JAARS Dedicates Helicopter Destined for Papua New Guinea

Guests are encouraged to arrive at the JAARS hangar at 9:30 a.m. to register and view displays prior to the dedication program that begins at 10 a.m. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. guests can learn about Bible translation by viewing demonstrations and listening to missionary speakers. Aircraft rides will be available weather permitting.

“An hour after taking off from the village, we hovered over the hospital,” wrote Leif Engkvist, a Bible translator in Papua New Guinea from Sweden. “It was like the opening scene in M.A.S.H. Hospital personnel were running through the dust with a stretcher.”

The helicopter carried their young son Tobias, who broke his leg while playing. “Without the helicopter we would have had to carry Tobias on a stretcher all day to the coast and then take a small boat for 12 hours on a very rough sea. Instead, he was in the hospital about an hour after we left the village.”

Besides emergencies like these, translation and literacy programs in Papua New Guinea rely on the helicopter to transport paper and other supplies safely without damage by rain and mud.

In many places it is not possible to carve out airstrips for fixed wing aircraft to land. The alternative to helicopter transport is often a trail that goes across mountains and through several rivers.

Even with the best of conditions, it can be a rough, somewhat risky trip. The hike could last more than a day, and can be from sea level up a mountain to 3,000 feet. This might be an enjoyable trip for those who like a challenging hike. However, it is not feasible for families with small children and heavy, bulky items.

The Bell Jet Ranger helicopter the Wycliffe pilots operate in PNG now is overworked. The addition of this almost new Long Ranger will enable work to continue without delays.

The Long Ranger will have a more powerful engine and greater loading capacity, being able to carry six passengers, two more than the helicopter in operation now. This will mean a lower cost to Bible translators, and with two helicopters operating, will increase access to the remaining Bible-less people in Papua New Guinea who can’t be reached any other way.

The purchase of the Long Ranger was made possible through donations and the sale of other JAARS aircraft.

JAARS provides the aviation support and radio services for Wycliffe Bible Translators personnel who serve around the world in 1263 language communities.

Papua New Guinea has 823 living languages. To date, Wycliffe translators have helped in the translation of more than 140 New Testaments in Papua New Guinea. The Wycliffe expatriate translators in Papua New Guinea cooperate with the Wycliffe-affiliated Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association, a national organization committed to translating the Bible into the languages of the country. The Bible Translation Association is also involved in literacy, teaching people to read and write in their own languages.

JAARS provides more than aviation and radio service. Services also include construction and maintenance, information technology, shipping, maritime services, land transportation, and non-print media options in vernacular languages.

For more information on JAARS call 704-843-6130.

Contact: Arthur Lightbody, Special Assistant to the JAARS President for Public Relations and Development
Tel 704-843-6048
E-mail: arthur_lightbody@sil.org