Faith based nonprofit provides training for missionary pilots

WASILLA — Kingdom Air Corps has been training missionary pilots in the Valley for the last two decades. The faith based nonprofit provides service minded individuals with the necessary flying and mechanical skills to prepare them for their intrepid efforts bringing the teachings of the gospel across the globe.

Kingdom Air Corps’ main office is located at the King Ranch Airport in the Sutton and Chickaloon area. Director of Maintenance Brian Lites said they have another hanger in Palmer where they do most of their training during the summer.

Flying slows down during the winter months, so Lites and his colleagues use that time to work on the fleet of planes. He said they’re working with about 15 planes, most of which were donated to the organization.

Missionary pilots who graduate from the Kingdom training program go on to join Christian organizations near and abroad. Lites said the missionaries’ ultimate destinations vary by each student. They could join a group that flies to rural villages in Alaska, or they could find missions dropping supplies to refugees in war torn countries. They could even find themselves deep in a jungle colony with no contact from the outside world.

“There’s a lot of work missionaries do… There’s still places in the world who have not heard the name of Jesus. It’s definitely still needed,” Lites said.

Students who study at Kingdom get firsthand experience flying through mountain and bush operations, learn the various challenges that come with flying in isolated areas, and how to safely navigate through those environments. Lites said that Alaska’s deep and diverse landscape is an ideal classroom.

“A lot of missionary organizations require the pilots to be mechanics as well, because if you’re flying as a missionary pilot in Papua New Guinea and you break down out in the jungle somewhere, really it’s beneficial if you know how to work on your airplane,” Lites said with a laugh.

Experienced mechanics and pilots volunteer their time to instruct students throughout the summer. Lites noted that many of these instructors have missionary experience of their own to share.

On top of their usual aviation training, students also participate in a variety of intercultural ministries, minister in churches, and help out with the summer bible camps for children and teens.

According to Lites, there are typically 10 to 15 students enrolled in their summer training program. He said one of their primary goals is to keep the costs low to encourage students from all circumstances to follow their passion to serve.

“A lot of times they’ll come out with a huge amount of debt… That a lot of times leads to that individual never going and serving somewhere. So, we try to keep the costs as low as we can here,” Lites said.

Dwayne King founded Kingdom Air Corps in 1999 after retiring from a life of missionary service. Lites said that King’s founding vision was to give missionary pilots the experience they needed to minister and operate in outlying areas around the world, utilizing his bush piloting and missionary experience to prepare future generations to continue spreading the gospel far and wide.

Lites said that he always wanted to come to Alaska and King’s vision ultimately drew him to move up here with his wife.

“I can truly say this is where God called us to be,” Lites said. “They’re a great group of people to work with.”

Lite said they’re currently open to student applications for the coming summer program. For more information, call 907-746-7377 or visit kingdomaircorps.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com