3. Flew medications and dispensary stock to outstation health centres.
4. Took urgently needed vaccinations to a village dealing with a whooping cough outbreak.
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| Waking up to a rainy morning after an overnight in Kawito |
5. Brought 5 students into Rumginae to start their first year of “Community Health Worker” training at the school here.
6. Flew several young people from their village to the main centre to continue their high school education.
7. Evaluated two airstrips that had been closed due to lack of maintenance.
8. Transported a woman to hospital who had been in labour with twins, one baby was born healthy, but the second was stuck. We flew the woman and a care taker, along with the healthy newborn about 40 minutes to the provincial capital.
9. Medevac’d another woman into Rumginae who had given birth to a son but had severe complications. She was laid down on the floor of the aircraft, with the husband holding the newborn baby for the flight.
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| From our kitchen window, Laura watches the patient carried into the hospital |
(I’m not making any grand revelations here, but truly important none the less)
There is so much work to do here, so many people in need of God’s provision. I cannot help everybody, but I can help many by God’s grace.
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| The view from here: Wei Mairi River, Rumginae |
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