Touchdown Zone: Brazil

Airstrip: Silas’ Village

Region: Amazon Basin

Surface: Grass

Elevation: 500 feet

Length: 730 meters/2,395feet

Width: 15 meters/49 feet

Slope: 2%

Interesting Fact:
This runway is used primarily by the government to get health and school workers in and out of the village. A partner missionary organization uses it as well for ongoing church planting and discipleship efforts.

Time Saved:
Getting from Silas’ village to town isn’t so bad—about a half-day boat ride. However, to get to the other villages in their people group, located on a parallel river system, they must descend their river all the way to the Amazon. Then, go downstream on the Amazon and then upriver on the next river—a total of two weeks of travel time. That’s if you can catch the boat to travel up the second river. It only stops at the right spot once a week! The flight in the 206 takes just less than an hour.  Watch a landing here.

It takes a lot of work to keep the grass trimmed, the sides of the runways cut back and the approach ends pruned in a jungle where the brush can grow up to 12 feet high in one rainy season. But it’s worth it in these remote areas.

 

It might not look like much of a runway, but it is perfect for our specially adapted Cessna 206s.

 

Airstrip chart