MAF Requirements

[matt22scotland]

well i would do it if i had the what more exciting flying can you get that this read the blurb at there web site for more info:


MAF Pilots: Requirements
General Requirements

*

MAF UK is only able to process applications from those who have a legal right to live and work in the UK. Click here for links to other MAF groups.

*

MAF is a Christian organisation. All MAF UK applicants must be in agreement with MAF's statement of faith.

Requirements for Pilots

An International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) based Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), Instrument Rating, and Class 1 aviation medical certificate are the minimum licensing requirements for all pilot positions. We ask anyone who is thinking of flying with MAF to take an Aptitude Assessment; this will clearly indicate whether or not a person has the capabilities for MAF flying. Taking this test at an early stage could save investing large sums of money in unnecessary training. A pilot application cannot be made without a positive result from this test. A flight test will also be arranged with an independent instructor.

The nature of a pilot’s training, experience and ability is also taken into account. Preference will be given to those with ‘commercial experience’. Aptitude for operating in a harsh and inhospitable environment with minimal technical support is essential.

We do not have an age limit for pilots applying to serve with MAF; however, we would not recommend anyone aged 35+ with minimal flying experience to begin the training process with the specific aim of working for MAF. From our experience, we have found that anyone over this age with extremely limited flying experience will not have the capacity or the time to build the type of experience we are looking for. We are prepared to consider people who are older than this who have suitable experience in commercial situations.

Our pilots have to fly in all types of weather. Extensive cross-country flying and experience of flying in mountainous terrain is a definite advantage. Our pilots fly to the same standards as other aviation organisations and have to undergo proficiency checks every six months once they are working overseas.
Minimum Entry Pilots (C206, C210)

These pilots will carry out flying duties under the leadership of the Chief Pilot. A minimum of 500 hours total flight time is required (which includes 300 hours PIC) for operations limited to the use of the Cessna single-engined piston aircraft in visual flight weather conditions. Pilots are usually required to spend some nights away from base each month to complete planned flights. However, if applicants have attended an MAF Europe approved college programme (Le Tourneau University based in the USA) which includes obtaining a mechanics licence, a minimum of 350 total flight hours will be accepted. Please note that pilots training in this college will still have to undertake the same assessment when they apply to MAF.
Experienced Pilots (PC-12, C208)

In addition to the responsibilities for a minimum entry pilot, these pilots are required to have a minimum of 1,000 hours total flight time (which includes 500+ hours PIC) and 500 hours turbine time or rating as necessary. This could include experience on multi-engine or turbo-prop aircraft in order to operate our Cessna Caravans. An ATPL is an advantage for some operations.

http://www.maf-uk.org/

[Flintstone]

I used to see the MAF pilots around the Northern Territory. 'Interesting' bunch.

Some of them told me that flying for MAF was a poverty trap. They housed you but paid barely enough to live, certainly nowhere near enough for those who wanted to leave to pay for a decnt type rating or IR and move on.

The other bone of contention was that in Australia they are aregistered charity so elligible for certain tax breaks yet competed against bona fide charter companies.

If you want to a lively response link this to the Dunnunda forums.

[Chippie Chappie]

Think you need to have a copy of the "Go(o)d Book" in your hand when you apply. Not sure that they're looking for someone who just wants to build hours though it looks like great experience. However I suspect those who do it would occasionally question, "What am I doing here/How soon can I get out?". Hence, the advantage of a good chunk of faith to get you through the rough patches.

Good luck with it as they appear to do some good work (in Africa - can't say about ops in northern Oz).

Cheers,

Chips

[Tui Hat Wearing Son]

The Missionary Aviation Fellowship a.k.a. MAF is a Christian charity that uses aircraft to ply their trade. That trade being the proliferation of Christianity through acts in line with their beliefs. This is not a job, it is a calling.

The application process is heavily weighted towards finding out if the applicant is a capable, passionate and reliable Christian missionary, before piloting experience or ability. Obviously this requires deep knowledge and belief in the Bible. It is assumed you can fly if you’re applying for a pilot’s job.

