Samaritan Aviation: 390 lives saved, delivering 100 000 medical supplies, more than 300 hours of flight in 117 emergency flights

Samaritan Aviation operates the only floatplane in Papua New Guinea, serving those living in East Sepik Province through emergency evacuation flights, medicine delivery, disaster relief and community health program.

Mark Palm, Samaritan Aviation Director and pilot visited the area when he was 19 and saw the medical and spiritual of the people. He realized that a floatplane would provide access to those areas.

He returned to United States and to school, eventually earned a commercial pilot certificate with instrument and floatplane rating as well as aircraft mechanic certificate.

In 2000, Samaritan Aviation started as a non-profit Aviation Hospital Ministry and began raising awareness for its mission. Ten years later, he achieved his dream and in 2010 Mark Palm, his wife and three children came to Wewak to begin their flight operations with only one floatplane.

To date, Samaritan Aviation has delivered more than 100, 000 medical supplies and saved 390 lives, 60% of which are babies and mothers by flying more than 300 hours in 117 emergency flights.

A second floatplane has arrived in Wewak from United States and they are assembling it for its maiden flight in a later date. “This will ensure that a plane is always available if the other plane encounter mechanic problem,” said Mark Palm.

Currently 50% of their funding comes from PNG Government the other 50% from private individuals and foundations in USA.

Their team is s

New Pilot Family

Emergency flights along Sepik River Villages

lowly growing in size. In 2014, a new pilot family joined Samaritan Aviation, John and Carrie Smith and their family. John is a pilot as well as an aircraft mechanic. Both will be involved in Samaritan Aviation Hospital Ministry and Community Health Evangelism (CHE) Program. Another family, Forrest and Marlene Williamsons with their two children will depart US for Wewak next September to join the team. Forrest is a pilot as well while his wife is a nurse.

Emergency flight delivering a patient at Boram Airport, Wewak