Keeping hope in the air

Mark Palm once received a noise complaint while flying out of Santa Monica Municipal Airport in California. He recalled being told that another violation could put him at risk of a $5,000 fine.

For someone suffering a snakebite, a mother experiencing a difficult delivery, or a child critically ill with malaria, the aircraft overhead can mean the difference between life and death. "That loud sound is really the sound of hope for those people," Palm said.

Palm is the founder and CEO of Samaritan Aviation, a Christian nonprofit organization that uses three amphibious Cessna 206 aircraft to provide free medical evacuation flights to most isolated communities in Papua New Guinea. The organization serves an estimated 700,000 people across the East Sepik and Gulf provinces, where some communities are days away from medical care by canoe.

Palm first visited Papua New Guinea in 1994, when he was 19. Growing up in a family of aviators, including a grandfather who flew during World War II, he had been drawn to flying. His father was a minister who worked with homeless people in Santa Cruz, California, helping shape Palm's desire to help others.

Since then, Samaritan Aviation has completed nearly 3,000 medical evacuations, according to Palm, and supports approximately 40 remote medical aid posts with supplies, including antibiotics and antimalarial treatments. The organization also delivers disaster-relief supplies, including food and water when emergencies cut off communities.

Based in Wewak in East Sepik Province, Samaritan Aviation is expanding operations around Kapuna Hospital in Gulf Province, on the southern side of the island. However, reaching those communities requires more than an airplane.

The Sepik River can rise or fall 20 feet within a week or two, continually changing the conditions where the aircraft can land safely on the water. There are no docks in the remote villages, and landing areas may look entirely different from one visit to the next.

Pilots must contend with shifting sandbars, floating debris, fishing nets, crocodiles, strong currents, and tropical weather that can develop quickly. Sometimes a pilot can step directly from the float onto the riverbank. Other times, the airplane must be maneuvered between trees, with its wings barely clearing the bank. Dozens, sometimes hundreds, of villagers may rush toward the aircraft. Someone is often critically ill, adding urgency to an already demanding operation. "There's a lot going on after you land," Palm said.

Pilots must communicate with the villagers, protect the aircraft from accidental damage, load patients, and enlist help to maneuver the airplane safely back into the water.

New pilots spend their first several months learning local culture and Tok Pisin, a widely spoken language in Papua New Guinea. They must develop some proficiency in the language and typically fly under supervision for months before operating independently.

The organization looks for pilots with commercial and instrument ratings, a seaplane rating, and around 500 hours of flight experience. Pilots must also demonstrate sound judgment under extreme pressure, whether that means reacting to weather, a difficult river landing, or a patient whose condition is deteriorating in flight.

Samaritan Aviation also tries to transport local medical professionals including midwives for complicated deliveries and trauma nurses for serious injuries.

During Palm's recent six-week trip, he transported an estimated 25 to 30 patients. Two babies were born aboard the aircraft. The organization now marks those deliveries with small stickers of storks on the doors.

September was Samaritan Aviation's busiest flying month since operations began in 2010. It transported 44 patients. At the same time, aviation fuel costs have increased 38 percent while diesel costs rose 46 percent.

Unlike commercial airlines, Samaritan Aviation cannot pass those increases along to passengers. Every flight is free, and the need for medical care continues regardless of rising costs. For now, Palm said, the organization is absorbing the additional costs and relying on donors to keep its aircraft flying.

Aviation fuel arrives from Australia in drums, sometimes taking months to reach the organization's base in Wewak. That requires Samaritan Aviation to maintain reserves rather than purchase supplies only when prices are favorable. The organization was forced to replenish its supply shortly after the latest price increase. "You don't have time to play the markets," Palm said. "You just get the fuel when it's available." Diesel is another significant expense. With unreliable local electricity, Samaritan Aviation relies heavily on generators to power its offices, hangar, and other facilities.

Through its Fuel for Life campaign, Samaritan Aviation raises money to cover aircraft operating costs, including aviation gasoline, maintenance, and insurance. According to the organization, a drum of aviation fuel costs an average of $650 and supports approximately five medical flights.

The organization is also seeking mechanics. Maintaining amphibious aircraft in Papua New Guinea's tropical environment presents its own challenges, particularly corrosion. Visiting mechanics help with inspections, repairs, and modifications.

For pilots interested in joining the organization, the commitment is typically two years. Palm said the work requires more than an appetite for adventure. Pilots must be prepared to immerse themselves in another culture and participate in the Christian service mission.

When Palm first began flying in the region, many people had never seen a floatplane up close. Some were frightened; others ran toward it out of curiosity. Now, after years of medical flights, many recognize the aircraft before it lands.

Samaritan Aviation's work doesn't stop when a patient reaches the hospital. Its staff and volunteers visit patients during their recovery, bringing food, clothing, and other support. "For me, it's just being so grateful to see a life that was saved because we were there," Palm said.

Learn more about Samaritan Aviation, its Fuel for Life program, and volunteer opportunities at https://samaritanaviation.org/