About Manos Con Alas Ministries

Flight Information

Your safety is of utmost concern to us. If you are flying in a 4-6 seat airplane, as with any form of transportation, you are assuming certain risks. Please be advised that it is the sole responsibility of the pilot-in-command to determine if the weather conditions present or forcast are safe enough to warrant the flight. There is a possibility that the departure and /or the return flight(s) may be delayed, postponed or completely canceled to assure safe operations. Each passenger should recognize that such delays may occur and should prepare for such a possibility with home or work.

View our current air fleet. View additional flight safety information.

Here are a few important things to remember about flying with Manos Con Alas.

1. The meeting place and time of departure will depend on the airport you will be departing from. Your pilot will contact you a few days before departure with specifics.
   
   
2. Please eat breakfast prior to flight.
   
   
3. Please limit liquid intake the morning of the flight as some flights are up to 4 hours without a bathroom break.
   
   
4. If you have motion sickness issues please consult your local doctor.
   
   
5. Most flights arrive at the clinic around 1pm on Friday and depart around Sunday morning. California flights usually arrive home around 2pm, while Colorado travelers should plan on arriving around 5:30pm.
   
   
6. Please follow your pilot's instruction through customs and immigration.
   
   
7. Please do not pack anything that you would not take on a commercial flight. No firearms/explosive devices please.
   
   
8. These planes are limited in the amount of weight they can take. PLEASE pack as lightly as possible with a 20 lbs. maximum using a soft duffle type of bag or soft backpack.
   
   
9. Your full personal bag (not including sleeping bag) should weigh no more than 20 pounds and be highly COMPACT, in order to have sufficient room/weight for equipment and supplies. If you have questions about how much the bag weighs, weigh yourself holding the bag.
   
   
10. A small AA flashlight for night reading and walking at night is a good idea; snack food is okay, such as jerky, nuts and non-crumbly snacks.
    
    

More Safety Information

Our Manos Con Alas volunteer pilots are experienced instrument proficiency pilots with many years of experience. Your safety and comfort is our prime concern on mission trips.

Flying is the safest form of transportation when you fly commercial airlines. Flying in smaller private aircraft is less safe, because private pilots are not flying for a living, and their aircraft are not built for flying in any type of weather or icing conditions.

Statistically, only one in seven small aircraft accidents results in any fatality, that means that 6 of 7 accidents are NON FATAL. Small aircraft are slower, can make emergency landings in fields and on roads if the need arises, and are able to touch down at slower-than-freeway speeds, minimizing fatal injuries. Jets cannot make safe off-airport landings like a small aircraft can.

Single engine aircraft can actully be safer than multi engine aircraft in engine-out situations. One engine-out in a single does not create instability or severe YAW forces (flipping the plane to one side abruptly when one engine fails). Aircraft are stringently controlled compared to autos, and require an annual inspection. Pilots are trained and require a lot of flight time to become proficient as an instument pilot.

As long as the PILOT is safe, usually the flight will be safe too. Most recorded accidents involve running out of fuel, flying in poor or stormy weather, and improper maintenance of aircraft.