Not What Anyone Expected
Awaiting FAA Export Certificate of Airworthiness
We never even mentioned to you that our flight program in Asia-Pacific needed a helicopter.* So, we never expected in 2021 that someone would call and say they had finances enough to buy a helicopter for just that purpose. But they did. You praised God with us for that blessing in June of 2021.
After Director of Operations Tim Hughes signed for the purchase of the R66 on July 9, 2021, it took until December 20, 2022, to be built and delivered to Ethnos360 Aviation in McNeal. You again praised God with us for that “Christmas present.”
But then, what no one expected was the wait. And wait. And wait ... until finally on August 16, 2024, your prayers were answered! Permission was finally granted for the R66 to be imported.
Now we are in the middle of packing and labeling all the extra parts and tools that we need to send with the helicopter.
The FAA should soon arrive here at our aviation center to issue the Export Certificate of Airworthiness – required for the R66 to leave the USA. Once that certificate is in hand, our hangar crew will disassemble the R66, meticulously pack it into crates, load it into a shipping container and send it off to the seaport.
Keep praying for a favorable decision on how much customs we have to pay for the helicopter to be imported. It could range anywhere from as high as 100% of the value of the helicopter to as low as a complete exemption.
Keep praying that all would continue smoothly in getting the R66 to Asia Pacific. Depend on God with us! Thank you!
*The mission that already operates a helicopter in the country wanted to cease service in 2022, but they have graciously continued flying for us until we can get this R66 into the country.