Missionary work just might be the coolest flying gig out there?
Missionary work just might be the coolest flying gig out there?
Those who pound their guns into plows, will plow for those who do not.
It would never work for me, ive tried landing with my left hand, not pretty. Even the right handed ones are a little off.
Best flying gig? I suppose if you don't mind flying for a mis-led cause and living in an oven.
Personally, I think I have the coolest "flying" gig. (OK more of an aviation gig) I get to do FAA Medical Exams on about 200 pilots per year, most of whom are enthusiatic about flying. I get to fly my 56 year old airplane almost weekly for "proficiency" and if the weather is crappy, I can stay home! My only complaint is that the pilots keep getting older, (hence more medical problems) but then so do I. If I wanted to fantasize, I think giving aerial tours at First Flight airport on the outer banks of North Carolina in high wing Cessnas would be pretty cool also....you just would have to have another source of income!
John, were do we sign up at.
I think Akwing has it figured out
Come on guys. You can disapprove of my religious beliefs all you want, but when you start criticizing good flying videos, then we have grounds for a serious disagreement!
Great video, John. Thanks for posting. It would be unreal to get to work a Porter in and out of those strips it was truly designed for.
A lifetime ago, I got to fly (as a passenger) a T206 into a few of those missionary strips hacked out of the jungle in the Amazon Basin in Brazil. Great pilots and really neat flying.
Burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.
--J. Whedon
Catching religion is a small price to pay for the medical aid and support that the government apparently isn't able or willing to provide.I wonder why the slant final onto the paved strip at the end of the video?
Jaars PC-6, I grew up out there and trust me most of those strips are mild compared to the real scarry stuff.
I never understood missionary work: It's preying on the weak in my book: Ah, no you don't. You don't get our medicin and food unless you listen to our sermons.
What happened to helping out of the goodness of one's heart, instead of this thinly veiled form of extortion?
Anyway, cool video. I'd love to be able to fly somewhere like that
All due respect, Amorl, but that is nothing like what missionaries actually do, at least not the missionaries I knew. I met people who raised their kids with these tribes and spent 30+ years of their lives translating the tribal language into writing--languages that would have otherwise been lost to the ages.
Let's agree this is cool flying and leave the theological debates to others.
Burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.
--J. Whedon
With all due respect, but without "spreading the gospel", they're not really "missionaries", are they? I have seen enough of "missionaries" after disasters to know just how ridiculous it can get with the extortion - not saying that that is how your friends did it, or indeed how those flying missionaries usually do it, ut go to any disaster area and you'll see them.Originally Posted by RanchPilot
But, anyway:
Yup, you're right. Maybe one day I can fly somewhere like that. Man, I hope so.Let's agree this is cool flying and leave the theological debates to others.
Btw, what plane is that? It looks rather awkward to fly (stick low between your legs, under the instruments and the throttle just above a hard edge). I'm left-handed, and even I'd have problems with that setup.
Amori- I can accept your statement concerning your self proclaimed ignorance concerning missionary work. However, when this ignorance manifests itself by calling missionaries extortionists, this is not acceptable. There is nothing in this thread/video that would provoke even the most staunch Marxist.
......
btw nice video
AmorI,
lots of this type flying up here... but the strips in the video are turf mostly, (few of them here), and really quite large.
As far as religion... flying is a religion!
Missionaries, well, just like all people- some are good, some are bad. Some have the best intent but the implementation is terrible... some have no clue as to what they are doing.
I like the video, and wish them the best. But I don't find it terrible when a chief or two tells them to leave.
I don't know where you've been me lad, but I see you won first Prize!
Ah, great, strawmanning my position. Just because there are exceptions to missionary work, doesn't mean that there isn't a deal there. If not, they wouldn't be missionaries, but rather aid workers.
As I said: Go to any disaster area and you will see this in full scale. But let me once again remind you that they're there to do missionary work. Their church pay them for a reason. They're not called aid workers for a reason.However, when this ignorance manifests itself by calling missionaries extortionists, this is not acceptable.
Marxist? Do you think that atheists are marxists or is that just an attempt to paint every non-believer as commies? Pot, kettle, anyone?There is nothing in this thread/video that would provoke even the most staunch Marxist.
Yup, I'd still love to fly there. And big strips with turf sounds like it just might be doable in the future.
Not unless camping, stamp collecting, swimming, or riding a bike is a religion.As far as religion... flying is a religion!
I don't doubt their intent. Even missionaries in disaster areas usually have good intent. That doesn't change the reality of it. The road to hell ... etc.Missionaries, well, just like all people- some are good, some are bad. Some have the best intent but the implementation is terrible... some have no clue as to what they are doing.
