Air Operations

Bridge the distance between unreached people and the gospel.

The JAARS Alliance

Unified around our safety and training standards, these aviation partners may also receive JAARS aircraft, personnel and/or infrastructure.

All Fields

JAARS Base
Peru
Brazil
Cameroon
Gabon
East Africa
Indonesia

Papua New Guinea

Future Fields
JAARS Base

Our North Carolina base is less than an hour’s flight from our mountain training hub, making us uniquely positioned to prepare mission aviators for remote overseas operations.

Peru

Positioned in Peru's Amazon rainforest in Pucallpa, JAARS-trained pilots and mechanics serve with our partner SAM Air who works with Peruvian churches to reach people groups in an area approximately the size of California.

Safety & Standards

Training

Brazil

With their network of bases in Brazil, Asas de Socorro provides reliable transportation for Scripture translation and engagement missions in the Amazon.

Consulting

Training

Personnel

Cameroon

With a central base in the capital and a helicopter hub on standby in the conflict-prone Western Highlands, SIL Aviation Cameroon is poised to serve large populations of unreached people groups who have yet to receive Scripture in their language.

Safety & Standards

Training

Aircraft

Personnel

Infrastructure

Gabon

JAARS-trained pilot-mechanics serve with Aviation Médicale de Bongolo in Bongolo, Gabon, providing life-saving transport to the region.

Safety & Standards

Training

East Africa

With a main base in Nairobi, Kenya, and a remote base in Arua, Uganda, JAARS-trained aviators and mechanics are the lifeline of this region’s mission efforts.

Safety & Standards

Training

Indonesia

Located in Papua Province, Indonesia, on the Western half of Papua Island, JAARS pilots and mechanics flying with YAJASI serve unreached people from their Sentani base.

Safety & Standards

Training

Aircraft

Personnel

Infrastructure

Papua New Guinea

Located in the heart of the Eastern Highlands, SIL Aviation Papua New Guinea is strategically positioned to serve one of the world’s most dense populations of unreached people groups.

Safety & Standards

Training

Aircraft

Personnel

Infrastructure

Future Locations

We are prayerfully considering plans for future hubs capable of reaching millions of unreached people with the gospel.

Safety & Standards

Training

Aircraft

Personnel

Infrastructure

Answer the Call

Join our global air crew, or prayerfully consider fueling the mission with a one-time, recurring or unique financial gift.
Fuel the MissionJoin the Crew

Our Fleet

God has provided us with both helicopters and fixed-wing, short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft perfectly suited for the tight, rugged conditions of the last mile of missions. In many cases, these specialized aircraft can reduce a day-long hike to a 10-minute flight.

With incredible STOL capabilities, this practically unstallable tail-wheel aircraft’s geared engine, leading-edge slats, large Fowler flaps and interceptor devices atop each wing for added control make it perfect for field training.

With its low-pressure tires, twin-caliper disc brakes, long stroke undercarriage and impressive STOL capabilities, this tail-wheel aircraft is perfect for rough conditions.

With a nose-wheel design, perfect for easy loading, the Kodiak serves places like Papua New Guinea.

Capable of long-range flight and slow approach speeds, the Cessna 206 seats five and has a 1,400 lb. payload.

The backbone of mission aviation in Africa, this aircraft is perfect for transporting passengers or large loads.

With a small profile perfect for flying and landing in the tightest quarters, the R66 helicopter seats five and sports a RR300 turboshaft engine.

Designed for medevac operations, this helicopter has increased horsepower and cargo capacity and a two-bladed rotor system.

Training Operations

We equip pilots and mechanics to operate under the highest degree of safety, no matter the conditions. Our aviators benefit from their instructors’ more than 500 years of combined experience in mission aviation. They also receive spiritual mentorship to prepare them for the difficulties of living in remote areas overseas.

Pre-Field Orientation

Aviators receive their ultimate preparation for remote operations overseas.
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Mountain Week

Pilots contend with tight, sloping flight and landing conditions, unique weather and shifting mists.
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Bush Week

Mechanics repair a “crashed” plane during a remote week in the woods.
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The Hub Strategy

JAARS is pioneering ways to boost mission aviation’s reach exponentially. To do this, we plan to connect current bases to new JAARS hubs. Each hub will serve as a fuel and light maintenance station between its base and a network of distant village landing points.

Potential Congo Hub: Mbandaka, DRC

In this model, the base at Yaoundé, Cameroon, connects to the Mbandaka hub, where mission aviators could reach village landing points in the Congo rainforest.

But how do we train for this?

JAARS Training Hub Model: Waxhaw + Avery County

JAARS Base is an hour’s flight from our mountain training hub in Avery County. From this hub, pilots fly out to local mountaintop and valley airstrips that resemble remote village landing points.

We build this training hub model in North Carolina to replicate future fields.

Key Elements

Pre-Field Orientation

This is our rigorous, four-month training program. Its advanced flight and maintenance operations prepare aviators for remote overseas missions.
Knowledge, Skills & Attributes
Developed by JAARS, these are the hard and soft skills we are looking for in every aviator prior to deployment to the field.

Technical Evaluation

Our ten-day entrance exam determines if a pilot or mechanic meets our KSAs.
Spiritual Mentorship
We provide our aviators with spiritual mentorship that strengthens and encourages their walk with Christ as they prepare for remote overseas mission fields.
National Training
Empowering the Church worldwide is our end goal. To reach that goal, we provide nationals with culturally-informed training and onboarding pathways.

We built FlightSpan™ to provide mission aviators with everything they need to manage their entire flight operations—wherever they are. This single tool automates and streamlines in-cockpit tasks, helping mission aviators to easily plan, execute and record their flights.

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An Aerial View

See how God is using pilots, mechanics and technicians to bridge the distance between the gospel and unreached communities.
Air Ops

Keeping a Helicopter in the Air

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Air Ops

Flying to the Ends of the Earth

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Air Ops

Maintenance Training

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