Aero-Linx!

Scouring the information super airways can sometimes be a tough, if educational, task for the Aero-News staff... but it also allows us to check out some truly neat and exciting sites, so it's not that bad a gig. On any given day, we may check dozens (and often hundreds) of different sources for story ideas, and facts confirmation. And, as is the nature of our business, much of this is done on the Internet.

The ANN gang decided we probably shouldn't keep some of the neat sites, info resources, and organizations we've discovered to ourselves... so we decided to bring you Aero-Linx. These are the sites that WE check out -- when we need added perspective, a new spin on a day's topic... or just want to escape into cyber-aero-space for awhile.

Look for some of our favorite sites, coming each day to ANN via Aero-Linx. Suggestions for future Aero-Linx segments are always welcome, as well.

Aero Linx: The International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA)

Following World War II, several American aviators returned to the United States with a desire in their hearts to use aviation in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the globe. That desire gave birth to the first mission aviation effort in the United States, known then as Christian Airmen’s Missionary Fellowship (CAMF). Today, it is known as Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). The first flights were in a Waco biplane, and served Bible translators with the Summer Institute of Linguistics in southern Mexico. The pilot of those first flights was a remarkable woman named Betty Greene. Since those early days in the late 1940s, mission aviation has grown significantly.

MAF was joined in this specialized area of aviation by dozens of other mission agencies that use aviation to advance the Gospel, provide medical care, and meet humanitarian needs. Several hundred airplanes and helicopters are operated in some of the most challenging conditions faced by aviators anywhere. The International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) was formed to bring these agencies together in the spirit of professional collaboration. IAMA fosters a community of Christian airmen whose hallmarks are safety and technical competence. Today, IAMA’s membership includes more than seventy mission agencies, training schools, and individuals. Members work together to bring the transforming message of Jesus Christ to people living in places that are remote and very difficult-to-access.

FMI: http://www.iamanet.org