As in all genuine Christian service, remuneration is usually only an amount enough to provide you with basic living requirements. This is a charity (as most Christian organisations are!) so is "not for profit".

The flying is truly fantastic and provides unimaginable reward.

I hope this is of some value.

[Flintstone]

Some pro-MAF stuff

Charity is all well and good but when they use their charitable status to undercut commercial operators how 'charitable' is that?

Of course such a charity would never do something like declare an airstrip operated by them closed due to inclement weather immediately after their own flights arrived or departed, now would they?

Ramingining, NT anyone?

[south coast]

flintstone...who needs a good salary when you have faith?

my time spent flying around the dark continent meant i came across the m.u.f drivers on many occassions and they were some strange people as you say.

one must definately be a believer to live and fly in some of the conditions those guys do for very little money, in comparison to the private sector.

as jon bon jovi once said....keep the faith.

[Flintstone]

You're not wrong.

While not wishing to tar all with the same brush some of the MAF pilots I met in in the Territory were some very queer fish seemingly chosen more for their bible bashing skills than their aviation acumen.

One caused a HUGE stir by taking MAF to task for not having paid her the minuimum salary (aka 'The Award') for the years she'd been with them.

Stone the heretic!!

[Tui Hat Wearing Son]

Flintstone,

I see and understand your points.

They are flying from a different hymn sheet.

However, doing things such as close their own airfields after they have used them is entirely their prerogative. It’s their football and they can take it home if they wish. As much as I hated the kid at school that did that. If you were facing real competition from MAF and owned the field, would you be inclined to operate in such a manner? I think you probably would, considering the loss of income, could be offset by the gains in denying your competitor operations.

It’s all horses for courses, and your only going to get some very 'passionate' people working in this kind of environment.

I only know a few guys that work for MAF in PNG and they're top blokes for a few beers anytime.

[south coast]

but tui...i think the point being made is that they are supposed to be a charity and therefore not in competition with anyone?

[Flintstone]

Exactly.

And I think Tui made my point for me nicely.

[Tui Hat Wearing Son]

Ah! your point is noted!

It was not a point that I had realised.

I'm sure it must be a point of much jealously and contention.

[SNS3Guppy]

While up in PNG years ago I spotted a MAF 206 loaded up with all sorts of gear. I spoke to the pilot for a few minutes. I was there doing some Christian work, including relief work and charity work. I asked about employment with MAF. I was told in no uncertain terms "We don't permit people of your theological affiliation."

I said I thought Christians, being followers of Christ, were supposed to be a little more accepting, and open. I told him his view didn't sound very Christian, to me.

His reply?

"We hate catholics, too, but we'll fly them if they pay us enough."

Count me out, mate.

[Flintstone]

Ah! your point is noted!
It was not a point that I had realised.
I'm sure it must be a point of much jealously and contention.


Oooooh, careful there son. Ivory towers and all that:rolleyes:


Quite the opposite actually. On the one hand I could be putzing around the bush for the whole of my life in a clapped out C206 filled with fragrant locals consoling myself that although I may not be earning enough to feed and clothe my family properly (who had no say in my calling to serve some mythical deity but suffer the consequences anyway) I'm doing the Lord's work for her.

Or on the other I can be flying aircraft and passengers right at the other end of the aviation spectrum, earning a living wage and generally enjoying myself.


Smug? No. Just pleased that my time flying the locals and dodging the MAF missiles paid off.

[south coast]

enjoying yourself...could have fooled me...:yuk:

[Bugcrusher]

After I attained my CPL quite a few years ago I thought that I might give up some of my time to do good things. Ah, I thought, MAF, they do good things. If I do for them, then I will be doing good things, I thought. I really did not even think about the pay, just let me go and help some poor unfortunate people for a while, I am still young, I can get the money later. Letter arrives, Question: What bible studies am I currently involved with? My answer of air law, air safety, air planes, or anything to do with air was of no interest to them and certainly not my desire to help the less fortunate. Makes me wonder about the MAF agenda.

