Missionary pilot Laura checking in on the progress of her airplane.
Life at MMS Aviation has been flying. Projects are wrapping up, and more are getting started.We are shut down for Christmas, and will start up again in January.
You may remember the yellow Cessna 182 we nicknamed Big Bird. We are still working on it. Most of the painting is done, and we are just finishing the major repairs. The fuselage has to be painted, then final assembly will begin. A couple of weeks ago we were privileged to get a visit from the pilot who has been flying the airplane. She was excited to see progress on the airplane, and we were excited to hear some of her stories from the airplane’s service in the field. I recorded some of it on video, so look for that to show up soon.
I spent a lot of time this year working in the paint booth with Mike, our paint supervisor. He worked in the auto body industry for many years before serving in missionary aviation, so he has a lot of painting experience. I appreciate the time I’ve spent with Mike. He has taught me a lot about paint, airplanes, missionary life, trusting God, and much more.
Mike and I preparing Big Bird’s wing for paint. Photo by Rebecca Maddux.
This week I got to work on something new. The instruments, radios, and electronics in an airplane are called avionics. It is specialty work that most aircraft mechanics don’t get to experience in depth. This week I got to work on a radio upgrade. The FAA is changing the way their radar works, requiring upgrades to many airplane radio systems. The project I am working on is an easy transponder swap. Even simple radio work seems complicated to a newbie, but I really enjoy it. This project involves cutting the wires, making a new plug for the new radio, changing the antenna cable connectors, adding a new GPS antenna, and fitting the new radio into the rack.
Building up the plug for the new transponder.
Installing the wiring harness in the radio rack.
A couple of weeks ago, a new project came into our shop. Two Cessna 206 fuselages arrived by trailer from Arizona. Both are damaged, and the plan is to end up with one good airplane between the two of them. It is a project for UIM Aviation, which flies in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. Work has not started on this project yet, but I expect that I will put in some time on it. We’ll find out how much.
Unloading UIM Aviation’s Cessna 206 fuselages from their trailer.
We hope all of you have a Blessed Christmas. Here are some of my favorite Christmas carol lyrics, written by Rector Phillips Brooks.
O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today[…] No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.
2 Comments
Hope your Christmas break is refreshing and relaxing!
Thank you both for being such willing and joyous servants for HIS work!
All for His glory, Dean & Anita
I love your smile in the photo of you and Mike! It’s your genuine enjoying-where-you are smile. It’s not one you can do if asked. It just shows up on your face when you’re content! I love seeing you live out the passions God placed in you!