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!
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| 2016, the runway was cleared around the house |
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| 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.
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| Much better without the house. |
