By Scotty Malta
Liberty University, specifically the School of Aeronautics in Lynchburg, VA played host to the 55th annual conference of the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA), March 17-19. More than 200 missionary aviation professionals representing more than 60 organizations gathered to share information and learn from one another, fellowship and give Liberty aviation students opportunities to get valuable information to use in guiding their future aviation careers.
All photos by Scotty Malta.
According to Kerrick Tweedy, CEO of IAMA, “This year is the largest conference we’ve ever had, so bringing that many people together is amazing.” “We know that being good stewards of what we have but also working well together is very important. It’s really good to be with Liberty and other programs that have a heart for missions and the Gospel and to get in front of students and faculty. It’s very powerful to be here.” He further noted that the last time the conference was at Liberty University was in 2018.
The three-day conference included presentations by many people and organizations such as: Jon Egeler from Mission Safety International (MSI); Jeremy Boddington from Mercy Air; Chuck Daily for Jungle Aviation and Relay Services (JAARS) and FlightSpan; along with several presentations by Liberty University School of Aeronautics staff as well as several panel discussions and introductions of first-time attendees/businesses.
Samuel Spear, CEO of Reach Aviation intrigued the conference attendees by giving a sneak peak at an aircraft they are developing specifically for mission aviation among other potential users… more on that in time.
Dr. Steven Brinly, School of Aeronautics Dean, provided an update on the university aeronautics program and said the conference was a huge benefit for the students who attended (during the Spring Break). He was excited and pleased with the opportunities, networking and collaboration on issues facing the missions aviation community. One of the main benefits to Liberty hosting this event, according to Brinly was the opportunity provided to the students, faculty and staff to engage in this realm of aviation they normally don’t have a chance to.
Anyone that has attended aviation business conferences over the years has undoubtedly heard many presentations regarding the “next generation” of workers. Dr. Erlacher was very engaging and intuitive in her presentation “A Clear Patchway: Making Next Steps Intuitive for the Next Generation” … namely Gen Z. Her presentation was one of the best on this topic.
John and Martha King, pioneers in aviation education during the last 50 years discussed the importance of prioritizing aviation safety and in this case, specifically relating to missions aviation work. The Kings were captivating and very informative in their presentation (key parts of which are presented below with their permission).
A final note on the Kings. They have offered scholarships and training resources in their collaboration with the Liberty School of Aeronautics who use the Kings’ curriculum in parts of its program.
The final event of the conference was a dinner hosted at the Liberty School of Aeronautics Maintenance Technician Program hangar adjacent to the Lynchburg Regional Airport. Edward Graham, Chief Operating Officer, Samaritan’s Purse gave the keynote address during the dinner. He talked of some of the missions the Samaritan’s Purse aircraft and operations have done around the world responding to disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes.
He briefly mentioned the last US-registered and flying DC-8 aircraft, a real workhorse, that they retired from flying due to its age. The last mission of the aircraft culminated recently in a landing at the Lynchburg Regional Airport and being gifted to Liberty University. Plans are underway to create a missions aviation museum centered on and in the DC-8 (more on that in a future article).
Graham’s address related some of his experiences and lessons learned while serving as a US Army Ranger. He talked of times flying with his father, Samaritan’s Purse President and CEO Franklin Graham who asked Edward to join him. Leaving the military after 16 years was difficult since he had become comfortable there in his role.
He talked of the story of the Apostle Peter stepping out of the boat (his comfort zone) in the middle of a storm to meet Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33). Graham challenged those assembled, “If you want to be part of a miracle, you got to get out of the boat. So, what is your boat?” He encouraged people not to be afraid of discomfort but to look ahead for “what’s next” in their area, ministry or department.
Graham concluded with, “One of the great assets and capabilities that the Lord has given ministry, is aviation. It can cover and span the world quickly. It can bring hope to a dying world. It can bring relief to places that no one else wants to go. You represent organizations that have been flying to places no one’s even heard of, and I’m thankful for it.”
The 2027 56th Annual IAMA Conference will be hosted by Samaritan’s Purse in Greensboro, NC… Dates TBD.
For more information on IAMA, click on iama.team.
