Site Survey Coban

About the middle of August, Chuck & Robin (C&R), SGSP Aviation Ministries International directors spent a morning talking with local pilots trying to get a feel for this 50ft wide by 3300ft long airstrip. The strip has a 3deg upslope with a pretty good kick at one end. Most pilots will opt to land uphill and takeoff downhill as seen in the photo however, given the right wind conditions a …

Taking Care of Our Volunteers

Brian and Deb are retired living in Guatemala but are by no means idle with their time. Here at SGSP Aviation Ministries we appreciate the gift of time and talent. Recently on an SGSP follow up mission between Quetzaltenango and Guatemala City, we invited B&D to ride along and get a look at the western highlands from a vantage point few get to see. Judging from the smiles on their …

Too Much of a Good Thing!?!?

In 1968, when I was 8 years old, my family lived in San Antonio, Texas. My elementary school was a short 15-minute walk from our back door. Or if one or several things captured my attention along the way, that walk could take near an hour. But on my Schwinn Stingray, with banana seat and high-rise handlebars, I could cover that distance in an instant. One day a school chum …

Ministering Confidence and Creativity

Robin recognized nearly 15 years ago that work, survival, and family expectations, leave girls and women in rural communities with few options. We began to formulate ministry outreaches that would teach practical sewing skills while touching hearts and minds and opening the door to the Gospel of salvation. Often these classes serve as an outlet (valuable me time) for the marginalized Mayen youth in the western highlands of Guatemala. Once …

Struck Down But…Well Nearly!

Safe on the ground after back-to-back ministry support flights, Robin and I carefully rolled open four of the 30-ft tall hangar doors, each weighing 400lbs. With the hangar open, we broke a sweat wrestling a 3600 lb. aircraft into position by hand. After a moment to catch our breath, we began to clean, check, inventory, refuel, and cover the aircraft. This is all part of the post-flight routine, so that …

A Funny Thing Happened…..

Santiago is just fourteen nautical miles, as the crow fly’s, from Quetzaltenango and Serving God by Serving His People (SGSP) Aviation Ministries mission base. It is one of several municipalities that dot the shore of Lago Atitlan, I’m told each is named after an Apostle from the Bible, (Santiago is James in English). Robin and I took to the sky’s climbing up to 10,500 ft., to clear the ridge between …

He is Risen!

Almost 15 years ago Robin and I arrived in Guatemala brimming with anticipation as we began this missionary journey together. Looking back, it seems as thought we had been preparing for that day most of our adult lives. A life lived, is a series of events. Some events we reflect on daily, and others we revisit year after year. Emotions that get stirred up are sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter, sometimes …

ELT Battery Pack Replaced

The emergency location transmitter (ELT) is usually mounted in the aft section of an aircraft. In an emergency it can be activated manually by flight crew or automatically when subjected G-Forces from an off field landing. In either case, its ability to transmit your location is directly dependent on the condition of the battery. With few exceptions, aircraft worldwide are required to have an ELT.  This device pinpoints your location …

The ladder of Success

It was early. The sun had just broken over the 10,000 ft mountain range on the east side of our valley. The city of Quetzaltenango, in the western highlands of Guatemala, was awake and moving, even in darkness before the dawn. Curious about a noise outside of our home early that morning, I opened the creaky metal door and found this ladder against the wall. A young man was preparing …

It’s a Good Thing…Really!

After a 18 months of service, the tire on the left is worn to the limits of safe operation, and has been replaced with a new one. Aircraft tires are exposed to punishing rough surfaces, and hard braking with every landing on rural strips.  Here at SGSP Aviation in the western highlands of Guatemala, its business as usual with one exception. There is a glaring empty spot on the shelf …