From the Logbook...A Special Passenger

A few weeks ago, I had to fly on a Saturday.  Thankfully, there was enough room to bring along one of my favorite little people, my daughter Madison.  We ate PB&J's en-route to pick up our passengers and did countless "roller-coasters."  Madison couldn't get enough of the negative and positive-G maneuvers.  On the way home, I had to fly straight and level, and she quickly expressed her boredom with such flying.  I can't wait to take her to an amusement park someday.  She just needs to grow another foot or so before they will let her on the rides.  Until then, there is always roller coasters to be enjoyed in daddy's airplane.

From the Logbook...Solo Flight (pt.2 of 2)

...(continued from the previous post seen below)

As Isaac climbed out of the water, he was suspiciously congratulated by our Indonesian workers, who knew they might be thrown into the river for their part in a covert dunking conspiracy.  Fortunately, they stayed dry.

However, Isaac's family was at our dock to witness his first float plane solo flight.  His two boys came prepared to celebrate, complete with their swimming suits.  Nothing like a family plunge to celebrate a once in a lifetime memory!

Isaac and I shared many laughs in the cockpit, and not all of them were about his landings.  Isaac is a great addition to our team and his humor and attitude toward service are an encouragement to us all.

Isaac is the first MAF pilot that I have been privileged to train, and the first person I have ever taught to fly a float plane.  We both had a great time working together and there are sure to be many more laughs around the dock with him around.

From the Logbook...Solo Flight (pt.1 of 2)

Busy!  That's the one word description of my past month.  Most of my business has come from training a new pilot to help me out here at our small MAF base.  The Rogers family moved to PalangkaRaya from another MAF base in Borneo called Tarakan.  They came for the purpose of filling in until the end of the year, but they have since decided to make it a permanent move.  Praise God!  We are super thankful for their flexible spirits and Christ like attitudes.  Training with Isaac was a lot of fun as he was already a capable and experienced pilot.  The Rogers served almost 6 years at MAF bases in Papua, Indonesia before coming to Borneo this past February.  

After two hard weeks of training, Isaac was ready to be "pushed from the nest" and fly solo in the float plane for the first time.  Above, Isaac is milliseconds away from touching down back in the Kahayan River for his second solo landing as he returned to PalangkaRaya.

MAF has a tradition to get their pilots wet after their first solo flight.  Usually this involves buckets, squirt guns and/or water bottles.  In a float plane environment, we get to take that tradition to the next level!  Our Indonesian staff love being part of a covert plan mixed with MAF tradition.

Ogasto, one of our Indonesian workers, had told Isaac that there was something wrong with the right side water rudder.  Isaac quickly went to look at it and...

...he was quickly baptized into the elite MAF group of float plane pilots.  Congratulations and great job Isaac!!!  Welcome to the Club!