22 Aug Air Serv International begins life-saving project in Congo

Warrenton, VA, August 27, 2002 — Stuart Willcuts, President of Air Serv International announced the start-up of a new emergency relief program in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, Air Serv delivered a 9-passenger Cessna Caravan aircraft to Kisangani to support the humanitarian operations of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders). Kisangani, the capital of a region that has seen violent fighting between factions struggling for the control of the Congo, is the center of health and nutrition programs for MSF in the northeast of the country. Over 200,000 people rely on the emergency medical supplies and MSF technicians that Air Serv transports to remote medical clinics in the region.

The Air Serv aircraft serves as a vital transportation link for MSF, providing safe passage across jungle, swollen rivers, and rough, washboard dirt tracks through bandit territory. Air Serv also provides urgent evacuation of humanitarian relief staff members due to illness, injury or security situations. The aircraft pilot will work directly with MSF staff on the ground to schedule both routine supply trips as well as to react to emergency needs within a 400-mile radius of the Kisangani base. Aviation fuel is no longer available in Kisangani due to the war, and Air Serv must lease a cargo aircraft to bring drums of jet fuel into the city to support flight operations.

The aircraft will receive maintenance support from Hangar One, Air Serv’s Africa Maintenance Organization at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.