[matt22scotland]

so is there any other charities that involve flying? i have a lapsed ppl and am looking to revalidate it and get an aerial work endorsement so i can build up hour with.
i am currently a glider pilot and allready in a good position for tugging but i am looking for something more exciteing.
pay for me is low on the list.
i can live in a tent as long as i have money for beer and food and 20days holiday a year then i am not fussed
any suaggestions?

[Flintstone]

Please don't tell me you're one of the 'I will fly for food' brigade?

[Flintstone]

Apologies for the double posting but I somehow missed this on the first reading.pay for me is low on the list.
matt, pay may be low on your list but as a professional pilot it's certainly not low on mine or, I would guess, that of most of the professional pilots you will meet if you ever join the ranks.
Should that happen I would be very careful who you tell (should you ever do so) that you flew for little or nothing. It tends to upset people.
Give it some thought.

[biggles190]

I had a work mate flew for MAF in NT for a few years, they would bribe the natives with Kentucky Fried Chicken to get their work which was mainly flying them to the bank to cash thier cheques before direct deposit was invented. After the flight was paid for, the cheque was nearly spent on the charter which I think was irresponsible and immoral for a charity operation. MAF's response to this was, if they did not do it, some other commercial operator would.

[Flintstone]

Well now that's interesting because when I was in the NT the locals used to send their ATM cards and PIN in an envelope on the regular flights to Darwin where a certain AirNorth traffic officer would wander down the terminal, withdraw their cash, pocket twenty bucks for the privilege and send the card and cash back on the next flight.

At the time we (pilots) thought this exhorbitant so undercut him by doing it for free.

Seems even he wasn't as bloodsucking as MAF though.

[matt22scotland]

Quote
Apologies for the double posting but I somehow missed this on the first reading.
Quote:
Originally Posted by matt22scotland
pay for me is low on the list.
matt, pay may be low on your list but as a professional pilot it's certainly not low on mine or, I would guess, that of most of the professional pilots you will meet if you ever join the ranks.
Should that happen I would be very careful who you tell (should you ever do so) that you flew for little or nothing. It tends to upset people.
Give it some thought.

well some of us here need aviation employment experiance and hours to get thoose well paid jobs!
you cant get experiance and mega bucks at the same time .!
if you can then let me know where?
use the nogging you of all people should understand that at least

[jon s gull]

Matt, MAF is a mission organisation first and a flying organisation second. This should be taken into account by those attempting entry, they are looking for mission minded pilots, not career pilots. I know some proffessionals have issue with this, but MAF have a long history in pioneer flying and have earned the respect of many.

Flying pay outside of MAF is another matter entirely, and a few operating outside the law can cruel the whole industry. Aim to get a job because you are good at it, not because you are cheaper.

[Flintstone]

What he ^^^^^said.

Don't think I've forgotten what it's like but if you start giving yourself away now you'll be worth less when you get further up the ladder.

Then you'll have those embarrassing moments in the bar when you bump into the other pilots you undercut to get the job. It's a small world.

[alangeering]

MAF works on the basis that a staff member (pilot/engineer/manager) is supported in part by their home church (or other financial support that can be raised). You're right to say that it won't pay high rates.

This is what life is like in the NFP/Charity (esp Christian Mission) sector. You really do need some faith!

The news I forward below is of a recent accident in PNG resulting in the loss of a MAF pilot. The last paragraph may be of interest to any who feel called into this type of work.

Thanks,
Alan


Taken from last MAF bullitin:

Accident in Papua New Guinea
Early in the afternoon on Thursday 23 March, Swiss pilot Pierre Fasnacht was tragically killed in an accident in Papua New Guinea when his plane crashed near Tari airstrip in the Southern Highlands.

An emergency locator transmission was picked up and very quickly a helicopter flew and located the aircraft. The injured passengers were swiftly taken to Kudjip hospital near Mount Hagen.

The three passengers in Pierre’s flight had serious injuries but are recovering very well following surgery. One however is still paralysed from the waist down.

Our Safety Manager in PNG, John Wall visited the accident site together with Civil Aviation Authority investigators. Investigations continue into the cause of this tragic event.

