A negative form of encouragement it may be, but discussing the issues and problems you face as an organisation and finding out that you are not alone, is encouraging.
SIL, New Tribes, another small mission that uses one aircraft and ourselves were all represented at a Mission Aviation Conference this week at Ukarumpa. All the organisations have issues with finding suitably qualified and experienced staff, whether as pilots, engineers or managers. All those in management find it difficult or impossible to find time to do much more than keep the show on the road, fighting the fires for each day but rarely having the opportunity to deal with the strategic, long-term projects that can make a difference.
Apart from the presentations and formal discussions, a lot of the value from getting together like this comes from the chats over the meal tables and into the evenings. If nothing else, we all hugely appreciate the cooperation and teamwork between the organisations, and the high level of trust that exists. That's good and is a positive encouragement.
************
Larry & Ruth Nicholson have been in PNG for just on 31 years. Larry is an exceptionally good and experienced engineer, particularly when it comes to Twin Otters. Ruth, like Nicki, is exceptionally good at lots of different things, not least hospitality (one of her lasagnes figures in my Top 3 Lasagnes listing!).
Larry's parents were founding members of Ukarumpa; he actually came to PNG with his parents in 1957.
For quite a while they were hostel parents in Ukarumpa, and more recently they've continued to live there in their own house, while Larry commuted as necessary to Hagen. He's been looking after the maintenance management of Caravan and Otter engineers throughout the MAF International world, as well as helping out with maintenance in Hagen.
Now they've been asked to relocate to Uganda, for Larry to carry on as the turbine engine specialist, but also to support the engineering team there. Ruth, I'm sure, will help with making sure visitors are looked after and catered for.
Over the years Larry and I have been on the Leadership Team together, bounced ideas around, crossed swords (nothing serious!), put the world to right or complained about what's wrong with it. I guess when somebody has been around as long as they have, then you tend to take their presence for granted, which makes the leaving even harder.
The farewell for them was on Thursday afternoon, and it was particularly telling how many of our national engineers and staff wanted to pay tribute to them. As well as being so hospitable, Larry has had a huge input into the personal and technical development of many, many engineers over the years.
I very much hope that our paths cross again, but in the meantime they will be a major loss for MAF PNG.
************
Last week I was congratulating myself on how well everything was going in preparation for assembling my second crate.
Yesterday afternoon I was kicking myself for rushing and not measuring properly before drilling screw holes.
During the coming week I will be undoing quite a lot of screws, cutting off the edges where the holes have been incorrectly positioned and cutting some fresh battens, and then, with a bit more care, I hope to reassemble the second crate. Having the second one assembled before we leave is still the target, but this hasn't helped!
************
An important task this coming week will be to fill in work permit application forms. Our work permits and visas expire four days after we return, so it is sensible to get the paperwork submitted before we leave in order that we can get the approvals before we return.
My workload is going to be hectic when I get back, and a delay because our visas have expired would not be appreciated by my colleagues.
************
The garden had a massive prune over the last couple of days. The hedge was cut on Friday evening, then the cherry guavas and bougainvilleas pruned hard yesterday. Seven wheelbarrows of cuttings were taken over to the heap by the front gate, where in due course MAF workmen will collect it and take it to the tip.
The garden hasn't looked so under control for a while, ready for us to leave when it can go rampant again for three months.
I hope you have a positively encouraging week.
SIL, New Tribes, another small mission that uses one aircraft and ourselves were all represented at a Mission Aviation Conference this week at Ukarumpa. All the organisations have issues with finding suitably qualified and experienced staff, whether as pilots, engineers or managers. All those in management find it difficult or impossible to find time to do much more than keep the show on the road, fighting the fires for each day but rarely having the opportunity to deal with the strategic, long-term projects that can make a difference.
Apart from the presentations and formal discussions, a lot of the value from getting together like this comes from the chats over the meal tables and into the evenings. If nothing else, we all hugely appreciate the cooperation and teamwork between the organisations, and the high level of trust that exists. That's good and is a positive encouragement.
************
Larry & Ruth Nicholson have been in PNG for just on 31 years. Larry is an exceptionally good and experienced engineer, particularly when it comes to Twin Otters. Ruth, like Nicki, is exceptionally good at lots of different things, not least hospitality (one of her lasagnes figures in my Top 3 Lasagnes listing!).
Larry's parents were founding members of Ukarumpa; he actually came to PNG with his parents in 1957.
For quite a while they were hostel parents in Ukarumpa, and more recently they've continued to live there in their own house, while Larry commuted as necessary to Hagen. He's been looking after the maintenance management of Caravan and Otter engineers throughout the MAF International world, as well as helping out with maintenance in Hagen.
Now they've been asked to relocate to Uganda, for Larry to carry on as the turbine engine specialist, but also to support the engineering team there. Ruth, I'm sure, will help with making sure visitors are looked after and catered for.
Over the years Larry and I have been on the Leadership Team together, bounced ideas around, crossed swords (nothing serious!), put the world to right or complained about what's wrong with it. I guess when somebody has been around as long as they have, then you tend to take their presence for granted, which makes the leaving even harder.
The farewell for them was on Thursday afternoon, and it was particularly telling how many of our national engineers and staff wanted to pay tribute to them. As well as being so hospitable, Larry has had a huge input into the personal and technical development of many, many engineers over the years.
I very much hope that our paths cross again, but in the meantime they will be a major loss for MAF PNG.
************
Last week I was congratulating myself on how well everything was going in preparation for assembling my second crate.
Yesterday afternoon I was kicking myself for rushing and not measuring properly before drilling screw holes.
During the coming week I will be undoing quite a lot of screws, cutting off the edges where the holes have been incorrectly positioned and cutting some fresh battens, and then, with a bit more care, I hope to reassemble the second crate. Having the second one assembled before we leave is still the target, but this hasn't helped!
************
An important task this coming week will be to fill in work permit application forms. Our work permits and visas expire four days after we return, so it is sensible to get the paperwork submitted before we leave in order that we can get the approvals before we return.
My workload is going to be hectic when I get back, and a delay because our visas have expired would not be appreciated by my colleagues.
************
The garden had a massive prune over the last couple of days. The hedge was cut on Friday evening, then the cherry guavas and bougainvilleas pruned hard yesterday. Seven wheelbarrows of cuttings were taken over to the heap by the front gate, where in due course MAF workmen will collect it and take it to the tip.
The garden hasn't looked so under control for a while, ready for us to leave when it can go rampant again for three months.
I hope you have a positively encouraging week.
