From AOPA Online

Flying humanitarians into hard-to-reach places
By Leslie VanSant
In 1984, the world was shocked into action by pictures and stories of famine and suffering coming out of Ethiopia. Humanitarian agencies rushed to provide food, water, emergency medical care, and shelter to millions of people. The relief effort was hampered by conflict and fighting; the most vulnerable were impossible for relief workers to reach safely with poor or non-existent roads and the violence. Enter Air Serv International: a group of dedicated aviation visionaries who realized the power of small-craft aviation in expanding the reach of relief and assistance during natural disasters and crises.
Loosely defining runways as paved or un-paved roads, dry river beds, or fields, Air Serv has safely and reliably increased the reach of humanitarian workers by providing aviation services—including transportation of goods, services, and relief workers; medical evacuations; and repatriation of displaced persons. Their nimble fleet of small aircraft—Twin Otters, Cessna Caravans, Beechcraft King Air, and Embraer 120s—safe and suitable for takeoff and landing on short runways, has powered this nonprofit organization to some amazing statistics. In the last decade alone, more than 230,000 passengers and 1,600 metric tons of supplies have reached their intended destination via Air Serv.
“When access is most difficult because of complex emergencies and natural disasters, humanitarian workers turn to Air Serv,” said experienced aviation professional James R. Plaxton, CEO of Air Serve. Plaxton joined Air Serv in 2007 as a volunteer consultant and was tapped by the board as full-time CEO in June 2008. “They are confident knowing our professional staff can safely fly our planes in and out of challenging situations.”
From its start in Ethiopia nearly 25 years ago, Air Serv has performed vital flight operations in 36 countries across Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia. Currently Air Serv is providing services in Chad, Mozambique, Congo, Uganda, and Iraq, where the first non-military flight after the 2003 outbreak of war was operated by Air Serv.
The organization has flown humanitarian response personnel from more than 200 organizations, as well as celebrities and government officials ranging from then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama to Angelina Jolie and Don Cheadle. They have partnered with major humanitarian agencies including World Vision, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and the Red Cross to fly in assistance and personnel.
During this time, the humanitarian industry has grown, operations have become more complex, and the needs of the vulnerable have become even greater; yet Air Serv has found it hard to escape the idea of it as a group of swashbuckling “bush pilots,” which does not convey the operation’s reliability and dedication to safety. Air Serv recognized a need to professionalize in order to provide a higher level of service to more agencies and to enable more vulnerable people to access assistance.
Under Plaxton’s immediate guidance, Air Serv began planning and implementing a modernization program to catapult its operations out of the bush leagues and into the majors. Operating under a Part 91 status from the FAA, Air Serv is working to also acquire a Part 135 air operations certificate to cover its expanding global operations serving the humanitarian community.
“It is our goal to be able to respond where the need is greatest,” said Plaxton. To that end, the organization seeks funding that will enable it to operate anywhere there is need, “not just where the donors provide the funding.”
With undesignated response funding, Air Serv will be able to establish short-term disaster-based operations based upon need, while maintaining its ongoing response to crises like Darfur.
With a modern and efficient fleet and tracking, ticketing, and maintenance program, Air Serv is well positioned to fly the humanitarian industry where it needs to go well into the future. With the continued support of the public, the organization will be financially secure enough to expand operations when there is need during a disaster and maintain the highest levels of technology and safety.
To learn more about Air Serv International, visit the Web site.
March 19, 2009

Women's Day

March the 8th was International Women's Day. The Congolese women celebrate by dancing in the streets and leaving their husbands at home to take care of the kids. Whenever they celebrate something they always make a special dress all in the same material. I had great fun with the ladies and learning what Women's day means for the Congolese. They told me that it was the freedom of being able to work and have more respect from their husband. They all told me that their mothers were not allowed to even eat at the same table with their father. Although now within the city many of the women do not suffer as did their mothers, they are thankful and know that out in the villages women still suffer from hard labor, rape, and losing their husbands to the war and having to raise their families on their own. These women have amazing stories and they are amazing women.

Team Building

The compound we live in is a beautiful place isolated by huge concrete walls from the harsh realities of life in Goma. Within the compound are two identical houses with 8 bedrooms a piece, we can have anywhere from 5 people to 12 people live with us at any given time. The compound is located right on the beautiful and mysterious Lake Kivu. About a month ago we started a great team building project. As you can see from the pictures our diving platform is approximately 25 feet at the highest point to the water. We have great fun jumping off and it was great fun watching the guys build it. Our national staff all think we are a bit crazy!

The Western Cape

David has conquered Malaria!

Cape Town

Penguin (one of only two places in the world these penguins are)

Trying to pet the penguins

A long way from home!

The Cape of Good Hope

Cape Agulhus, the True Southern Most Tip of Africa!

We finally made it to our second R & R. David arrived in Cape Town with Malaria so on the second day of our R & R, David was admitted into the hospital. The doctor said he has not just malaria but also pneumonia, and they were really scared that the malaria would spread to his lungs. So he spent 2 days in the hospital. He only got to get out and go to the hotel the second day because the nurses were on strike and the doctor's were confident that his lungs did not have malaria in them. Thank goodness we had a really nice hotel on the beach. After one week nursing David, he finally started feeling better and the doctor felt he was making great progress, so we rented a car and started a very nice journey from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. We would drive a few hours a day along the coast and then find a nice B & B. The pictures below explain it very well.

Now we are back in Goma and starting to get into the groove of work. It is really nice to be back! David is feeling 100% now. Praise the Lord!

Cape Agulhus

A cave at Arniston

A Man Powered Ferry

Mossel Bay

Storms River Mouth, Suspension Bridge

See he is feeling better, zip ling through the forest

Hiking to a waterfall

The Waterfall.

Epulu, DRC

Congo is the only place in the world you will find an okapi or jungle giraffe. Sunday we had the opportunity of a lifetime to fly to Epulu. Epulu has a game preserve for the okapi, not to mention it being just an amazing place. There is a Pygmy village there as well.

The village kids were all there waiting to meet us.

This Pygmy was very funny.

At the okapi preserve they feed 50 lbs of leaves to each okapi a day.
The okapi, the locals believe it has magical powers

They are beautiful animals that live around 35 years.

The animals are not sociable at all.

This one is the youngest in the preserve at 5 years old.

The okapi have very soft coats.

I thought it was impressive this guy moving two wheelbarrows at once. The workers have to hang the leaves in the trees. The okapi will not eat their food on the ground.

This Pygmy sold me a bow and arrow.

The fish they catch out of the river are not very big.

Bathing in the Epulu river with the crocodiles.

The village

You can barely see the lady cooking, just outside her house.

Runway Construction/ Asphalt Work

I Found this scene very interesting this morning at the Goma Airport. You are not suppose to take pictures at the airport so I could not get very close to the guys, but if you click on the pictures you can get a bigger view of what is happening. They are making asphalt next to the runway then hauling it over to fill the cracks. Note the UN tractor, not really sure why the tractor was there because I never saw them use it.

Victims of the Fighting

These three little girls and baby sister are one of many tragic stories here in Eastern DRC. Their father was killed by the rebels and their mother died in childbirth. Air Serv had the priviledge of flying them to an orgphanage in Lubumbashi, where they await for their grandparents in the U.S. to adopt them.