A memorial service was held on Wednesday 29 March, commemorating the life of Pierre where family members joined with our team. Pierre has faithfully served remote communities of PNG for nearly 12 years. He was known and respected all over the country, not just as a dedicated pilot but also in his rôle as mission co-ordinator, organising 7,000 mission flights.

After the memorial service, Pierre’s body was flown back to Switzerland.

After suspending operations for a week, flights have slowly resumed. Before this tragic accident, our operation was acutely understaffed but now today we face further drastic cuts in flying as we are nine pilots short to fully use existing aircraft.

[matt22scotland]

Flintstone What he ^^^^^said.

Don't think I've forgotten what it's like but if you start giving yourself away now you'll be worth less when you get further up the ladder.

Then you'll have those embarrassing moments in the bar when you bump into the other pilots you undercut to get the job. It's a small world.

hey flintstone picture this scene:
you are a human reasorces manager you have been tasked to pick a new pilot for fast medical service`s transport pilot delivery bit and pices of human flesh up and down the uk and sometime europe .

cv no 1
name joe bloggs

prevouis experiace
cpl ir frozen atpl
MAF duties included flying post 300mile from freetown to hoodjamaflip also flew the local witch doctor to his tribe regularly up in the sticks and flew his brains back to his other tribe when he died so that they could have a feast all in all i got 3500 on cesna caravan and flew many long distance flights.

cv no 2
name rude olf
prev experiance
cpl ir atpl
did my training at oxford aviation and got my type rating for dash 8 q 400 self financed got a small job picking a/craft up from bournemouth and transporting them to oxford types were cesna 152 to 310
all in all got 1600 hrs

you choose
experiance counts for alot.
please if any one reading this and works for a company who hires and fires pilots tell me if this is or is not the case

[jon s gull]

Matt , all of this means nothing MAF is not about you and your flying experience.

[matt22scotland]

why jon are you MAF`s spokesperson or something?.
yes i know that the maf is a missionary first and an aviation services second
but if you been following the thread you would of notice the general question i had about flying for other charities or sevices for little pay to gain aviation employment experince.
hence my previous statements

do keep up

[silverhawk]

Matt

I think bush flying experience is only relevant if you're applying for bush flying jobs.

[jon s gull]

Yes Matt I am following you and pointing out for the third time that you may become frustrated when MAF or any other christian charity fails to cater for your aims. They are not interested in furthering your career, as they are looking for pilots whose goal is met serving in their organisation rather than beyond it.

Stick to the operations who cater towards an ongoing career.

[Flintstone]

Two CV's, you choose.
Well here's a thing Matt. I happen to have experience of being on an interview panel and situations such as you describe came up time and time again.
As Silverhawk said bush time is really only relevant if you're after another bush job (been there, done that) although the total time can count for insurance requirements.
When I read a cv and interview someone I'm not just interested in their experience level I'm interested in them. How did they gain their experience, what did they do to put hours in their logbook?
If the answer is worked for less than the going rate and by definition undercut their colleagues then for me that's a strong 'tell' as to their personality. What else would they do to further their career? What other corners would they cut? Could I share a cockpit with them or ask my colleagues to do so if I recommend them for a job?
It comes down to integrity, something I find lacking in the 'fly-for-less/fly-for-free/pay-to-fly' fraternity.
You are of course at liberty to disagree with me but in 20 years when you find yourself flying a heavy jet yet being paid the same as a lorry driver you'll know why.

[matt22scotland]

Well here's a thing Matt.
It comes down to integrity, something I find lacking in the 'fly-for-less/fly-for-free/pay-to-fly' fraternity.
.
so your saying all thoose that pay for there flying training lack intergrity?as that in a long winded way pay to fly.

well in my military experiance .
thoose that are prepared to knuckle down to do hard work beacause they want to be sucessful are better people.
look at richard branson for example
would do anything to make it successful in business even selling crappy newsletters to students and purchaseing a gay club!.
he got big becuse the work he put in at no matter what cost.
yes i disagree with your statement.

think your mindset is one of classism and that you dont believe in or condone anyone that has risen up to be where they want to be.
unfortunately uk aviation is polluted with such mindless classism and general snobbery.