I still like the video. I would just have liked it a little better without the superstitious contextI like the video, and wish them the best. But I don't find it terrible when a chief or two tells them to leave.
RANCH PILOT: leave the debate to me.I never understood missionary work: It's preying on the weak in my book: Ah, no you don't. You don't get our medicin and food unless you listen to our sermons.
What happened to helping out of the goodness of one's heart, instead of this thinly veiled form of extortion?
Anyway, cool video. I'd love to be able to fly somewhere like that
Amorl: to put it bluntly you need to pull your head out of your ASS and stop spouting some leftist humanist drivel you heard from some ivy league anthropologist on P.B.S. Missionary Pilots are specialist. Jaars is the aviation arm of Wycliffe bible translators and guess what they they do they do literacy and bible translation another group of specialists. M.A.F, mission aviation fellowship is an organization that provides technical support to missionary's not just aviation but other technical area's also thats their only purpose. "What happened to helping people out of the goodness of your heart" Remember the huge earthquake and tsunami in sumatra 5 years ago M.A.F had airplanes all over that thing. And what did you do send a few dollars, well these people you dispise so much were flying their asses off dawn to dark. I could go on all night about the natural disasters those people have helped in. What do you think, they stop and preach a sermon before takeoff, their to busy trying to save peoples lives to stop and preach. Do you think people have to show some special christian card before they'll help you thats not how it works. Dude do us all a favor and stay out of things you know nothing about.
Last edited by ndill; 06-12-2012 at 09:52 PM.
Ah, yes, superman to the rescue.
I have been to several disaster areas around the world as a journalist, so I have seen this firsthand. Other than that, take a look at when the religious groups are most active. Always in the aftermath of disasters.Amorl: to put it bluntly you need to pull your head out of your ASS and stop spouting some leftist humanist drivel you heard from some ivy league
anthropologist on P.B.S.
And what's with this "leftist humanist drivel" and "marxist" name calling? How would you feel if I called you a bible thumping, redneck rightwinger?
Show me where I said they weren't specialists, that they were crappy pilots, or anything like that. You won't be able to find anything of the sort.Missionary Pilots are specialist.
And once again, you don't need a bible to gain literacy, as I seem to have pointed it. Hence they're missionaries and not aid workers. There's a clear deal there: Here, we will teach you to read, and in exchange accept our beliefs.Jaars is the aviation arm of Wycliffe bible translators and guess what they they do they
do literacy and bible translation another group of specialists.
Your point? They could still do that without the religion, if their main purpose was to help, and not to "persuade" people to join their particular brand of faith.M.A.F, mission aviation fellowship is an organization that provides technical support
to missionary's not just aviation but other technical area's also thats their only purpose.
I was there, covering it for the Danish Broadcast Corporation. I saw plenty of "missionaries" there. Not a good sight. Some groups even held prayers before they were serving food to the disaster struck people."What happened to helping people out of the goodness of your heart" Remember the huge earthquake and tsunami in sumatra 5 years ago M.A.F had airplanes all over that thing [...]
I was there, covering it. Way to go with your strawmanning. Not much supermannish over building a strawman and huffing and puffing at it.[...] and what did you do send a few dollars
I don't "despise" anyone actually helping. I despise the groups who flew in bibles and missionaries to preach. Regardless of their good intent, that's not helping one bit.well these people you dispise so much were flying their asses of dawn to dark.
You probably could, but let me ask you this: What part of actual help needs to be washed down with religion?I could go on all night about the natural disasters those people have helped in.
I ahve already told you what I have seen.What do you think, they stop and preach a sermon before takeoff
Had you been to disaster areas, you would notice that that is not actually the case. Most of the times, there's plenty of praying and preaching going on. You don't actually that people fly around in whatever plane and pick people of from trees? Or do you? A disaster area is more about getting fuel, food, blankets, tents, and water out to the right people. There's plenty of time to do a little preaching while you're there if you're so inclined. In fact, that is what I have seen they will definately spend an extra hour doing if they think they can convert some.their to busy trying to save peoples lives to stop and preach.
I have already told you what I have seen. And Christians aren't the only who does this kind of thing in the aftermath of a disaster.Do you think people have to show some special christian card before they'll help you thats not how it works.
Once again, with the strawman argumentation.Dude do us all a favor and stay out of things you know nothing about.Apparently I know more about this than you do, regardless of how nice and well-meaning individual missionaries can be.
