Aviation Interns: Jeremy Kaetterhenry
I was broken down on the side of a Missouri road, in the middle of nowhere, when I got a phone call: “How would you like to work on airplanes in Southeast Asia?”
Of course, I accepted the offer, and thus my adventure began.
I had applied for an aviation maintenance internship earlier in the year and was looking forward to squeezing all the experience I could out of six months in the hangar in Waxhaw, N.C. Little did I know that as part of the internship, I would have the tremendous opportunity to spend two months with an aviation team overseas!
As Cathay Pacific Airlines whisked veteran aircraft mechanic Ray Brubaker and me away to the South Pacific, I found myself a little nervous, yet quite eager to join this dedicated maintenance team half-way around the world.
During my time there, I assisted with a top overhaul and several inspections on Helio Couriers, including a 1,000-hour inspection. What an experience to get up-close and personal with many of the systems and components on the airplane!
I also participated in several inspections and a couple of sheet-metal projects on the new Pilatus PC-6s. It was exciting to work on these awesome airplanes that are used every day to minister to the people of this area. I flew to some remote villages and witnessed exactly how important these “foreign canoes” are. Not only do they bring tools and supplies to the people, but they enable the Bible to be translated into these communities’ own languages.
I have been interested in mission aviation for a long time, and this was an extraordinary chance for me to understand what it is really like. The integrity and dedication of the aviation team, along with their expertise, was very encouraging.
When I completed the remainder of my internship at JAARS in Waxhaw, I came away not only with a wealth of valuable experience and incredible memories, but also with a renewed passion and drive to serve Jesus Christ through mission aviation.
—Jeremy Kaetterhenry
