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Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) continues to expand its impact with the addition of a brand-new Cessna 208 Caravan P2-AFD, soon to be deployed to Papua New Guinea (PNG). Before it begins serving remote communities, this aircraft is making a special stop—offering supporters a rare opportunity to see it up close. Find out how here.
This addition to MAF’s fleet represents more than just a new plane; it’s a commitment to reaching isolated people with essential medical care, supplies and aid. As we reflect on MAF’s history, from its earliest aircraft to its current fleet of 117 planes, this latest arrival is a reminder of how aviation continues to be a tool for peace, development and transformation in some of the world’s most challenging locations.
MAF’s brand new Cessna 208 Caravan
The First Fleet: Pioneering Aircraft
MAF’s early visionaries—Stuart King, Jack Hemmings, Betty Greene and Harry Hartwig—sourced three aircraft from different continents in the 1940s. The Waco biplane performed well in the Andes but was lost due to limited repair capabilities. The Miles Gemini, sleek and modern, proved too fragile for Africa’s rugged terrain. The Auster Autocar, though reliable, lacked the power needed for PNG’s high-altitude flying.
Waco biplane
Miles Gemini
Auster Autocar
Growth and Adaptation
By the 1950s and ‘60s, MAF expanded globally, refining its aircraft choices. The de Havilland DH.89 Rapide, with its eight-passenger capacity, served Africa but suffered in extreme climates. Meanwhile, new Cessna models—like the U206 Stationair and 185 Skywagon—proved invaluable, combining durability with increased payload capacity.
In Indonesia, MAF introduced amphibious Cessnas, allowing access to isolated communities surrounded by waterways. Each aircraft was chosen to meet the unique challenges of the regions MAF served.
de Havilland DH.89 Rapide
Modern day amphibious aircraft in PNG
The Modern Workhorse: Cessna 208 Caravan
MAF’s fleet now operates 117 aircraft; its backbone being the Cessna 208 Caravan family of aircraft, with more than 40 currently in service around the world. The majority of MAF’s C208s are the ‘stretched’ Grand Caravan variant (208B), which can carry 13 passengers or up to a tonne of cargo. With large loading doors at the rear of the cabin, bulky items such as building materials, small vehicles or even stretchers can be loaded and flown over large distances. In PNG, the Caravans deliver tons of raw coffee beans from highland villages to the coast for processing, affording the village their only source of much-needed hard currency.
MAF’s Caravans are modified to make them more suitable for continual use on unprepared airstrips and withstand some of the most challenging flying conditions in the world. Strengthened axles with larger wheels and tyres are fitted; mudguards and tyre scrapers are added; the nose-wheel leg is lengthened to improve propeller clearance on uneven ground and the cargo door frame is reinforced with stainless steel strips. It is known as MAF’s workhorse of the skies.
MAF is staffed by a dedicated army of 1,400 professionals – 75% of them from local communities. Reaching over 1,000 remote and challenging locations – mainly served by grass or dirt strips sculpted on the side of mountains or deep in jungle clearings, MAF flies to more destinations than any other commercial airline. In 2023, MAF transported 4.3 million kg of cargo and more than 135,000 passengers; with an aircraft taking off or landing every six minutes somewhere in a hidden corner of the planet.
Continuing the Mission
With an aircraft taking off or landing every 5.6 minutes somewhere in the world, MAF remains committed to using aviation to bring help, hope, and healing to isolated communities with so many needs. The arrival of this latest Cessna 208 Caravan marks another step in the ongoing mission to reach the world’s most isolated communities.
