Mission Aviation Fellowship - Jobs

[lissy]

Dear All,

I've recently been invited to an interview with the Mission Aviation Fellowship for a pilot position. Does anyone have any experience of MAF to share? I am keen to go for it but have no idea what the pay and working conditions are like, not their interview criteria. Any advice would be very welcome,

Lissy

[potkettleblack]

Go into google, click on Advanced Search to the right of the search box. Type in "Mission Aviation Fellowship" and in the site or domain box type in www.pprune.org. Works a treat for 2 character words or acronyms which the pprune search engine can't cope with.

http://www.pprune.org/african-aviation/61339-info-mission-aviation-fellowship.html

http://www.pprune.org/interviews-jobs-sponsorship/272580-missionary-aviation-fellowship.html

[Flintstone]

Most of the MAF pilots I met in Australia spent all their waking hours plotting their escape, it's a poverty trap.

In Australia there's a thing called The Award, a piece of legislation that dictates the minimum wage for every conceivable job with add-ons for extra qualifications. This dictated A$XX,XXX for a SE VFR pilot on aircraft below 5700kg, plus A$X,XXX for a twin, plus A$X,XXX if flying IFR etc etc. MAF neatly ignored the whole thing (being a Godbothering charity they seemed to think this made it ok) and paid bare subsistence salaries. Sure, they provided accomodation (shared) but the pay was so low that anyone with a bare licence had no hope of funding their next step-up.

MAF also used its charity status to undercut other operators while conducting charter ops....err, I mean spreading The Word. The blackfellas thought the whole thing a joke. "Yowie whitebloke. We bin like plying wid you, you a funny bastard eh? But we bin plying wid dem happy clappies and we bin got more dollahs for grog eh?". They owned the airstrip at one community which would always be declared 'Closed Due Wx' but not until their own aircraft had managed to land and take off each day. Clearly the Lord moves in mysterious ways, seemingly in a C402.

Add to these shennanigans the fact that I narrowly avoided a mid-air twice with their aircraft while I was IFR in intermittent IMC and they were VFR yet flying in cloud at IFR levels might have something to do with my somewhat cynical view of the MAF circus. The interview, as you probably know, focusses more on your knowledge of the Bible than your flying abilities which probably explains the near misses.

Good luck, brother. ;)



Edit: Just noticed. This was my 1,666th post http://www.fadzter.com/smilies/devil2.gif

[ReverseFlight]

MAF Australia is saying they have a severe shortage of pilots :

Severe Pilot Shortage - Mission Aviation Fellowship (http://www.maf.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=225&Itemid=212)

This may be good news for wannabes, but it could also be a reflection of Flintstone's post.

[JvanZyl]

Hey Lissy,

I can only guess that you are applying for this job because you are a Christian. And please don't think I'm referring to your "normal" attending Church once a year and praying only when things get bad... I'm talking about the kind who is on fire for God, who spends a lot of time in His word and is most definitely filled with the Holy Spirit, without which you will not understand the heart of these guys who are willing to go to the ends of the earth to serve people who might not even appreciate them.

Anyway, if it's God's will then go for it! :-) Don't even question it, He will make a way, trust Him. Regarding finances, stand on His word that He will provide all that you need.

Look forward to finding out how things go :-)

John

PS. Go online to their website and order the "Jungle Pilot" book that is FREE and you will begin to understand what these guys are about.

[GgW]

Missionary Aviation Fellowship

The name say it all, when you apply to a job for them you are responsible to find sponsor's to fund you're cost of living.
So' Flintstone: Most of the MAF pilots I met in Australia spent all their waking hours plotting their escape, it's a poverty trap.
The pilot's that you have met, must be bl@@dy stupid if they had though that they will make money by working for a missionary.
If ''bush'' flying is what you want to do to earn a living than try finding, for example a company that does contract flying for the United Nations.

[WMB]

http://www.maf-uk.org/hr/images/headban.gif
MAF UK's Statement of Faith
Please note that this document is currently under review and will be updated
Evangelical Christians accept the revelation of the triune God given in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and confess the historic faith of the Gospel therein set forth.

The sovereignty and grace of the triune God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in creation, providence, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
The Divine inspiration and infallibility of the Old and New Testament as originally given and their consequent entire trustworthiness and supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
The universal sinfulness of the fallen man, making him subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
The substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God, as the sole and all sufficient ground of redemption from the guilt and power of sin and it's eternal consequences.
The justification of the sinner solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ, who was crucified and bodily raised from the dead.
The illuminating, regenerating, indwelling and sanctifying work of God the Holy Spirit.
The priesthood of all believers, who form the universal church, the Body of which Christ is the Head, and which is committed by his command to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world.
The expectation of the personal, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and gloryIF YOU CAN HONESTLY SAY I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT OF FAITH, AND ACCEPT THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT JUST A "FLYING JOB", BUT A CALLING. ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, AND IF THE ANSWER IS "YES", THEN MAF IS FOR YOU.

[lissy]

Thanks for your posts.

One, I guess it's not a great money-making exercise, but then, in aviation is there any such thing!?

Two, the idea of helping people in my daily working life does appeal to me, but I'm not sure I would have the level of religious commitment your posts seem to imply, largely due to the realities of paying bills back home whilst away in the blue yonder, but also, I am not a hellfire and brimstone type!

I guess I should go along and find out what story their interview tells.

Lissy

[mrwilko]

I went through the MAF selection process and despite their shortage they are very strict. They may have changed their procedure but this was it 7 years ago;
Forms and references from your pastor
Initial interview
You go off and get actual Africa Experience
Psychometric/aptitude tests in Holland
Flight tests at Oxford
Final interview
Official acceptance then your own fundraising within your church
training in California
Line training in country.
Many are called, few are chosen. If it's God's plan for you it will happen.
Bless you.