Above: MAF de Havilland Canada turbine Beaver serving in Ethiopia, 1990s
Mission Aviation Fellowship has operated in many locations since 1945, sometimes for only several years at a time, or sometimes for decades. MAF's strategy has been to respond to changing needs and opportunities and to build local capacity, so there have been times we have handed our aviation operation over to local entities, or are no longer needed due to improved access in a particular area. Nonetheless, we have been blessed to be a blessing to many isolated people, even if for only a brief season.
In addition, MAF has been able to respond to many natural disasters and crises around the world, often being strategically placed and equipped to provide much needed aid and relief accessibility.
Take a journey with us through time and around the world as we explore our legacy over the last decades in many different contexts.
Former MAF programmes in ASIA
Bangladesh - first era
In 1984, at the invitation of the Bangladesh government, MAF operated a joint venture with the Bangladesh Flying Club to provide an aviation service for the government, NGOs and people of the nation - in addition to disaster relief and medevac capabilities.
The fleet comprised of various aircraft including a Grumman G-44A Super Widgeon amphibian, Pilatus PC-6 and flight training aircraft. Flight instruction to Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating level, and training of Bangladesh maintenance staff was carried out during the 1980s operation.
Bangladesh - second era
From 1997, MAF operated again in Bangladesh, first with a de Havilland Canada turbine Beaver amphibian, then with Cessna C208 Caravan amphibians.
Supported by grants from various governments, our operation supported floating hospitals, national and international NGOs - especially those working in the southern delta region.
As road infrastructure in the nation improved, the need for the amphibious air transport service reduced, with MAF closing operations in 2022.
Mongolia
In 2001, MAF began operations in Mongolia, under the name 'Blue Sky Aviation'. The first light aircraft operation in the nation, the Cessna Caravan 'Millenium Messenger' served the needs of medical services, churches, NGOs and commercial customers, turning week-long journeys into a matter of hours.
In 2020 Blue Sky Aviation ceased operations due to increasing government limitations on commercial passenger aircraft operations.
Cambodia
After a survey visit in 1992, MAF commenced flight operations in Cambodia in 1995, purchasing a Cessna 206 from Aviation Sans Frontières, and expanding the operation that they had established. This aircraft was later replaced with a GippsAero GA8 Airvan. Closely linked with Christian Care for Cambodia, the MAF operation primarily served the UN and NGOs, and also embassies, government departments and environmental agencies.
Increasing maintenance and other operational costs, the gradual improvements in the national infrastructure and funding shortfalls meant the suspension of activities in Cambodia at the end of 2009.
West Timor, Indonesia
In 1972, MAF began establishing a base of operations in Kupang, Indonesia, serving government, mission and church needs in the area, including the islands of Sumba, Alor and Flores. After an extensive airstrip building programme and initial operations with a Cessna 206, a Piper Aztec twin engine aeroplane was purchased and added to the fleet, more suitable for the long overwater sectors in the region.
In 1975, with the political situation in East Timor and the build-up of military activity in the area, both aircraft were grounded by government order and flights ceased.
Borneo
In 1974, MAF took over responsibility for the Borneo Evangelical Mission's aviation operation, operating the Helio Courier to airstrips in the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah. Flights serving the local church connected a number of isolated airstrips, some very short.
With under-utilisation of the aircraft due to fewer mission staff in the interior and increasing alternative air transport solutions available locally, the decision was made to conclude operations in 1980.
Former MAF programmes in OCEANIA
Bougainville - first era
After a 1965 survey, MAF began air operations in Bougainville serving churches, missions, hospitals and schools in 1966. In 1971, the operation had grown to three Cessna 185 aircraft and became its own entity, 'Bougainville Air Services', based at Buka and also later at Kieta. The operation added a 10 seat Britten-Norman Islander in October 1971, enabling scheduled services for the communities in the region, with a second Islander purchased in 1973.
In 1974, the provincial government of Bougainville purchased Bougainville Air Services, with MAF staff staying on until 1975 to manage the transition.
Solomon Islands
After a 1965 survey and an initial delay with government permissions, MAF began air operations in 1974 with an amphibious Cessna 185 registered VH-WET. This aircraft immediately began serving churches and missions and was later replaced with another Cessna 185 with better performing floats, though still with significant operational limitations.
In 1976 this aircraft was withdrawn from service and a search for an adequately performing replacement was ultimately not fulfilled. With great reluctance the decision was made to suspend operations in the Solomon Islands for the foreseeable future.
Central Australia
In 1982, at the invitation of the Ngaanyatjarra Council, MAF commenced operations in central Australia based at Alice Springs in the Northern Territory (NT). Two years later, the Australian Baptist Missionary Society invited MAF to begin operations at Hooker Creek, NT, and the Pitjantjatjarra communities of South Australia asked MAF to assist their Nganampa Health Service. In 1985, the Pitjantjatjarra and Yankunytjatjarra communities combined to form PY Air, with MAF, services which eventually incorporated the Nganampa operations. In 1987 the Ngurratjuta Communities invited MAF to also operate aircraft on their behalf, and the entity Aboriginal Air Services was formed. In 1999, Janami Air was welcomed into the air services group, operating as far north as Lagamanu and into the north of Western Australia.
Air services for these communities were provided by a fleet ranging from single engined Cessna 206 and later Cessna 210 aircraft to the eventual high speed Pilatus PC-12 which operated as far as Kalgoorlie and Perth in Western Australia.
In 2002, the various communities in the Central Australia operation transitioned their air services from MAF to local management.
