The Many Faces Of PNG

Everybody loves a good 4th of July parade, right? Well, here in PNG the big event is the Goroka Show, held every year to celebrate their Independence Day. (While September 16 is actually Independence Day, the show is always held on a weekend so occurred this past Sunday.) Multiple tribes from all over the island gather here in Goroka to show off their traditional dance, music, and culture.

This festival was first started in the mid 1950’s by Australian patrol officers in an effort to curb tribal warfare. The idea was that the various tribes would come together and get acquainted in a non-threatening, friendly atmosphere. It has since evolved into a national cultural event.
So sit back and enjoy a “parade” to beat all parades. Guaranteed!

The parade started with this long black “snake” that was slithering and swaying back and forth. It was actually very effective. The head was made up of men...

... and by the time you reached the tail, they were just small boys. I think this was Bill’s favorite!

From that point on, it was just one dance group after another.

The music consisted mainly of singing (If you can call it that - a wailing chant is more like it.) and various crude instruments ranging from wooden drums to bamboo pipes that were thumped on the ground.

I wouldn’t want to run into these men in the dark!

The backside can be just as entertaining as the front.

Even the children get involved.

We found it amusing to see the “modern” mixed in with the “traditional.” Here you see a man proudly sporting sunglasses.

And here you have a woman who apparently did not have a wooden drum so she improvised - using a plastic bottle to beat on instead.

This dancer just can’t resist pulling out the video camera and catching some of the action.

After the parade, the masses of dancers all congregate in a large field and simultaneously continue their traditional dances.

There are hundreds of dancers and the noise can be overwhelming at times! There is a large monetary reward for the best dance group so the competition can be fierce.

Next year why don’t you really come and join us for the Goroka show. It is an experience you will never forget!

Inspection time

Since most of my aviation friends have had to suffer through many long blogs of a variety of topics, I thought this time we could share a bit more of aircraft specific information.The PAC 750XL with a PT6-34 engine of 750 SHP is proving to be a simple and reliable workhorse in the utility role. The factory maintenance program is set up on 150 hour intervals. It generally makes it through between inspections without any major squawks. In this environment (operating from wet and muddy airstrips) we keep it washed on a daily basis, and compressor rinse weekly or on return from a coastal operation. The aircraft is approaching 2,000 hours since new.

A few latches and four camlock fasteners at the firewall and the top cowling comes off. A half dozen screws on each side at the firewall and a couple of hook latches on turnbuckles and the entire lower cowling comes off easily in a single piece. This gives great access for working on the engine.

As you can see, it’s a pretty clean and straightforward installation. That’s the battery box at top center of firewall, generator control box, electrical relay box, then main fuel inlet and filter along with EPA can at the bottom LH side.

And on the right hand side you have the brake master reservoir, oil cooler, and bleed air conduit for cabin heat.

This time it was due a fuel nozzle inspection.

Pacific Helicopters next door have a nice overhaul facility where they can do our nozzle flow checks, inspection, and testing for us.

Here Linden Millist is helping with the borescope inspection on the hot section.

Not much under the cabin floor other than a couple of fuel line interconnections and the flap motor. The flap system uses a torque tube interconnecting both sides driven with a single motor.Notice the nice flat floor with brown line track and large rubber bumper along the door sill. If you look close you can also see the brown line track running down each cabin side. This makes it easy to load and use tie down straps almost anywhere to secure cargo. The passenger seats also fold to stow either in the aft cargo area beyond the door or in the belly pod.

Here I’m inspecting and lubricating the electric elevator trim system. I’ll let you guess what the boxes are mounted on fuselage side?

I’m a lucky guy to have a wife who is not only willing to live halfway around the world with me, but also lends a hand to help out wherever needed. Here Bonnie is doing some paint touchup work.

And a final cleaning of the cockpit and windshields at the end of the inspection.
So what does the beast fly like? Stay tuned for a future episode.

Empty Nest

On August 4 our girls boarded the Air Niugini flight for their trip back to the USA and Union college.


Dad was stoic while Mom shed bitter tears! For me, one of the greatest sacrifices of being a missionary is the separation from those you love. It never gets easier. But I thank God for providing the means and ability to bring them home this summer. While the time passed way to quickly, it was a summer packed full of wonderful memories.

(Our last night together)

(Betsy saying "goodbye" to a best friend.)

All was not fun and games. Their cheerful willingness to help wherever needed (from chemically cleaning steel beams to designing a Web site) made them a blessing to the AAS team as well.

(Cleaning the cockpit of the PAC750)

Thank you girls. You are sorely missed!