[Margarita]

You doing just fine but why don't you accept the fact that MAF is not a stepping stone for low time wannabees.

[Flintstone]

Well Matt, that was an interesting exercise in twisting my words. I said nothing about people paying for their training. Now go back, read it again and maybe we can continue the conversation.

Classism? That's really, really funny. If your assumption were true I'd be overcome with self loathing seeing as how I've paid my own way on every licence I hold with the exception of the two type ratings my present company bonded me for. I won't bore you with the 'woe is me' spiel but in your own parlance I knuckled down.

Can't wait to tell the lads down the Labour Club I'm now a snob. Those geezers'll larf their arses off.

One of the last gentlemen in the business once told me "Son, after a junior officer with a map and compass the most dangerous thing in the world is an untested assumption". Every so often someone says or writes something to remind me of that.

[excrab]

Matt,

Ignoring the whole fly for nothing issue MAF and similar organisations are not the place for low houred wanabee airline pilots.

If you have any doubt about this do some research into the conditions in places such as the highlands of New Guinea. You might want to get hold of a copy of the ONC for the area and look at the large white bits saying "unsurveyed" or "MEF not determined but believed to be not more than 14000ft" or similar. Then try to imagine what it is like flying a single engine aircraft in marginal VMC below the level of the surrounding terrain (ie through the passes rather than over the top of the mountains), dodging the clouds because they may contain rocks, always looking over your shoulder for a way out in case the weather clamps ahead, into 500m dirt strips at 7000ft AMSL with 20% or more upslopes in the TDZ. The Swiss guy who died had 12 years experience of operating in PNG under those conditions, and he is still dead. With all due respect is this the place for a glider pilot with a lapsed PPL, as you describe yourself?

[matt22scotland]

Matt,
Ignoring the whole fly for nothing issue MAF and similar organisations are not the place for low houred wanabee airline pilots.
If you have any doubt about this do some research into the conditions in places such as the highlands of New Guinea. You might want to get hold of a copy of the ONC for the area and look at the large white bits saying "unsurveyed" or "MEF not determined but believed to be not more than 14000ft" or similar. Then try to imagine what it is like flying a single engine aircraft in marginal VMC below the level of the surrounding terrain (ie through the passes rather than over the top of the mountains), dodging the clouds because they may contain rocks, always looking over your shoulder for a way out in case the weather clamps ahead, into 500m dirt strips at 7000ft AMSL with 20% or more upslopes in the TDZ. The Swiss guy who died had 12 years experience of operating in PNG under those conditions, and he is still dead. With all due respect is this the place for a glider pilot with a lapsed PPL, as you describe yourself?


yes it is.

my dream is to fly for a career not sit a shuffle papers or turn bloody spanners day in and out no exicement or challenge .
i was 17 and i got a crappy manufacteruring job just for money for my ppl i spent 40 hours weeks wage on 1 hours flight! WHY

BEACUASE I LIKE FLYING its my re son de tre (incorrectly spelt french word)
surely you all should understand that or are you all to old and bold and who said i`m an airline wananbe? scroll back and you will see that i said i would like an exciting aviation career but maybe one day when aold and bold i will go for airlines maybe and flintstone i suggest you read your own statement again before trying to make a comeback! as the one great homer simpson said dooohhh
paying for training is paying for flying as it cost 60k to get atpl standard in uk
and rogherly an f/o pay is 17k thats if you get a job.
SO YOU ARE PAYING TO GET TO FLY.


think about the bottom of the tree.

[Flintstone]

excrab


You're wasting your time on this one. Can't/won't listen.

[excrab]

Matt,

My apologies. I was wrong. I won't edit the post but you may remove the word "airline" so it now reads "not the place for low houred wanabee pilots".

