Scooting over...

...to N342EA. This airplane is usually based in Entebbe, Uganda. It came over to Nairobi for some maintenance just before the accident three weeks ago. We have begun working on it this past week and continue through this week. Here's some of the pictures I've captured of the work.

Lance Atkins and I removed the engine so that we could install the dual forward mount conversion. Here's Lance getting the engine ready to remove.

Here's the engine on it's temporary home. We did lots of inspection on it while it was off the plane, too, since everything was very accessible.

The dual mounts have been installed.

Ready for an engine again...

Tim Carpenter, AA pilot in Loki, helping with the 100hr inspection. He's removing the fairings for the pod from around the landing gear legs...

...and here's Lance's legs. He was inside the pod holding the nuts on the back of the screws for Tim to remove.

Not much room in there. :) Short termers always get the weird jobs...sorry, Lance.

The engine is now back on with its new Hartzell prop. It used to have a 3-blade McCauley.

While the plane is down, we're also putting on the Vortex Generator kit. It's looking good.

Jerry Hurd...with lunch in hand.

Long Overdue Update

I'm sorry about not posting in a while. Things have been crazy and not the ordinary. We have not been doing much on the piston fleet here at AIM AIR, but are starting to get back into it slowly. However, N4790U is not the focus of our attention at this time. We are working on the 206s that are operational first, then we will move back to 90U.

In the mean time, I will post some pictures of what we are doing...and below are some pictures that I took the week before the accident. Hope you enjoy.

Left to right: Me, Lance, and Kevin putting on the registration stickers.

...and the finished product. It finally has it's numbers back.

This is Kevin, one of the AIM AIR short term volunteers, installing the vista vents in the pilot door window.

Mr. Singh, the interior fundi, getting the headliner laid out and ready to install.

Here's the headliner installed, with the cargo tie downs installed as well. You can see the side interior plastics, too.

Steve and David testing some of the avionics. You can see the screen for the GPS is lit up, so it must be working!

Lance Atkins, getting the floor ready for the anti-skid tape.

Jim Levander doing an inspection of the fuel lines and fuel selector, ensuring that all things are tight that need to be.

Here's an interior shot, with the new anti-skid tape on the floor, and the interior almost finished.

Updates...

I'm sorry for not posting during the past few weeks. The Project 206 involving N4790U has been put on hold for a little bit as we regroup and contemplate the losses here at AIM AIR.

If you want to read some things, than you can go to my family blog here, where I have been posting some more thoughtful insights than just aviation related things.

Don't lose heart...I will begin posting some more aviation related posts this week.

Time...

...to say goodbye.

Today, Ryan Williams went to be with his LORD and Savior, along with his good friend, Frank Toews. The infections became too great for his body to fight and he reached into the hands of his LORD and was welcomed into the realms of glory.

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable...The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works...My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD; and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever and ever."
Psalm 145:3, 17, 21

Info on Ryan

Here is some information that we have on Ryan:

The latest report on Ryan which has just come in shows he is in a more serious condition than originally thought. After all the bandages were removed, it was evaluated that he has 70% deep and serious burns. He is on three antibiotics and on kidney dialysis. Internal organs are in a precarious state while his biggest danger is infection. The overall evaluation of his condition is "seriously unstable"

It is encouraging that he has been responsive to communication and that his vitals are stable and strong with the hopes that tomorrow he will go back again to surgery to remove more of the damaged skin. However, it is clear that Ryan is in great need of the Lord's help and intervention and so may I encourage you to mobilise your people again to pray earnestly for him and his family. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective James 5:16

Please pray specifically for:

- The infection to clear quickly
- Protection of the organs against damage
- His kidneys to work again
- Wisdom for those caring and treating him
- Miraculous healing

Adding to that report is the report that his white blood cell count is pretty much at zero, which is not helpful when you're trying to fight an infection.

Pray for Dawn and Celeste (Ryan's mom) as they are already on their way to SA.

We love you Ryan!!!

Update on Ryan

We received a text message from our prayer chain last night at about 1130pm saying that Ryan is considered to be seriously unstable. This comes with a greater assessment of his burns and the fact that he is fighting infection. His vitals were good and he was responding to the AIM nurse that is with him...

However, this morning, we received a text stating that we should pray for Ryan right now! This was at 7am.

PLEASE lift him up if you read this! The LORD is on His throne...

