Background/History

Since 1960, planes and pilots have been a vital component of the outreach of the United Methodist Church in Africa. The long distances and poor infrastructure found in the Congo make air travel an essential part of getting church workers, evangelists, medical staff, construction teams, agricultural advisors, and other outreach staffs to the places where they need to minister. The United Methodist Church in the Congo is blessed with a dynamic team of Congolese pilots who today provide the same level of quality air service as their Western missionary pilot predecessors did in decades past. However, what they lack is the wealth of technical, logistical, and financial support that used to be available to the American and European missionary pilots. The Aviation Assistance Program helps to fill that void by providing the UM pilots and aviation programs with flight refresher training, safety supplies, maintenance equipment, training courses, and promotional activities. With this support, the aviation programs have been able to continue to provide the transportation and technical support of the ministries of the United Methodist Church in the Congo.

Goals & Objectives

To enable the Aviation Resource Department to support the work of the UM aviation programs by providing on a yearly basis:

a.) Flight refresher training.
b.) Technical and safety training.
c.) Hangar supplies and equipment.
d.) Promotional materials and opportunities.
e.) Technical advice.
d.) Purchasing services for spare parts and equipment.

Activities Plan

a.) Research and provide quality training opportunities.
b.) Purchase and ship spare parts, equipment, and supplies.
c.) Research and purchase promotional materials.
d.) Provide promotional opportunities in churches and at aviation events.