Thank you all for the many prayers for us during Jacklyn’s pregnancy. We are almost there and are looking forward to holding our sweet baby GIRL in just a few weeks!!! Sharing the news that it’s a girl with the boys was super fun – all three of them are beyond excited to meet her.

What’s new in the training?
Back in March, Frank took a two-week maintenance course in Los Angeles, CA. This was at the actual Robinson helicopter factory where all their helicopters are produced. Yes, it was BIG! Now that he has successfully passed the course, he is authorized to sign off the required inspections for this helicopter!

The focus of Frank’s flight training over the past few months has been on learning to instruct in the helicopter. This Thursday, May 3rd, is the big test he has been building up to! He will be tested all day both orally and practically (in the helicopter) to add on helicopter to his Certified Flight Instructor rating.

These helicopter maneuvers have been some of the most challenging flight maneuvers Frank has done in all his aviation experience up to this point. Please pray for clarity of mind and a solid focus through the final hours of studying as well as during the test. Pray for agreeable weather for the flight and, most importantly, that his focus through it all will be fixed on the glory of Christ, whatever the outcome.

One requirement to be a helicopter flight instructor is to be able to do “full down autorotations”. We’ve included a video of this below. This is basically a simulated engine failure taken all the way to the ground. At 500ft above the ground, the engine throttle is rolled off and it is no longer spinning the rotor. The pilot uses the upward airflow through the rotor as the helicopter falls to keep it spinning. The helicopter then must be landed safely, in a specific zone, and without the option of adding engine power to ensure a good outcome. You can hear the rotor slowing down at the end as the last bit of its energy is used to set the helicopter gently down on the ground.

What’s Next?
In a few weeks, we plan to head up to Phoenix where we will deliver our baby much closer to medical care than we have here in McNeal. When we return, Frank will wrap up some advanced training as well as begin instructing a new student until September. After that point, things have become a little more uncertain and God has been teaching us to wait on Him and trust Him with His great plan that we are yet to discover. Please be praying for wisdom as we work through changes and transitions and seek out what God is doing through them.

Thank you for praying for our family through Jacklyn's pregnancy. Though it's not over yet, the morning sickness has dramatically improved and we are so grateful to be functioning within a semi-normal routine once again. Jacklyn has a renewed appreciation for the ability to cook meals, wash dishes and laundry, and accomplish other basic household tasks while taking care of the kids on her own - praise the Lord for the little jobs that He has given to each of us to accomplish for His glory!
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As you can imagine, our last few months have looked a little different than we anticipated. But God is good and He is teaching us to trust Him more and more through each step. While we won't be leaving the country in July as we had planned, Lord willing, we WILL still move overseas this year! At this point, we are pushing forward in the training for Frank to become certified to instruct in the helicopter. Simultaneously, Frank is also starting the advanced portion of the training where he will fly in the mountains, practice limited power approaches and learn to carry a "sling load" under the helicopter.

In the video below, you can see a landing zone Frank recently flew to. It's about 6ft x 8ft and on the side of a mountain. At the very beginning, you can look down the mountain into the valley below. Next you can see the ledge he landed on and then up to the top of the mountain.

One recent highlight for us was a month long trip to Florida visiting with family and reconnecting with friends. There were many chances to share about the ministry God has led us to and our vision to see thriving churches planted in the most remote corners of the world. While we were there, Frank was given an exciting opportunity to preach at the church he grew up in. Thank you South Orlando Baptist Church for blessing us with this time to share our passion on a Sunday morning!

If you are interested in hearing what he shared, we've included it here!

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On February 24th NTM Aviation (now officially Ethnos360 Aviation) will be hosting a large event to allow people in the area to get a taste of what we are all about. There will be helicopter rides (Frank will be one of the pilots), kids activities, lots of displays with missionaries who can talk about what we are doing in various countries and tell stories of when they were there. Plus there will be a simulated tribal village that puts people in the missionary's shoes.
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Please pray that our guests will pick up the vision and that God will work in their hearts through the event to help them to think on a more eternal level. Also, please consider this an open invitation for those of you close enough to drive down and attend!