The past few months has seen great improvements for our aviation program in Bolivia; we have been able to add 2 twin-engine airplanes to our current fleet of 2 single-engine planes. These planes were contributions from the Lored Foundation and Wagner Foundation, and greatly improve our capacity to provide services in Bolivia.
Benefits of a Twin-Engine Plane
First, a twin-engine plane is safer. Because of the improved safety, we are now able to provide flights to organizations and businesses whose insurance plans only permit them to fly in twin-engine planes, which will provide a new source of revenue. Second, a twin-engine plane can fly further and faster, increasing our range to include other countries that border Bolivia and also decrease travel time on all flights. Third, the new plane is much larger, with 10 seats. Not only does this provide more passenger space, it also allows us to have more comfortable transport for passengers on emergency flights; we can now transport patients on a gurney rather than force them into a regular seat.
Plane Arrives in Bolivia
Yesterday, our plane donated by the Wagner Foundation arrived in Bolivia. Getting a small plane from the US to Bolivia is a long trip; it took almost a week. Two of our pilots, Vieri and Jose, flew from Bolivia to Milwaukee to pick up the plane in late November. (Vieri even postponed his wedding to be able to make the trip!) After many stops and a few weather delays, the plane arrived at our hangar in Cochabamba yesterday. You can see the flight path we took here.
Plane arriving in hangar
Special thanks to the Wagner Foundation for donating this plane to us, and to our pilots Vieri and Jose for flying the plane! We’ll be repeating the process later this month when our pilots come back to the US to fly our second twin-engine plane to Bolivia. These are exciting times for our aviation program!
Our second twin-engine plane, purchased with a grant from the Lored Foundation