Comp Air 6 Kit Donated to Samaritan Aviation/Wings of Hope

Samaritan Aviation is the grateful recipient of a Comp Air 6 airplane kit that was given by Aerocomp Inc. The kit is the quick build version with wide body and taper wing options. The factory has beefed up this particular kit so it can handle a turboprop if desired.

The airplane is being assembled by a group of volunteers at Wings of Hope, a partner of Samaritan Aviation in St. Louis, www.wings-of-hope.org

Samaritan Aviation, a charity based in Montrose, Colorado, provides medical and mission services to needy individuals in remote parts of Baja, Mexico and Papua New Guinea. The organization participates with other charities to fly medical professionals and pharmaceuticals to clinics in Mexico. They are also setting up a base on the North Coast of Papua New Guinea where they will be operating amphibious aircraft into remote parts of the country where few airstrips exist and people often go without needed medical attention.

"The generosity of both Aerocomp and Wings of Hope is invigorating. We are excited about using the Comp Air 6 (file photo, right) to provide assistance to some very needy people," says Gary Bustin (EAA 0570084), Samaritan's President.

The organization does not yet have an engine for the plane but is looking for a Continental IO-550 that will be either donated or purchased. "We are leaning towards the IO-550 because of the reliability and power of the engine but might go for an IO-520 or maybe even a turbine if the price is right," says Mark Palm, Samaritan's Vice President and Director of Aviation.

Those interested in watching progress on the plane can log on to www.samaritanaviation.com and click "Comp Air 6" to see the building log. The log will be updated every two weeks.

FMI: www.samaritanaviaton.com, www.aerocompinc.com, www.wings-of-hope.org