Former MAF programmes in AFRICA
Ethiopia
In 1960, MAF began operations in Ethiopia, based in Jimma. The growing programme utilised aircraft types such as the Cessna 185, Pilatus PC-6, DHC-2T Turbine Beaver and the DHC-6 Twin Otter. In 1977, government restrictions halted operations. In 1984, MAF partnered with World Vision in the aviation response to the devastating famine that would claim over a million lives (see image). In 1992, MAF operations were able to restart and rapidly expand.
In 1998, the Ethiopian Investment Authority enacted an initiative to transition the country’s air services to Ethiopians operation and ownership. In 1999, MAF helped establish Abyssinian Flight Services with Solomon Gizaw – an Ethiopian MAF pilot. Today, Solomon is its founding director and the operation has more than a dozen aircraft and a flight school.
MAF Disaster Response - GLOBAL
1974 Honduras Hurricane Fifi
1976 Guatemala Earthquake
1976 Indonesia (Irian) Earthquake
1981 Indonesia (Irian) Earthquake
1982 Ethiopia Famine (1982-1985)
1984 Mozambique Civil War/IDPs
1984 Zimbabwe Refugee Crisis
1985 Chad Famine Relief
1988 Nicaragua & Honduras Hurricane Joan
1989 Indonesia (Irian) Earthquake
1991 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) Security Crisis/Evacuations
1993 Sudan Relief Flights (from Kenya)
1993 Nicaragua Hurricane Gert
1994 Rwanda Genocide / Great Lakes Crisis
1994 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) Hutu Refugee Crisis
1995 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola Outbreak
1997 Papua New Guinea El Nino Drought Relief
1997 Indonesia (Irian) Earthquake, Drought Relief
1997 Ethiopia Food Insecurity
1997 Mexico Hurricane Pauline
1997 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) Civil War
1998 Papua New Guinea Aitape Tsunami
1998 Ethiopia Famine / Food Insecurity
1998 Afghanistan Humanitarian Crisis (Subsidiary Response)
1998 Honduras & Nicaragua Hurricane Mitch
1999 Kosovo/Albania Refugee Crisis
2000 Mozambique Flooding
2000 Uganda Gulu Ebola Outbreak
2000 Sudan UN-OLS; Humanitarian Crisis (2011 South Sudan – ongoing)
2001 Mozambique Flooding
2002 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ituri Tribal War
2003 Iran Bam Earthquake (Subsidiary Response)
2003 Sudan Relief Flights (from Uganda)
2004 Indonesia (Sumatra) Tsunami
2005 Pakistan Earthquake (Subsidiary Response)
2006 Suriname Flooding
2007 Madagascar Cyclone Indlala
2007 Chad Refugee Crisis (Darfur)
2007 Nicaragua Hurricane Felix
2007 Democratic Republic of the Congo & Uganda Ebola Outbreak
2007 Bangladesh Cyclone Sidr
2007 Papua New Guinea Cyclone Guba / Flooding
2008 Kenya Post Election Crisis
2008 EDRC CIvil War
2008 United States of America Hurricane Ike
2008 Haiti Hurricanes Ike & Gustav
2009 Bangladesh Cyclone Aila
2009 Indonesia (Sumatra) Padang Earthquake
2010 Haiti Earthquake, Cholera Outbreak
2011 Horn of Africa (Dadaab) Famine
2012 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola, Malaria & Measles/Cholera Outbreaks
2013 Mozambique Flooding
2013 Philippines Typhoon Haiyan
2013 Bangladesh Cyclone Mahasen
2014 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola Outbreak
2015 Nepal Earthquake
2015 Chad Refugee / IDP Crisis (Boko Haram)
2016 Ecuador Earthquake
2016 South Sudan Evacuations / Humanitarian Crisis
2016 Haiti Hurricane Matthew
2016 Madagascar Cyclone Enawo
2016 Indonesia (Aceh) Landslides
2017 Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kananga) IDP / Fighting
2017 Bangladesh Flooding
2017 St. Martin & Barbuda Hurricane Irma
2017 Dominica Hurricane Maria
2018 Papua New Guinea Earthquake
2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo Ebola Outbreak (West & East)
2018 Philippines Typhoon Mangkhut
2018 Indonesia (Sulawesi) Earthquake/Tsunami
2019 Haiti Civil Unrest
2019 Mozambique Cyclone (Idai & Kenneth)
2019 Bahamas Hurricane Dorian
2019 Philippines Typhoon Kammuri
2019 Madagascar Cyclone Belna
2020 Global COVID 19
2020 Uganda Kasese Flooding
2020 Bangladesh Flooding
2020 Nicaragua, Honduras, & Guatemala Hurricane Eta & Iota
2021 Global COVID 19
2021 Nepal Flooding
2021 South Africa Flooding
2021 Haiti Earthquake
2021 Philippines Cyclone Odette
2021 Afghanistan Evacuation/Restart
2021 Madagascar & Mozambique Cyclone Eloise
2021 Mozambique Cabo Delgado Conflict
2021 Timor-Leste Cyclone Seroja
2021 EDRC Nyankunde Evacuation/Civil Unrest
2022 Global Covid 19 Vaccine delivery
2022 Mozambique IDP Cabo Delgado Conflict
2022 Mozambique Cyclone Ana
2022 Madagascar Cyclone Batsirai
2022 Philippines Earthquake
2022 Papua New Guinea Earthquake
2023 Madagascar Cyclone Cheneso
2023 Madagascar Cyclone Freddy
2023 South Sudan Humanitarian Relief flights
2023 Philippines Cyclone Doksuri
2023 Armenia Refugee Crisis
2024 Kenya Flooding
2024 Brazil Flooding
2024 Mexico Forest Fires
Read about MAF's current Disaster Response capability
