Sunday 20 October 2019

Storm Racing

For the past two years we've had one last big rain at the beginning October and then rainy season is over and dry season begins. This year the rains just keep coming, meaning roads that are normally drive-able by now still resemble rivers and flying conditions are more challenging.

On Friday I had a flight to Koumra in the far South of Chad to drop off two Chadian pastors attending a retreat, then dropping into Ba-illi on the way back to pick up some missionaries who had been teaching there in the week. We departed from N'Djamena at 10 am in light rain and spent the first hour of the flight enjoying blue skies. These later gave way to small but growing clouds with the occasional CB (Cumulonimbus) towering above us, until we arrived at Koumra where a huge storm was moving in.

Dropping the passengers in Koumra 
Storm approaching Koumra

The passengers were quickly dropped off and the plane was prepared for the next leg of the journey so I could depart before I got stuck on the ground! The small clouds on the way down had grown considerably on the return so the flight from Koumra to Ba-illi was spent avoiding rain and contacting people on the ground to check that rain hadn't passed through (Ba-illi is a dirt strip so rain can be a problem).


En-route to Ba-illi
The storm above was to the South of Ba-illi and they hadn't had any rain so I was able to land, greet the pastor who maintains the airstrip and collect the passengers. The route from Ba-illi to N'Djamena was clear until we reached N'Djamena where another storm was sat 8 miles from the runway. We landed in some rather windy conditions, thankful to have beaten all the storms to the destinations and  park the plane safely in the hanger at the end of the day.

Tuesday 16 April 2019


Re-opening Koblagué Airstrip


In MAF we love opening new airstrips. For MAF, it represents the potential to reach more people with the love of Christ through aviation and technology. A new airstrip represents entire new communities with the potential to be transformed physically and spiritually.

For the missionary or the church worker a new airstrip means the promise of a vital link to the capital or easier access to healthcare, provisions, and personnel to assist in the work. For the community at the airstrip it can represent a major step forward for the usually small village. They often see it as a step up in status knowing now they have an ‘airport’. For the children it is definitely exciting because now a loud, shiny airplane will be coming in with all the wonder and joy that brings.

We recently opened the old airstrip in Koblagué in south central Chad. There was an old airstrip there but MAF had not landed on it for over 12 years. That much time will really change an airstrip for the worse. So when SIL missionary Andrea Suter called us to ask if we would look at Koblagué back in 2016, we were hesitantly optimistic that we could get it going again.

First we asked an engineer from SIL to go and survey the airstrip. He was already working for SIL in N’Djamena at the time and was willing to go down and take some measurements to draw up a plan. Once his plan was made the local population got to work clearing the extra 500 meters which were needed to ensure the strip could be used safely.
Unfortunately at about this time a man from the village built his new house halfway into where the airstrip needed to be. Not to worry, the people from the village just went around his house and kept on clearing. With the clearing work done they called us to come and have a look with the plane. On the next flight down that direction the aircraft diverted to Koblagué and set up for a low pass. Unfortunately what was seen as the aircraft turned final made the pilot's heart sink. They had gone around the problem house and it showed!


2016, the runway was cleared around the house

Aerial shot 2016

To add to the unfortunate series of events, due to circumstance, it wouldn’t be until mid-2018 that MAF personnel would be able to get down to Koblagué by road for a proper airstrip inspection. More work was completed by the dedicated team of worker in Koblagué and thankfully in that time the offending house had been ushered off the strip. With the help of a Chinese road grader, the airstrip was looking useable. One last mango tree had to be removed and then on March 15th 2019, MAF was able to make the first landing in 12 years at Koblagué.


Much better without the house.