The second time in as many weeks, Robin and I find ourselves in Santiago Bahia Atitlan, this time serving a different ministry with a different and interesting aircraft. This part of Guatemala is situated on a lake formed from a volcano crater and surrounded by several dormant and active volcanos. This aircraft can extend wheels to use the Bahia grass airstrip or retract the gear to arrive or depart directly …
Annual Inspection May/June
Operating aircraft in support of your mission in Guatemala presents some special circumstances. US registered aircraft clearly has benefits and detractors. Parts availability is one, another is availability of inspectors. On this occasion “Serving God by Serving His People” (SGSP) Aviation Ministries completes the annual inspection.
Bahia Santiago Atitlan
This opportunity to complete an annual inspection for a children’s home based in the Solola department of Guatemala is about to be wrapped up. The power of missionary aviation serves many ministries, missionaries, and mission workers in hundreds of different ways. SGSP Aviation Ministries providing inspection services…..in this way we Give Wings to Good Works!
Mission-Minded Networking
While organizing images on my computer, I came across this throw-back photo of the Martinez family during our first missionary posting in Oklahoma. We took this photo just before departing on a “deputation trip” in preparation for our upcoming missionary posting in Central America. We planned to depart Tulsa, fly across Texas and New Mexico to southeast Arizona. This trip took us to our home church in the city of …
Critical to Safe Flight!
During the return leg of a missionary transport flight, a failure light (L VAC) illuminated on the warning panel of the aircraft I was flying. It indicated that the left vacuum pump (VP) had failed. Briefly explained, the vacuum system keeps gyro instruments spinning to provide accurate attitude readings during flight. Because they are critical to safe flight, two are designed into this aircraft, a primary and backup. As an …
Site Survey Coban
About the middle of August, Chuck & Robin (C&R), SGSP Aviation Ministries International directors spent a morning talking with local pilots trying to get a feel for this 50ft wide by 3300ft long airstrip. The strip has a 3deg upslope with a pretty good kick at one end. Most pilots will opt to land uphill and takeoff downhill as seen in the photo however, given the right wind conditions a …
Taking Care of Our Volunteers
Brian and Deb are retired living in Guatemala but are by no means idle with their time. Here at SGSP Aviation Ministries we appreciate the gift of time and talent. Recently on an SGSP follow up mission between Quetzaltenango and Guatemala City, we invited B&D to ride along and get a look at the western highlands from a vantage point few get to see. Judging from the smiles on their …
Ministering Confidence and Creativity
Robin recognized nearly 15 years ago that work, survival, and family expectations, leave girls and women in rural communities with few options. We began to formulate ministry outreaches that would teach practical sewing skills while touching hearts and minds and opening the door to the Gospel of salvation. Often these classes serve as an outlet (valuable me time) for the marginalized Mayen youth in the western highlands of Guatemala. Once …
A Funny Thing Happened…..
Santiago is just fourteen nautical miles, as the crow fly’s, from Quetzaltenango and Serving God by Serving His People (SGSP) Aviation Ministries mission base. It is one of several municipalities that dot the shore of Lago Atitlan, I’m told each is named after an Apostle from the Bible, (Santiago is James in English). Robin and I took to the sky’s climbing up to 10,500 ft., to clear the ridge between …
ELT Battery Pack Replaced
The emergency location transmitter (ELT) is usually mounted in the aft section of an aircraft. In an emergency it can be activated manually by flight crew or automatically when subjected G-Forces from an off field landing. In either case, its ability to transmit your location is directly dependent on the condition of the battery. With few exceptions, aircraft worldwide are required to have an ELT. This device pinpoints your location …