MAF/pilot shortage

[A Squared]

Turbo

Your excuse for MAF rings very hollow.


True, Miami air would not be giving away it's fuel price information. Miami Air is in a competetive business and they probably spend some money researching fuel prices. As such the information represents a competetive advantage over another charter oprator who doesn't have that information. It would be entirely understandable if Miami air wouldn't give that info out.

The analogy breaks down completely when applied to MAF, which (presumably) is not a business, and is certainly not in competition with some private individual ferryng antique aircraft from Africa. Kinda hard to justify keeping such (potentially life saving) info secret in that context, especially for an organization which bills itself as humanitarian.

 

[Cat Driver]

Asquared :

Precisely.

You are bang on, money was never the issue, all I wanted was some advice regarding fuel availibility and we would gladly have paid for same.

Unless one has experienced ferrying aircraft in Africa you would not know the frustration and risk involved in that kind of flying.

Anyhow I was disappionted in attitude of the person that I spoke to on the phone........ no big deal...but it coloured my preception of MAF.

Cat

 

[ClearRight]

Cat-

It surprises me that you got such a response. Everyone I met in Redlands (HQ) was very pleasant and helpful. You may have gotten a staff member who didn't have any experience with Africa and probably dropped the ball or didn't take the time to get you in touch with someone who could help.

That's what happens when carnal man runs an eternal show!

 

[Timebuilder]

I too, am disappointed in the response you got when looking for fuel. However, Turbo's explanation about all of us being human is also "bang on."

If you expect a Christian to be immune from having a bad day, or being rude to someone looking for fuel, then you are mistaken. The people who work in ministries are often far more stressed than others, as they struggle to make their operations work every day. That isn't an excuse, it's a reality.

Every person responds to people according to the person they are, saved or not. While it is a very good idea to tune up your attitude if you follow Christ, it is not a prerequisite to being a Christian, nor does being a Christian necessarily mean that you become immune to temper, depression, or just downright cussedness. It does mean that if you partner and fellowship with other Christians, you will often be able to make significant improvements in your outlook.

In other words, you are far better off to judge Christianity by the sacrifice of Christ, compared to the personality of ANY believer.

 

[Cat Driver]

Please understand that it was not my intention to delve into the christianity issue, far from it as I have zero intrest in the subject.

I was only passing on my one short contact with MAF.

And of course I realize that everyone has bad days or whatever.

Cat

 

[mattfish42]

Missionary flying is something I want to do eventually. What kind of experience do you think would realistically be necessary before getting into this? Right now I've got just about two year's wrench time and 200 hours flight time, so I'm certain that I've got a lot more learning to do.

 

[avbug]

and those of Avbug's religious affiliation do not share the same core beliefs about the Bible and the manner of worship that God shows us He wants in the Bible as do the majority of evangelical mission organizations.

Really?

I guess that lumps you in the same pile as the MAF pilot I met. Both uninformed on that particular topic, and certainly in no positive manner.

 

[TurboS7]

Whoa, I didn't mean this post to turn into a theolodgical debate(however you spell it)There was a need and I wanted to present it. The qualifications for MAF go beyond the technical to the spiritual, which makes it tacky. You do not need to be a Christian to fly a MAF airplane. It flies the same no matter who is at the controls. I am sure that most non-Christian pilots fly ten times more efficient that a Christian pilot.MAF is looking for pilot's that love the Word of God and want to do whatever to further God's kingdom. If you are a non-Christian you will be asked to see things from a diffrent perspective. Notice, I am not with MAF due to attitude's that CAT Driver protrayed. MAF used to promote an attitude that we are here to fly airplanes and that is all. That has changed significantly in the last 15 years. They have come to realize that ministry happens every day no matter what you do.As for Africa MAF-USA only works in three countries, MAF(UK) is in charge of the rest, maybe Cat you should have called the Brits.

A+P 200 hours you have what MAF is looking for. I would call them now and start getting a spot lined up if you are interested.

 

[Timebuilder]

Really?

I guess that lumps you in the same pile as the MAF pilot I met. Both uninformed on that particular topic, and certainly in no positive manner.

If you mean that I do not subscribe to ideas like the bread and wine of the lord's supper actually becoming the body and blood of Christ during communion, that we should be praying to Christ's mother, or that "saints" are anything outside of being typical believers, then yes, you would be right about that. The Bible does not teach those things, and that's just the short list.

I am "positive" that those concepts are non-Biblical. That said, I will try and lead others to the truth in the Bible, and away from the constructs of Man. I will NOT be nasty about it.

 

[Cat Driver]

TurboS7 :

It was in 1999 that I contacted MAF, first by e-mail and then I phoned one of the principals in Ca.

The only reason I contacted MAF was I had talked to a MAF crew on 126.9 some years ago in Angola for traffic seperation in Luanda.

I met them at the airport the next day and they were very helpful and friendly.