It isn't. If you want to do that sort of flying you will need at least a CPL/IR, either JAR/FAA or something else acceptable to the local authorities where you intend to fly and to the organisation you wish to fly for. There is no such thing as an "aerial work endorsement" on a PPL. Once you have got that go and get some experience flying, as an instructor or tugging or parachute dropping or whatever. When you have enough hours that you can fly the aircraft without thinking about it thus enabling you to think about all the other cr*p you do have to think about as a bush pilot in that sort of terrain you may understand what I am talking about.

However much you might like it to be operating in New Guinea or Africa or any of the places that operators such as MAF or Airserve or any of the other aid/relief/missionary operators fly is not like flying a super cub around your local gliding club.

Flintstone - you just beat me to it. I hope you're wrong but...

[policepilot]

Bad news Matt. As an ex bush pilot there are papers to be shuffled and the odd spanner job. But furstlee you need spel cheque beacuase your speling and word structure are atroshus. Could be it's your CV!
Otherwise, know there will aways be things to make you frustrated, whether it be the company has stopped serving cheese and biscuits to the flight deck, or some chap from the Interrehamwe with an AK47 in some Congolese jungle wants to arrest you (again). Just keep your frustrations in check. We've all been in situations where we've thought there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

[Flintstone]

But furstlee you need spel cheque beacuase your speling and word structure are atroshus. Could be it's your CV!

No PP it's you. You're reading it wrong and it's not Matt's fault and we're all being mean because we're all right up ourselves http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/images/smiles/dummyspit.gif


Ok Matt, I apologise for being flippant (in this post only) but everything that people have said to you so far has merit. Do yourself a favour, wind your neck in and digest it.

Just because bush flying often involves relatively simple aircraft and uncontrolled airspace that does NOT make it easier. Having done it myself for a couple of thousand hours (I'm a mere apprentice compared with some of the people trying to help you here) and having spent another few thousand punting around Europe in bizjets I can honestly tell you that it's the former that will kill you the quickest.

I'm more than happy to help people on their way up and have done so on a few occasions but I know a lost cause when I see one. Last one was a CPL student of mine. They found the remains of him and his aircraft after he flew into a CB on the first day of his first job.

[matt22scotland]

I'm more than happy to help people on their way up and have done so on a few occasions but I know a lost cause when I see one. Last one was a CPL student of mine. They found the remains of him and his aircraft after he flew into a CB on the first day of his first job..

so now your insulting my flying abilities and intelligence?
oh and yes whats wrong with mild dsylexia?
in does not make one low intelliect or difficult to understand and if i was writinng a cv then it will be correct obviously! so what your saying i should sit here with a fraklin spellchecker to reply to your utter insults

my gripe is with people a NRTFQ
and comeing back with complete no help whatsoever nonsense.

so in that i like to thank thoose tht came back with inteligent answers to my Q.
and even thoose with utter uncalled for insults

this matter is now dead!

[matt22scotland]

I'm more than happy to help people on their way up and have done so on a few occasions but I know a lost cause when I see one. Last one was a CPL student of mine. They found the remains of him and his aircraft after he flew into a CB on the first day of his first job..

so now your insulting my flying abilities and intelligence?
i not so F****ing stupid to takeoff in bad weather NEVERMIND FLY INTO A CB!
oh and yes whats wrong with mild dsylexia?
in does not make one low intelliect or difficult to understand and if i was writing a cv then it will be correct obviously! so what your saying i should sit here with a fraklin spellchecker to reply to your utter insults

my gripe is with people a NRTFQ
and comeing back with complete no help whatsoever nonsense.

so in that i like to thank thoose tht came back with inteligent answers to my Q.
and even thoose with utter uncalled for insults

this matter is now dead!

[Bugcrusher]

It's not dead, look, I am writing. Learn to spell and construct a sentence, do you do joined up writing?? Being a good proffesional pilot requires something that you may be missing.:yuk:

[Flintstone]

so now your insulting my flying abilities and intelligence?
i not so F****ing stupid to takeoff in bad weather NEVERMIND FLY INTO A CB!

I'm not insulting your intelligence, I am however questioning your attitude.

