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A School of Missionary Aviation Technology instructor explains fire safety techniques to his missionary aviation students at the Ionia County Airport. — Submitted photo
IONIA — More than 1,000 airplane pilots and mechanics have been trained by the School of Missionary Aviation Technology (SMAT) since it was founded in 1969.
“SMAT is an aviation technical training institute that is focused primarily, but not exclusively, on preparing individuals to serve as pilots and/or mechanics in cross-cultural missionary settings in a faith-based environment,” explained SMAT President and CEO Terry Yoder. “Unlike university programs, students graduate from SMAT with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications but no degree, since aviation training is the sole focus of the programs.”
SMAT training is also different from traditional aviation training institutes because SMAT offers both aviation maintenance training and flight training programs in a 12-month time frame.
A novice pilot takes off from the Ionia County Airport during a School of Missionary Aviation Technology training flight. — Submitted photo
“This requires students to be committed full-time, 40 hours per week, for an entire year in order to earn their FAA certifications,” Yoder pointed out. “Upon graduation from either the aviation maintenance training program or the flight training program, individuals are equipped with employable certifications through the FAA.”
Originally part of the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music, the SMAT aviation school moved from airports in Newaygo, Comstock Park and Lowell before settling at the Ionia County Airport in 2008.
“The move to Ionia has created many opportunities for growth,” Yoder said. “We love being part of this community.”
Because of the remote locations involved, missionary aviation is slightly different then normal, secular aviation, whether one wants to be a pilot or a mechanic.
“Because SMAT trains with cross-cultural missions in mind, the scenarios and training resources are largely reflective of what one might encounter in those unique working environments,” Yoder said. “Flight students at SMAT are trained for single pilot operations in technically challenging environments compared to most other flight training programs that train with crew operations in a corporate or commercial cockpit in mind. Maintenance students at SMAT experience training scenarios that are unique to cross-cultural missions. For example, one project requires the students to work in teams to completely disassemble an airplane and pack it into a shipping container. Then a different group of students must unpack the airplane from the container and re-assemble it, thus simulating how missionary organizations transport their airplanes from the United States to some country on the other side of the world.
“Mission aviation supports the work of missionaries who work among remote people groups where there often are no roads, and where there are great transportation challenges and limitations,” Yoder continued. “Consequently, the airplane or helicopter is more than just a luxury, it is a critical transportation mode that can literally be the difference between life and death. Because these operations are in rugged terrain with much less infrastructure, pilots must be equipped to handle challenges not normally encountered in corporate or commercial aviation. Maintenance technicians must be dedicated to the highest level of maintenance so that pilots can confidently get into an airplane or helicopter, knowing it is maintained by the best technicians. In many countries, fuel and parts are much more expensive, and often much less available than in the U.S. Thus, the pilots and mechanics must be very strategic in how they manage parts and fuel in order to minimize downtime and be ready to help at a moment’s notice.”
The increased use of turbine-powered aircraft has changed the missionary aviation field in recent years.
A School of Missionary Aviation Technology student practices maintenance techniques on an airplane at the Ionia County Airport. — Submitted photo
“In the early days of missionary aviation, small, piston-powered aircraft were commonly used,” Yoder recalled. “Due to changes in fuel availability and increased efficiencies of turbine-powered aircraft, many mission organizations now fly a combination of piston-powered and turbine-powered aircraft, both fixed wing and rotorwing (helicopters). This places a greater demand for broader knowledge and skills for the aircraft maintenance technicians. After graduating from SMAT, pilots and mechanics receive additional focused experience and training by the mission organizations or employers for whom they work.”
Upon graduation, SMAT alumni who are pursuing missionary aviation careers often find employment at smaller aircraft maintenance facilities where they gain valuable experience before finding full-time employment with a mission organization.
“Others will find employment with larger employers in the corporate or commercial sector of aviation,” Yoder said. “SMAT flight program graduates have approximately 255 hours of flight time upon graduation. Thus, they will need to find entry-level work, typically as a flight instructor, aerial mapping, banner/glider towing, pipeline patrol, etc. As they build time, they will have the opportunity to move into larger, faster aircraft. Most mission organizations require at least 500 hours of flight time, so SMAT graduates will look for opportunities to build that time in the years following graduation.”
SMAT also hires a few of its own graduates to work in its maintenance facility.
“The SMAT Aviation, LLC maintenance facility provides aviation maintenance services to local airplane owners,” Yoder said. “All services are provided by FAA-certified aircraft maintenance technicians. Some of them might be recent graduates, who are well-supervised as they continue to develop the skills learned in the aviation maintenance training program. Additionally, SMAT Aviation, LLC will hire flight school graduates who earn their certified flight instructor rating and provide flight instruction for local individuals who want to learn to fly.”
To learn more about the 12-month aviation maintenance training program or the 12-month flight training program, visit smat.edu. To learn more about discovery flights, non-program flight training and aviation maintenance services for local airplane owners, visit smataviation.org.
SMAT also offers flight training outside of the 12-month program to people who are interested in becoming a pilot or pilots who want to add a rating or certificate to their existing certificate. Discovery flights are $150, and can be scheduled by calling (616) 527 4160
For more information, including aircraft rental and flight instruction rates, visit their website, email info@smat.edu or head out to the Ionia County Airport and pay them a visit.
