Two Australian flying ministries will combat the country’s ‘tyranny of distance’ through partnership. Starting this month, Mission Aviation Fellowship Australia (MAF) will undertake maintenance of the Bible Society’s BXT aircraft – the sole plane that takes the Flying Bibleman to Australia’s hinterland.

MAF will also perform the flight checking and rating renewals which confirm a pilot’s continued proficiency to fly in all circumstances.

Flying Bibleman David Curtis can certainly recall some “testing” times.

“Early this year in QLD I had to divert from Longreach to Quilpie because of bad weather.  When I got to Quilpie, fog and cloud cover prevented me landing for quite a while.  Finally, with fuel left for just one more attempt, I conducted an instrument approach – which means flying without any reference to the ground – and landed the plane.”

Curtis used to work in MAF’s operations area, before starting his pilot training with them. Both periods gave him an insight into the expertise and mission heart of the organisation. “They are very mission-oriented, and committed to serving remote communities,” he says. “They go to places that commercial carriers won’t go, and where many Christian ministries can’t go.

MAF engineering team at Mareeba QLD looking after their fleet

“MAF are completely open with me when they perform the flight checking. I also take the opportunity to learn from their highly experienced pilots. Not only do they meet civil aviation standards, they also train pilots to fly through difficult terrain and on tiny airstrips.  This pushes me to a much higher standard each time.”

Curtis says another advantage is that MAF operates an aircraft with a similar engine to the BXT.  “They have insights into preventative maintenance of our plane, and this helps us to be better stewards of the money we need to spend on maintaining the aircraft.”

In return, Curtis says, the Bible Society will be supporting MAF by providing Bibles and other scripture resources for their mission work.

Worldwide, the MAF partnership operates 142 aircraft  in 30 countries, flying to more than 2500 destinations. It’s said that every three minutes, an MAF plane takes off or lands somewhere in the world. They fly over jungles, mountains, swamps and deserts to deliver medical care, emergency relief, long-term aid and, ultimately, Christian hope.

“We tackle the tyranny of distance,” says Tom Teale, MAF’s National Representations Manager in Australia.  “We fly missionaries and evangelists to unreached people groups, and also assist Indigenous ministers. We work with the big organisations like Oxfam, Tear Fund and World Vision, and also with a lot of smaller ones, like Indigenous ministries.  In essence, we multiply the effectiveness of the mission partners we service.”

That statement is measurable. “One hour in the air saves three days of surface transport,” says Teale.

He tells of a medical missionary who was helped by MAF, explaining that “Before MAF’s help, she had to travel on horseback for 3 days to and from her destination. Flying in a MAF plane, the journey takes 12 minutes each way. That allows her to spend more days ministering rather than travelling. It’s a wonderful way to improve the amount of time spent on ministry.”

Teale describes working closely with the Bible Society’s Flying Bibleman ministry as a natural fit. “The Bible Society does brilliant work, and our whole purpose is helping other organisations to be more effective in their ministry, using our technology, training and maintenance capabilities.”

In the first quarter of 2013, MAF and the FBM will be co-exhibitors at the Avalon Airshow in Geelong. Expected to draw 100,000 visitors, it’s an opportunity for both ministries to profile their work.

Teale says that MAF’s ministry worldwide is primarily a technical one,  but that their pilots and staff  also minister to spiritual needs.

“In Australia – especially in Arnhem Land – MAF does in fact focus more on ministry than on the flying side. We don’t want to tread on other ministries’ toes,  but there are lovely Indigenous Christian people out there –   and there could be many more! Our staff have technical skills, but they also have other wonderful ministry skills, and a great heart for the Indigenous people.”

That’s music to the ears of the Flying Bibleman. David Curtis and his wife Ruth have spent much of their adult lives serving communities in Australia’s outback.  “Our work – our mission – is about supporting enthusiastic Christians all around the far-flung areas of Australia!”

With this shared passion for the people of remote Australia, it looks like MAF and the Flying Bibleman will together cover much ground in friendship, ministry and reach.

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Click here for more on the work of the Flying Bibleman

Click here for a glimpse of an MAF pilot’s day