Legal!

I received an e-mail from our secretary at SAMAIR in Peru and she told me that I am legal to fly in Peru again! That is a big answer to prayer and I am very thankful for all of you who were praying about.

Looks like the Peruvian Aviation Authorities (DGAC) will not be fining me for flying with an illegal certificate. Thankfully SAMAIR has a very good relationship with the DGAC. Once return to Peru I will have to present some more paper work that documents any flying that I have done here in the USA, but I have learned that papers are something all 3rd world governments love!

In other news, it has been confirmed that once I move back to Peru in August, I will be living in a new (to me) house. The good news is that it is only 100 yards away from my old house so moving will be a snap! Also, while I am gone, high speed internet is supposedly being installed! This would be a HUGE impovement over dial-up and I would even get to post pictures on the blog with our having to go to an Internet Cafe every time I wanted to do that. As they say in Peru, vamos a ver... (we shall see)

Furlough

I never have understood the word furlough. In the airline industry, being "furloughed" means you are laid off until business picks up again and you can start flying at your old job. In missions, nobody gets laid off and there is never a shortage of people but I guess you do leave your work for a while. All that is to say, for the next 4 months I will be on "furlough" in the USA!
Having been in Peru for 2 years, it was coming close to the time when I would be going back to the USA to reconnect and visit supporting churches, individuals, family and friends. Due to the fact that there is only a limited number of pilots at SAMAIR, we always have to coordinate our coming and going with each other. For me, it worked out that mid April though the first week of August would be best. I had less that 3 weeks to buy my tickets, pack my bags, and box up all my household items (I will be living in yet ANOTHER house when I return to Peru) before coming to the USA.
I will be stationed out of Michigan for the next 4 months visiting and getting reacquainted with friends and family. I will also be traveling out to California, North Carolina, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail regarding getting together this summer! It could be another two years before we have the change again!
dspeyers"at"southamericamission.org

Maybe Legal?

Yes, that is right, I might not be illegal with my pilot certificate anymore... but I am still not sure!

I presented all the paperwork that the Aviation Authorities said I needed present, however a week later they came back and said I was STILL lacking proper documentation! So this past week I was in Lima and went down to the Licenseing Department and talked with them directly. They in turn gave me a new list of paperwork they needed and I set about once again to comply with their instructions. Interestingly enough, one of the things they wanted was a simple cover letter from the mission say that I wanted to renew my pilot certificate and was presenting the following documents to do that. I ended up sending legalized copies of my Pilot Log Book, Annual checkride from SAM AIR, my Resident Visa, and my Pilot Medical certificate. So hopefully in a week I will hear back and see if my Pilot Certificate is valid once again.