{"id":298,"date":"2019-07-28T08:59:01","date_gmt":"2019-07-28T13:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/imie-mark\/?p=298"},"modified":"2019-07-30T21:57:02","modified_gmt":"2019-07-31T02:57:02","slug":"not-just-a-mechanic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/imie-mark\/2019\/07\/28\/not-just-a-mechanic\/","title":{"rendered":"Not \u201cJust\u201d a Mechanic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For almost 2 decades now when people find out I work in aviation, hands-down the most frequent question I get is, \u201cOh, so you\u2019re a pilot?\u201d  The easiest response is to simply say, \u201cNo, I\u2019m a mechanic.\u201d  That saves the time of explaining that I actually do hold my commercial, single-\/multi-engine, & instrument ratings and dreamed for years of ultimately being a pilot in mission aviation but through a long series of events the Lord redirected my path and truth be told I\u2019m not even a mechanic now (yes, I do hold the license), I\u2019m really more like a maintenance scheduler\/administrator, but saying that just raises a lot of questions, hence the \u201csimpler\u201d response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invariably the reply I get is the same, sometimes accompanied with a look of disdain, other times with pity, most of the time though it’s without really realizing what they\u2019re saying when the five words that make me cringe roll off their tongue\u2026\u201cOh, you\u2019re just a mechanic.\u201d [cue the crickets to fill the awkward silence as we stare at one another] \u201cSure, something like that.”  Only it\u2019s not really like that at all, not with any of the guys or gals I\u2019ve been privileged to work with over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“All hands on deck.” It’s the view from our Goroka hangar on a busy morning.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the current context our expat Ethnos360 Aviation mechanics are licensed both in their home country and here in PNG.  They\u2019re not only skilled technicians, tackling anything our planes or helicopter throws at them in order to keep the fleet safe and reliable, they\u2019re also expert jugglers, knowing when to follow what guidance between the manufacturers, our home office, our airworthiness authority back home, and the airworthiness authority here.  They wear any number of other hats, project manager, innovator, leader, and trainer to name a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rodney broadens his skill set as he works on the PT6A engine of a Kodiak, accomplishing routine maintenance to keep it operating at peak performance. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our mechanics don\u2019t merely work beside citizen staff members, they\u2019re privileged to call them brothers in Christ and to navigate together the training requirements necessary to see these men have the opportunity one day to hold a maintenance license of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our mechanics serve as load masters for helicopter shuttles, a critical role preparing over-sized cargo to be slung beneath the helicopter, often out in remote bush locations in support of our church planting teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mike B. carefully attaches a sling load to the helicopter’s hook while Mike M. skillfully holds the aircraft in a steady hover.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a bit ironic to think that at the moment, all our mechanics actually do hold pilot ratings, and yet for different reasons, and in different ways, this is where the Lord\u2019s led them for now.  Regardless of how it may appear to some, they\u2019re far from being \u201cjust mechanics.\u201d  They\u2019re men who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, using the love He\u2019s given them for aviation to speed the work of reaching the unreached peoples of the world with the Gospel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Ethnos360 Aviation maintenance personnel are indispensable members of the team and they\u2019re being stretched as new church planting teams arrive and the demand for aviation services continues to increase.  As the Lord answers our prayers for \u201cmore laborers in the field,\u201d we invite you to pray with us also for more laborers to support those in church planting ministries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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