Hello Friends and greetings from Michigan. I am writing to update you on how things are going with maintenance training and work at the flight school. Over the last several weeks my class has been studying electricity. We have begun a group project of putting together a mock up board of an aircraft electrical system and troubleshooting it. It will take most of this next week to complete this project.
Additionally, we have been studying weight and balance of aircraft. This study has included the process of actually placing aircraft on scales to weigh. A pilot of an experimental aircraft was kind enough to fly his aircraft to Ionia to allow the other students and me to weight it. This pilot is a fellow Flight Instructor and as a courtesy he took me for a flight in his airplane. The aircraft is an experimental home built Glassair. It has a high thrust to weight ratio and jumped off the ground during takeoff. This aircraft if mostly made of fiber glass, and has many digital gauges. I will include photos of this type of aircraft below.
In class we have also been reviewing how to read and make technical drawings. We have also constructed our own tools to help secure fluid lines in aircraft.Work at the flight school has been productive.
November in Michigan is not the best time for flying. However, we have had the longest stretch of 70 degree weather on record here in the Grand Rapids area. Election Day saw a record high temperature along with record high turnout. However, after a full week of excellent weather, reality has set in as temperatures fell well below normal for this time of year. The drive to church this morning was completed in the snow thanks to a deep low pressure system and cold front that had moved through the area.
This past week I began teaching a Private Pilot Ground School course through the school. Though small in number, my students are attentive and serious about the material which makes my job easier. I look forward to Thanksgiving and a return home soon!

Hello friends. In the period since I last updated this blog several positive developments have taken place. The School of Missionary Aviation Technology in Ionia, Michigan has been working with a generous new partner and is looking to greatly expand its facilities. Everything has not yet been finalized, but it looks like a large new academic building for Airframe and Power plant students will built in the new future. This will allow the flight and internship programs to expand into the present academic building. This should allow class size to more than double at my school.

Other good news. One of my student pilots Matt had a huge achievement recently when he completed his first solo flight. It was a fantastic fall evening and Matt did a great job landing on the long, wide grass here in Ionia. I will include some photos of the event and hopefully a video. Additionally, two new friends and classmates of mine were able to take a fall color tour flight over to a grass strip owned by one of our instructors. It was great fun and a good opportunity to get out of town to see some country side.

As November nears here in central Michigan the seasons are changing in a big way. We have had a few mornings with a little frost but the past two nights have seen hard freezes with temperatures dropping to the mid 20's for many hours. This weekend I will get to return home to see some family which will be great, but I can expect snow showers on my return to Michigan.

JMG

Perfect weather for solo flight. Matt before takeoff. On a fall "color tour" with some friends from school.Matt taking off runway 18.

Hello Friends. Many topics of various interest are on this update from Michigan. Maintenance training is progressing on schedule with the School of Missionary Aviation Technology. We have been working on corrosion prevention and riveting this week. Electricity has been a difficult topic to conquer with its dense nomenclature and sometimes illogical behavior. Flight training has been a blessing as I can help train missionary pilots from all over the country. I am looking to begin teaching a ground school though SMAT soon. It is also tool purchasing time. This is a very complicated and expensive process. A pair of safety wire pliers can cost $9.00 or $120.00. What is the difference? Which will last and which won't?

Back home things have been shaken up suffocatingly. Elements of Hurricane Ike hit hard back home in Indiana. It is surprising and odd that over 1,000 miles from where this tropical system made landfall in Texas, Ike still packed a huge 80mph punch. Hundreds of trees fell down and homes were damaged. Power was out for hundred of thousands of people for days and days. My parents were without power for 8 days! A total mess. Here is a photo of my old home and a huge tree that came down.

KSDF 141756Z 22033G65KT 5SM HZ CLR 30/17 A2955 RMK AO2 PK WND 22065/1751 PRESRR SLP999 T03000167 10306 20256 55008

Above is a meteorological update taken at the worst of the weather from the airport in Louisville. If you do not know how to read a METAR it indicates that the wind is from the south west at 33 knots and gusts to 65 knots. A very strong wind.

On a more positive note, I was able to make it home last weekend for the annual "Wood, Fabric and Tail wheel" fly-in at the Lee Bottom Flying Field. The weather was great and over 500 airplanes and spectators showed up for the event. I had the fabulous opportunity to fly in a 500HP Stearman bi-plane. Below are photos from the event.

Greetings from Michigan. For several weeks now my fellow maintenance students and I have been working hard logging time in the shop and classroom. We have been studying physics, math and electronics. It has been challenging and rewarding over the last few weeks. Additionally, it has turned out well so far working as a flight instructor for the school. My boss is very nice and the students I have been working with are dedicated.

Above is a photo from the Brigade Air camp at Bear Lake Camp this summer. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with some great students as we all learned about Missionary Aviation. The week spent at camp introduced the campers to aviation through hands on flight experience and ground school. Everyone was very gracious and friendly. The camp would only be possible through the volunteer efforts of pilots, aircraft owners and donors.

In class we had the opportunity to here from a former maintenance student at the School of Missionary Aviation Technology who is about to begin serving with Missionary Aviation Fellowship. This person is about to begin working in some very difficult and dangerous locations. However, the focus and dedication of this individual was very encouraging. In the day to day drone of life here at school it was good to be reminded of the bigger picture and the long term goals of why I am here.

An aeronautical engineer would tell you that Bernoulli's principle (an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure) makes an airplane fly. A pilot, like myself, would tell you that he or she makes the airplane fly. However, the truth is that it takes money to make an airplane fly. In the end, the propeller only turns with cold hard cash. It is the same with tuition. I still have money due for this semester's tuition and over $13,000 of tuition bills are looming in the near future. Many of my classmates in maintenance school are facing a similar scenario. But that is the nature and power of the call to go.

Hello! Thank you for your interest in Missionary Aviation. This site is a useful tool for me to stay in touch with those of you who are supporting me. A big thank you to my new friend Ron for helping me set up this message board and the website. Another big thank you to Joe and everyone else in Vero Beach. I was blessed with the wonderful chance to come and speak at your services a few weeks ago and your response was great.

I am a full week into training in Ionia, Michigan for my FAA Airframe and Power plant Mechanic certification. The School of Missionary Aviation Technology has brought many unique individuals from all over the world to spend a year here learning how to inspect and fix aircraft. I have learned a lot this week already and am looking forward to more training despite the rigorous curriculum.

It is my intention to make regular updates on the 1st and 15th of each month so that the many people who are backing my progress in Indiana, Florida, Kansas and many other places, can keep up to date.

Look for new updates on jacobgoering.com in the near future, and feel free to email with questions about this ministry.

JMG