On December 22, 2011, Agape grounded our Embraer 110 N316AF ("Bandit") to comply with a FAA airworthiness directive (AD). This required safety directive involves removing the wings from the main body of the aircraft to inspect for cracks or corrosion.
The inspection plan has the Bandit down for 4 to 5 weeks, but we continue to regularly deliver cargo thanks to the use of another aircraft. This provision is a huge praise and answer to prayer!! Once again, Dave Corey from Bennington, Vermont, is helping Agape by providing another (almost identical) Embraer 110 to continue the supply line to the mission field. Mr. Corey is a dear friend of Agape Flights and we are very thankful to him for his generosity and willingness to help us in this time of need.
Greg Haman, Agape’s Director of Maintenance, is leading a crew of several volunteers. Helping with the AD are Agape’s regular volunteers Rich Woods, Russ Sandman, Fred Willis, Charlie Thompson, and Mike Zimmerman. Additionally, on loan from Missionary Maintenance Services (MMS) is Terry McClary and rounding out the team is a commercial mechanic, Joe Cluck, from Brandon, Florida.
The work began several weeks prior to starting the inspection by building wood cradles to hold and support the wings while the actual inspection 
takes place.
The mechanics are making great progress. The engines have been removed from the wings and one wing has been “pulled” from the fuselage. The lines, cables and 4 large bolts have been removed from the first wing so the actual inspection for any corrosion or problems can begin.
The wing inspection on the Bandit has been completed and we have already resumed normal flights to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. We are so grateful for all of the mechanics who came in to help and spent long hours in the hangar and for all of the volunteers who kept them so well fed!
The mechanics are now performing the same wing inspection on the loaner plane that we used while the Bandit was grounded. This is an Embraer 110 as well and required the same maintenance inspection. We cannot say thank you enough to MMS Aviation for providing us with extra mechanics, Scott Grote and Paul Jones, for this inspection. We appreciate their gracious donation of time and their amazing talents. As they head back to their ministries, we ask that you keep them (and MMS) in your prayers.
Visit MMS at www.mmsaviation.org.