Wings of Love, the newest plane to join Mission Aviation Fellowship’s life-saving fleet, has touched down in Africa.
The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan, had departed from Winnipeg, southern Canada, to begin its 6,000-mile, transatlantic journey to Angola.
The ferry flight reached the Lubango base of aviation charity MAF on 18 February, with Wings of Love replacing the much-loved Wings of Hope – MAF’s longest serving Cessna Caravan.
The now 37-year-old plane once flew personnel from The HALO Trust to Dirico, Angola, so the Duke of Sussex could detonate an active landmine in honour of his mother, Princess Diana, and continue her legacy.
Thanks to Wings of Hope, which performed countless life-saving medevacs during Angola’s bloody civil war in which 1.5 million lives were lost, HALO has been able to clear mines there for nearly two decades.
Now, however, after nearly four decades and some 17,000 flights, the veteran plane is being retired.
MAF Pilot Brad Fretz, who served in Angola during the 1990s, says: ‘I remember folding the seats of Wings of Hope down to carry in medicine and supplies, then folding them back up to carry women and kids who’d stepped on the landmines.’
The new, replacement Cessna Grand Caravan can seat 14 passengers, is bigger than its predecessor Wings of Hope, and can carry an extra 400kg of cargo. Wings of Love is also faster, which means the new aircraft can reach even more isolated people in need of urgent medical assistance.
MAF Canada CEO Brad Bell, who spearheaded the campaign to replace MAF’s oldest aircraft, recalls how Wings of Hope ‘flew bomb technicians who’ve removed thousands of landmines – preventing severe injuries, and saving many lives. It also transported medics to remote areas to perform life-saving operations and brought medical supplies and food in times of famine.
‘Because the distances are huge and rebuilding the infrastructure is slow, I’m so grateful that Wings of Love, with its advanced avionics and navigation, will keep MAF flying in Angola for years to come.
‘It’s our hope and prayer,’ Brad concludes, ‘that the new plane will have a similar legacy to Wings of Hope – bringing help, hope and healing for decades to come for Angola’s people.’