Last edited by Amorl; 06-12-2012 at 10:08 PM.
Amorl, no offense my friend, but in your short span of 21 posts, you've already managed to flame, or participate in the flaming of, two relatively innocuous threads. I wish you the best in your pursuit of flight, but respectfully decline to spend any more time listening to you talk about anything else.
Cheers.
Burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.
--J. Whedon
All I have to say about this.......
And, that's all I have to say about that.
Eaton put my up to this.
Last edited by Torch; 06-12-2012 at 11:07 PM.
I made the first thread, asking a question as to what people wore in the cockpit to lessen the risk of burns (Nomex, wool, leather etc), and when someone claimed that polyester and nylon was less flammable than wool and leather, and even that wool and leather was more dangerous to wear than those things, I disagreed with him. I stood fast, because that is obviously nonsense and even dangerous advice to give anyone (i.e. "Wear nylon, polyester and acrylic materials. They willl protect you from burns"). Arguing against such nonsense was then labeled "trolling" and here you are, repeating that notion.Amorl, no offense my friend, but in your short span of 21 posts, you've already managed to flame, or participate in the flaming of, two relatively innocuous threads. I wish you the best in your pursuit of flight, but respectfully decline to spend any more time listening to you talk about anything else.
Cheers.
This thread. Yeah, I sure could have kept my mouth shut. But just like one or two others, I said my piece. And, once again, when some of you are presented with a real argument, you get all aggressive and whatnot. I don't mind that. What I do mind, is being called a troll for standing up for my arguments, when I don't allow myself to bullied into submission. This apparently repeatedly results in the accusation of being a troll or similar.
I guess when all else fails around these parts, it's time for a little name calling as you guys have repeatedly shown in this thread. Whenever one is shown to be wrong, another one tries with a new set of namecalling and attempts to bully.
Seriously, I thought we were all adults, yet it seems some people around here can't handle adult argumentation.
To lighten the mood here a little...Looks like a covert cocaine pick up. Check out the mirror and razor blade on the glare shield. LOL.
It is the internet. I am a moderater on one of the largest forums on the net. It is like being a cop. You learn not to get too upset about someone calling you names or disagreeing with you. It took me awhile but I finally got the flick myself. It is all good. It would be safe to say the majority of the members on this forum are conservative.
Is there any real reason a person should help another (especially unknown to them and weaker) in distress? Another way to ask this, by what or whose standard should the stronger help the weaker in a Darwinian universe? If no one lifts a finger to help, or the help is deemed "imperfect", why is that worthy of indignation or even comment?
Brad
(Cub has been in the hangar for a month...
A good friend of mine had one of those Pilatus PC-6s. I had the opportunity to fly it both on wheels and amphib floats. In one word it is "awesome". It is basically a big P&W PT-6 powered Super Cub.
N1PA
In my humble opinion, missionary work is the purist form of assistance to another human being. The facts are every person, organization or government has a motive to help another. Be it popular recognition; attempting to undo mistakes in their lives or reputations (a favorite of actors in Hollywood) or political favors, or maybe spreading the word of the Bible. The real evil acts of terror are when governments get involved to do this work. First, it's all at taxpayer expense, extort political corruption, payoffs, military bases, all at 1000 times the cost of what missionaries can do the work for. Humans are not perfect and even Mother Teresa had a motive. And to be candid, regardless of how perfect you think your motives are, we’re all screwed up; it’s just a sliding scale.I never understood missionary work: It's preying on the weak in my book: Ah, no you don't. You don't get our medicin and food unless you listen to our sermons.
What happened to helping out of the goodness of one's heart, instead of this thinly veiled form of extortion?
Anyway, cool video. I'd love to be able to fly somewhere like that
After the earthquake in Haiti, we flew the bonanza from Texas to Nassau in support of Bahamas Habitat. They are a faith based relief organization that did an amazing job in providing critical supplies and support following the disaster. We flew 5700 miles over nine days including six round trips into Jacmel and Le Cayes, Haiti. Many, many other pilots, volunteers and medical personnel volunteered their time and aircraft to assist. In all of this, I did not see a single incidence of proselytising. In fact, the entire focus was on providing aid and comfort in whatever form possible. However, as we left Le Cayes on our way home, I'll never forget the sound of the local villagers holding an outside church service and singing hymns despite the horrendous conditions. To this day, it was the most amazing and rewarding flying I've ever done.
I live just a few miles from Andrews University, one of, if not the largest mission pilot "factory" in the country. Got to say I've met some of the most interesting folks in aviation associated with the program.
