Another update from MAF

Hadleigh Remembered

Friday, 24 October 2008

The authorities have changed the search emphasis. Whilst the use of aircraft has diminished, ships with specialised equipment are being deployed in Buckingham Bay to search for the aircraft wreckage. We are hopeful that images of the aircraft fuselage will give information as to its precise location. Please pray that this is the case and it will be recovered. It is probable that Hadleigh's body is still in the wreckage. The family believe that their beloved son is in the presence of their Lord and, as such, have organised a Thanksgiving service at their church on Monday, 27 October. Please pray that this is a wonderful celebration of a life given in service for his Lord and also that all who attend will be challenged to put their trust in God.

I passed!

God is good, thanks for all the prayers. I am so glad that I don't need to sit any more government exams. They are quite different from the US and even getting to a testing centre is difficult. I have one more test to do for my 'radio license' but that can be done internally at the airport hopefully on Monday. Another weekend of study ahead then FINALLY I can get back in the air! Can't wait ;-)

Ready for the big one!

Thanks for praying and also for the emails of encouragement. With the Lord's help I managed to pass the internal exam within 24 hrs! (normally you have to go through a specific course). And so I now have my appropriate sign-off to attend the main CASA exam tomorrow :-)

The books are now closed and I'm praying for a good nights sleep. Will be leaving here at 7am to see what the day holds. Will keep you all posted. Thanks

Exam time

Well there is good news and bad news. The good news is that I am booked in for the big exam on Thursday at the CASA testing centre in Melbourne. The bad news is, we just realised today (Tuesday) that I need to sit an internal exam before I can take it ... and to do that I need to sit 3 practice exams that will prepare me for it! :-(

It's been a very long day of panic and study, but the practice exams are finally finished. Please pray:

• that I will be ready and rested for the test tomorrow (Wed) and that it will go well so I can sit the CASA exam on Thursday.
• for the exam on Thursday - my preparation has been disrupted and I don't feel as ready as I wanted to be for it. The exam is very expensive to take so it will really help to get through first time.

Thanks!

Further update from MAF website

Hopes Fading

Tuesday, 21 October 2008

There has been little change in the situation since the last report. The search has been on-going but nothing further found. Realistically, the further out from the incident the more the realisation comes that there is little chance of finding Hadleigh alive. No May Day call was received and we don't know if he experienced the rapid onset of a medical condition or if there was some catastrophic event with the aircraft. Inspection of the debris located on Friday indicates that the aircraft struck the water with some considerable force. Currents and tides may well be carrying the aircraft some distance from initial point of contact. Murky water is reducing visibility. The aircraft could be lying in one of the deeper channels of Buckingham Bay. The search emphasis is changing to more of a surface vessel focus. Hadleigh's family are realising more each day that there is little chance of him returning to them. Please pray for them as the impact of this comes more sharply in focus.

Latest news of the search

Just a quick update on how the search has been going. The news is not good. It has been more than 3 days now since the accident up in Arnhem Land. The pilot has still not been found. Some debris was discovered washed up on the shore but no sign of the crash site or Hadleigh Smith the pilot as yet. Below is an excerpt from the MAF website. You can goto here for more up-to-date news (www.maf.org.au).


A Call to Prayer

Sunday, 19 October 2008

AUSAR (Australian Search and Rescue) have passed jurisdiction for the search for Hadleigh to the Northern Territory Police. Whilst still involved in planning AUSAR's physical presence has lessened. However, the search is on-going. Aircraft searched all day yesterday. Many local aboriginal community members are out on the water in their own boats looking and some have walked many kilometres of mangrove shoreline in search of Hadleigh. Nothing was sighted yesterday. The main objective we all have is to find Hadleigh. The local MAF community gathered together last night in order to give mutual support and to deal with the reality of what has happened. Today we are asking for people to pray, wherever they are and as they gather for worship, that God's specific presence in all of this will be revealed. Above all else praise God for His sovereignty in all things. Pray for Hadleigh's safety. Pray for the immediate family: that their faith will be strengthened, that God's arms will surround them with His love and even though there are questions of why and how pray that God's peace and abundant grace are sufficient for their needs. Pray that the NT Police and Coroner will have adequate resources available and will use all resources needed to continue searching. Pray for calm weather in the area. Yesterday a strong wind blew up which resulted in choppy water. Please pray for calmness and smoother conditions today. Pray that God will specifically intervene and that His finger will pinpoint the area to search.

Urgent Prayer Request

Yesterday at 14.30 one of the MAF planes failed to return home in Arnhem Land. We still don't have much news apart from knowing that no passengers were on board but the cargo was in the 'dangerous goods' category. All searches yesterday failed to find anything and is continuing again at first light today. Please pray for the pilots safe return, his family as they wait and for the searchers as the Australian Search and Rescue & MAF aircraft scan the area.

Latest news can be found here... www.maf.org.au

Prayer requests updated

My prayer requests have just been updated, check out the 'Prayer Request' link on the left for details :-)

Back online!

Hey all, sorry for the lack of updates over the past few weeks but it has been all go since I left the UK and started to make my way out to Ozzy land. I had a quick stopover for about 6 days in California and spent some quality time with family and friends in Bakersfield and the church there. They were putting the finishing touches onto their new church building and it was a real blessing to see so many working together through many trials with the joy of Christ! I also got to speak at their old premises on their last Sunday there before heading to the new building.

So anyway, I'm now down under, living for the next month or so at a Bible school near Melbourne. I've been having my head in the books for the last week and half and hope to be ready to take my flight conversion exams next week. With that out of the way i will then be able to concentrate on flying and preparing for the Australian flight test. Here are some pics of my new surroundings:







Some of the books I got to study. There seems to be a lot more regulations here in Australia than in the US :-(














My apartment for the next month

The college grounds

The Cessna 206 that I need to fly for the flight test & the Coldstream airport about 15mins drive from the college