Several times now you have misinterpreted, deliberately perhaps, what has been said to you. Either that or you lack the ability to comprehend. Whichever is the case you show traits that would be undesirable in a pilot.

Before you shell out thousands on training do yourself a favour and undergo some aptitude, psychological and psychometric tests.

Considering your alleged dyslexia, patently poor comprehension skills and short fuse I wouldn't want to be the one sitting next to or behind you on the day someone has pissed you off and there are some important NOTAMs to be read.

Before you even get to that stage though there are difficult exams and flying to be conquered. These can apply lots of pressure, they load you up. Sure you can handle it?

If the real you is the one you portray in this forum I think we both know the answer.

[Chippie Chappie]

C'mon guys, Matt22 has got you hook, line and sinker! It's gotta be a wind up. Very well done to, I might say. Started off slowly and wound the tempo up as the thread progressed. Bravo!

Good info on MAF though. Very interesting to read some more about the flying conditions out there. Safe flying out there,

Chips

[Roger Copy Charlie]

I think Matt has proven himself to be an excellent candidate to fly for MAF.
We know from this thread that MAF is a bunch of religious happy clappers, for whom flying is not their main objective. They expect their pilots to follow their beliefs.
Matt22 proves himself in this thread to be stubborn, short-sighted, dogmatic, not very clever, very passionate about a point where he is wrong, and he refuses to listen to the voice of reason.
Seems he's a Flying Fundamentalist already!
Go for it Matt! Join the flying nuthouse!
When I was in flying school, there was a "born again" student who totalled a plane 'cause he ran out of fuel... at the airport where he was supposed to refuel, he found out that he forgot to take the fuel card... he continued his trip in any case. In a radio interview right after the crash, he said God must have put an angel on his shoulder because he survived without a scratch... I've heard he's now the Chief Pilot or Training Captain for MAF.
I think religion in itself is a threat to flight safety. I don't want to fly with somebody who has even the slightest idea that God might help him out.
With pilots like that around, all I can say is: "God help us all".

[jaca]

I think Matt has proven himself to be an excellent candidate to fly for MAF.
We know from this thread that MAF is a bunch of religious happy clappers, for whom flying is not their main objective. They expect their pilots to follow their beliefs.
Matt22 proves himself in this thread to be stubborn, short-sighted, dogmatic, not very clever, very passionate about a point where he is wrong, and he refuses to listen to the voice of reason.
Seems he's a Flying Fundamentalist already!
Go for it Matt! Join the flying nuthouse!
When I was in flying school, there was a "born again" student who totalled a plane 'cause he ran out of fuel... at the airport where he was supposed to refuel, he found out that he forgot to take the fuel card... he continued his trip in any case. In a radio interview right after the crash, he said God must have put an angel on his shoulder because he survived without a scratch... I've heard he's now the Chief Pilot or Training Captain for MAF.
I think religion in itself is a threat to flight safety. I don't want to fly with somebody who has even the slightest idea that God might help him out.
With pilots like that around, all I can say is: "God help us all".

Glad that Roger Copy feels free to make sweeping generalisations about Christians but clearly has not met many! I think that you will find the kind of people described in all areas of life, that's humans for you!

MAF is an organisation dating back to the 1940's and has an excellent safety record. The pilots who fly for MAF range from relatively low hours instructors to high hours airline pilots. They do have in common a strong Christian faith and ethos and (obviously to the amazement of some) are not driven by the need to accumulate wealth! The work they do makes the difference between life and death for many and at the very least means that travel to remote places takes hours instead of days thus saving valuable time for example, for eye surgeons in Bangledesh who will spend maybe four days instead of two restoring sight. The best rewards are not always financial!

[Flintstone]

C'mon guys, Matt22 has got you hook, line and sinker! It's gotta be a wind up.
The thought did occur....http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/images/smiles/fishing.gif

[indiamikecharles]

The best rewards are not always financial![/quote]

I agree, but when you're in your 30's, living with mummy and 60 something K in debt you need some 2-3K per month to get a life :) Now my only interest is money!

What is thoose Matt?