Couple of years ago the most ratty Mooney I've ever seen came taxiing in to our airport. From 200 feet it looked horrible and the closer it got the worst it looked. My buddy, a former Andrew director of maintenance, was going to do a "quick once over" on the a/c before it headed for South America. The pilot was a 23 yr old son of a lifelong mission pilot. I asked him how he was going to get to Brazil. He said, out across the water with a few island stops.
I said "you must have quit a faith to do that".. His Dad chimed in "or Big Balls" to which the son answered "or BOTH"!!! We got a good laugh.... he made it!!!
BTW this is an aviation forum... how about we leave the religion and politics out of it. I have my own opinions but I don't feel the need to voice them all the time. If it's a safety issue fine but.....
One more thing...
Flight Instructing is fun until you've done it a few years
Crop Dusting is fun until you've done it a few years
Bush flying is fun until you've done it a few years
Airline flying is fun until you've done it a few years
Flying a wide body across the pond in the middle of the night is fun for about a day...
But going out to the airport, climbing in a Cub, leaving the door open and cruising around low and slow is "the coolest flying in the world".
Bob D
I agree we should leave religion etc out of it, but this person started it. My wife(nurse) and I were interviewed by MAF back in the 70's. Marcia was willing to work our/my way through my paying my way for Instrument /Commercial and A&P plus Bible College. Then generating our own support to be in the field(at the time MAF didn't pay pilots)
(After 3 years of trying we didn't think we could have kids but one came along and stopped our plans..)
Why did we want to fly for MAF?
Love
I've never heard an adequate answer from those who believe in a Darwinian universe to the question,
Where exactly did love come from?
With due respect,
Jack
^^^^^^^^^^ What Bob said ^^^^^^^^^^
Can I get an "AMEN"
Having worked for Helio in Pittsburg Kansas in the late 70's, I'll see your "Amen" and raise it to an "Amen Brother!"
"Illegitimis non carborundum"
I know, the sign says "Don't Feed the Troll". But a reporter accusing missionaries of taking advantage of disasters? Too funny.
Jim W.
Leftie here. I think you should be free to worship however you want. Making the presumption that your religion ought to be everybody's religion can cause problems. Becoming a truly religious person sometimes leads folks to kill other innocent folks in God's name. Less warlike religious officials often resort to those things they preach against, usually and hopefully with prostitutes, but sometimes with innocent children.
Most of the religious folks I know are truly nice people, and respect others' beliefs. Thy all have one thing in common - they know their belief is the one true religion, and they are sure that I am not going to make it to heaven unless I straighten up and accept their version of the truth.
Lefty? Sure, why let private/privately funded organizations commit public assistance services when you can advocate taxing the rich so the government can do it.
The private sector can do it better. Period. Organized religion has the established infrastructure to deliver the assistance. Go team.
See? That is a religion. I have no idea whether or not the private sector can do government-like things better, but I am willing to look at the evidence.
Yesterday, while discussing further limiting access to our local airport to only pilots with magnetic strip ID cards, it was stated by airports management that it costs 20 million to operate the airport, and it only brings in 5 million, per year. I am rounding off - and maybe not understanding the problem - but I submit that, if the private sector is so great, maybe it should run our airports and air traffic facilities.
Even as a liberal, I gotta tell you, access to airports, field approvals, and even access to FAA officials, cannot get much worse.
Opinion. Happy to drag your thread away from religion and into politics.
I don't think faith based efforts are bad. Just imagine if we left this task to the FAA. Aid workers would still be practicing bloodletting via leeches as a cure for fever, lobotomy to handle stress, and of course there is always mercury as a topical rub that cures just about anything. Those that needed the aid would slowly perish while the FAA vacillated on the approval of the first vaccine. AND... the few that were lucky enough to survive the aid would be invited to FAA hosted pancake breakfast events to celebrate their success.
Jerry
If it looks smooth...it might be
If it looks rough...it is!!
I have nothing useful to add to this somewhat entertaining thread but if you guys are interested in the whole "humanitarian, missionary or whatever you want to call it type flying" then google AirServ. Pretty interesting stuff and they fly into some crazy places in Africa. Also if you're so inclined to read about missionaries and their affects on indigenous folk in SA then read the book "The Unconquered" pretty interesting read if you all get bored.
Thats not flying, thats falling with style! -Woody
Please don't move this thread, the responses are awesome. I'm still flopping around laughing at Jerry's reply. Others: Succinctly put and well played.
Joe
That video is awesome. I would love to be flying that plane in that terrain. thats what the video is about nothing more.
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