Address...

...for Ryan, cards and letters only, no flowers or stuffed toys.

Netcare Milpark Hospital
c/o Ryan Williams
PO BOX 91155
Auckland Park 2006
Jo'burg, South Africa

I know anything and everything would be appreciated. Pray for Dawn as she gets things in order for Chloe's US citizenship/passport. She also has to pack up her house in the next few days so that she and the kids can head to SA to be with Ryan.

Lots of prayers still required...please don't stop!!

Facebook

AIM AIR is now on Facebook...you can search for it.

Farewell to a friend...

...though not forever. Today I (Nathan) watched Ryan get loaded into a Cessna Citation jet for the trip to South Africa. He will be there for a few months to get stable and then the hope is to take him to the States closer to family. Almost everyone from the hangar was down at customs to wish him farewell, and they even let the ambulance stop outside the gate and they opened the doors so we could all see him before he left. It was a sweet time, but a sad one, as we say goodbye for now to a good friend.

On Monday, we went down and recovered the aircraft from the Kenya Police Air Wing hangar. It was an emotional time for me, as this was the first time that I saw it. I drove about four loads back to our hangar, where we now have the airplane arranged as best we can. So much of it is missing, whether due to fire or thievery we don't know. The entire back of the hangar has the awful smell of fire and death, and I don't think I will ever get that smell from my mind ever again. It is truly, truly amazing that Ryan even survived the accident. God must have some amazing reasons for sparing him. To look at that wreckage every day is going to be a long reminder to me...I will never, ever forget what happened.

Today, I got to lead the Wednesday version of chai time, our usual prayer time here in the hangar. Obviously, there are a lot of things I could talk about, considering the situation and all. I chose to speak about rest. The Bible talks a lot about rest, mostly in the OT referring to the rest that the Israelites would have once they settled in the promise land. There is also a lot of references to death where the term used is "rest" (referring to Christians going to be in heaven). And of course, there are plenty of Scriptures where "rest" is meaning the fact that God holds us in His hands. The latter two where were I focused today. We all know that Frank is now resting with his Lord. We take comfort in that...but we also have sadness and confusion in our minds because we are human. This is where we, as Christians, must rest in the knowledge that God is holding us in His hands...it is a shame that it takes a situation like this for us to really realize that. This whole thought process helped me a lot on Saturday night. I was having a really hard time even wanting to go to sleep...I watched Hidalgo courtesy of Kenyan TV, and then I spent a long time reading my Bible in the bathroom (the only room where I could turn on a light and not wake someone up). I went through Psalms, Isaiah, Hebrews, and lots of other passages that talk about resting and waiting on the Lord. This really has been a help for me during the past few days. We know that God truly is in control, even when we have no idea what the future holds. Our lives are in His hands and we can have the confidence that if we rest in Him, His will is going to be accomplished. We must wait patiently for Him; for He is the Lord.

Please go to the AIM AIR webpage here. They have begun some funds to help with Frank's family and Ryan's recovery. Please think about how you can be a part of helping the Toews family and also with Ryan's long recovery. They have also done a really good job with this web page; it is a reminder of Frank's love for the Lord.

Blessings to all...we love you.

Cessna U206G

This is a stock photograph of a Cessna 206 like the one involved in the accident.

Tragedy in our midst.

Yesterday at approximately 2:30pm Nairobi time, a Cessna 206 owned by AIM AIR crashed into some apartment buildings a short distance from our house in one direction, Kibera in the another direction, and Wilson airport in the other. The pilot Frank Toews was killed on impact. Ryan Williams, one of my closest friends here, was in the copilot seat and was severely injured. He is currently at Nairobi Hospital, undergoing surgeries for his broken hip, broken pelvis, broken patella, numerous very severe burns, and a number of deep lacerations. There were two passengers who escaped with fairly minor injuries and are receiving care also at NH.

The cause of the accident is still unknown. I don't want to make any speculations, but there are a number of news articles that you can find simply by searching the internet for "airplane crash nairobi." Below is one of the videos you can also find on the internet.

Please keep the families of those involved in your prayers. This is a very trying time for the AIM AIR family and much uncertainty lies ahead. Pray for the leadership of AIM and AIM AIR while decisions are made about the future of our organization.

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear..." Psalm 46:1-2a

"Wait for the LORD; be stong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD."
Psalm 27:14