So one day I thought, hey why not get ahold of MAF and ask if they knew of any fuel avalibility up the eastern side of Africa, as I had decided to fly that route.

When I talked to whomever in Ca. I was left with the impression that I was somehow an irritation to him..

In fact I almost told him to go f.ck himself, but my better judjment told me that would not really be proper.

By the way my wife is a born again and supports MAF as well as other organizations.

I am a savage with no religeous beliefe, what I do is take every human being as they are and judge them by their actions....

Religion has many facets, the Salvation Army can be judged by their helping the down trodden, the fanatics that flew into the twin towers are the other end of the spectrum.

Cat Driver:

 

[wms]

I was very disturbed to find out that they are only meeting 40% of their needs for pilots. There are many Christian pilot on this board and we do owe at least one term of our lives serving the Lord. MAF requires an A+P for the out stations,but they find they do not need the A+P for those that are based at a multiple pilot base.All pilots must raise their own support but MAF will asist you in that, really you are raising prayer support which is vital to mission work.

If it's really the Lord's will for someone to be a pilot there, He will provide the means. it doesn't require human intervention like fund-raising. Many people force things to happen no matter what and then say it was the Lord's will because they said a prayer after they set their own mind to it. The Lord will provide the desire, the opportunity and the means. There are similar organizations that work differently. And because we are pilots doesn't mean we need to serve the Lord as pilots. There are many ways to distribute what is His to begin with, not just for one period, but for life.

I am "positive" that those concepts are non-Biblical. That said, I will try and lead others to the truth in the Bible, and away from the constructs of Man. I will NOT be nasty about it.

Amen.

 

[TurboS7]

WMS-You are totally right and I agree with you. It is just interesting that the opportunity exsist. In my day it was harder to get into MAF or JAARS than it was getting into the airlines. The Lord REALLY had to open the doors and provide. HE is able and I think sometimes we are more effective in the world and not being a part of it than to be seperate from the world in our own cocoon of spirituality.

 

[TurboS7]

Cat Driver-When I was with MAF I would have taken the time out of the day to steer you in the right direction. Whomever the person was I will apologize on their behalf. I know quite a few people at Redlands and I would say that all of them would want me to do that, especially if you were offended in any way.

 

[Timebuilder]

If it's really the Lord's will for someone to be a pilot there, He will provide the means. it doesn't require human intervention like fund-raising. Many people force things to happen no matter what and then say it was the Lord's will because they said a prayer after they set their own mind to it. The Lord will provide the desire, the opportunity and the means. There are similar organizations that work differently. And because we are pilots doesn't mean we need to serve the Lord as pilots. There are many ways to distribute what is His to begin with, not just for one period, but for life.

God expects us to be good stewards, and work with the framework of organizations that serve Him, and follow the rules and requests that they have arrived at in a prayerful manner. If He calls, he WILL provide, but you can bet that He expects time, focus, and effort on your part, too. This may mean offering an MAF presentation to your local church, along with other churches that support missions. That isn't unreasonable.

 

[avbug]

If you mean that I do not subscribe to ideas like the bread and wine of the lord's supper actually becoming the body and blood of Christ during communion, that we should be praying to Christ's mother, or that "saints" are anything outside of being typical believers, then yes, you would be right about that. The Bible does not teach those things, and that's just the short list.

I don't believe those things either, no do I take communion, nor do I pray to anybody's mother, yada, yada. Again, I suppose that puts you in the same bracket as the MAF pilot who ignorantly and incorrectly identified my beliefs (as if it were his business), and then condemned them. Police, Prosecutor, Judge. Sentenced. Thanks.

Between us, the difference lies in that I will fully support one who does believe or do those things, and I will support them in their belief.

Use caution wherewith ye judge, for with what judgement ye judge, so therefore shall ye be judged. No?

I refuse to argue or discuss religion here, or elsewhere, save for a personal setting under which it may be appropriate. It seems without the benifit of such a discussion, the MAF pilot was quick to condemn, much like you. My own beliefs are quite irrelevant. I could be Southern Baptist, Progressive Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, LDS, Seventh Day Adventist, or even Buddhist (which permits one to be a Christian and still practice Buddhism with full compatability). You don't know. Yet without the benifit of that knowledge, so quick to judge, as you seem to feel you have all the answers.

So tell me, shrine mercenary, who delivered you the power to interpret Calvary? Or to judge, in direct contravention to all counsel by Paul, and Christ? Further, when considering the ministry or the general interaction between the "Christian" and the "Gentile," was it not Christ who supped with the publicans, walked among the leppers, and who healed the ear of him come to take him to custody and kill him? (It was). For those "christians" who will not associate with others because of their (incorrectly) perceived beliefs...they're not very "christian," are they?

Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear...

I'll not pursue this thread further. The nature of the picking apart and bible bashing itself is discrespectful, and hardly invites any spirt appropriate to the nature of the material.

Then again, On the Beach on this very site pronounced me captive of all evil, and told me I have the devil in my heart. Must be so, don't you think?