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Plane stopping in Australia first of its kind to enter Papua New Guinea
Melody Tan
A brand new lightweight plane will be making a scheduled stop in Cessnock on 24 May during its maiden voyage from Auckland to Papua New Guinea (PNG) where it will be used to transport medical staff and much needed supplies to remote communities.
At a time when many flight operators are pulling out of PNG because of rising costs, the PAC 750XL will be the first of its kind to enter the country and will be used by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to treat the sick in hard to reach places in the highlands of the country.
The special dedication ceremony at Auckland on 20 May before the plane takes off on its maiden voyage
"The last plane we bought was in 1977 so this new plane will definitely increase our capacity to serve the people in the country,” says Roger Millist, chief pilot and chief executive officer of Adventist Aviation in Papua New Guinea.
Left to right: Jerry Matthews, president of the Seventh-day Adventist in the New Zealand and Pacific region, Roger Millist and Linden Millist, chief engineer.
Established by the Adventist Church more than 40 years ago, Adventist Aviation flies supplies and medical staff and sets up temporary clinics to treat the sick in Papua New Guinea. Those with more serious conditions are also evacuated to hospitals.
A special ceremony will be held on 25 May for the PAC 750XL at the Avondale College’s Hunter Valley campus at Cessnock Airport.
Pastor Len Barnard, who help established Adventist Aviation in PNG and the first Seventh-day Adventist medical missionary pilot in the country, will join the plane for the rest of its voyage to PNG.
The PAC 750XL is expected to make further scheduled stops at Murwullimbah (May 28) and at the Queensland towns of Townsville (May 29) and Cairns (May 29) before arriving in Goroka, PNG on 1 June.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has more than 3000 churches in PNG and almost 225,000 members.
For further information, to receive photos or arrange an interview, contact:
David Gibbons
Phone: (02) 9847 2221
Mobile: 0418 410 557
Email: dgibbons@adventistmedia.org.au
THE PAC 750XL
The PAC 750XL is the first turbine engine powered plane used by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is also the first model to arrive in Papua New Guinea and is built by Hamilton-based Pacific Aerospace Corporation.
It is a modern utility aircraft designed for a wide range of duties including freight, passenger operations, photography, sky diving, agricultural work, in fact any duty utilising its short take off and landing capabilities.
This aircraft has been built specifically to the needs of Adventist Aviation using a combination of options. Features include:
- A cargo pod
- Full co-pilot’s instrument panel
- Heavy duty landing gear fittings
- Pilot + 9 passengers
- Satellite phone
- Maximum take off weight 7,500 lbs
- Endurance 5 hours with 45 minutes reserve
- 150 hour maintenance cycles
- Fitted with an upgraded higher output turbine engine
- To 20,000 ft from brake release in 22 minutes
