by Missy Damon

"Let me know if they need help building any airstrips over there," were among Bill Damon’s parting words as his son and daughter-in-law, Jon and Missy Damon, left to spend one year as guest helpers in PNG. With over thirty years in road construction and runway building experience from his days as an engineer in the U.S. Army, Bill was well qualified to handle the task.

Jon and Missy arrived in Ukarumpa at the end of October 1999 and shortly thereafter Jon began working as an aircraft engineer. In Papua New Guinea, new arrivals learn to appreciate SIL’s aviation program in approximately the length of time it takes to drive the pitted, dirt road between Aviation and the Center. While SIL’s aircraft save translators days of walking through the bush or driving on treacherous roads, the poor condition of some of the airstrips was evident in the wear and tear on the planes.

Even the Aiyura airstrip near Ukarumpa was in desperate need of repair. Grass and sod had grown over the edges, narrowing the strip and creating a soft and potentially dangerous apron. Poor water drainage resulted in ruts at one end of the runway, forcing SIL to displace the landing threshold by about 150 meters.

Bill operated the road grader much of the time, scraping the sod off the edges of the runway. In the meantime, the Industrial Department’s dump truck and tractors scurried back and forth hauling "karanas" (a layer of decayed coral and clay found under the topsoil). This karanas was used to reconstruct the runway’s crown and was later rolled to form
a hard surface.

Heavy rain during the first week, broken machinery, and land issues delayed the work but spirits remained high. By the end of the third week, enough of the runway was completed for the aircraft to begin using it again.

Not all the repair work was completed during Bill and Esther’s brief visit to PNG, but Bill’s advice was heavily relied upon for reconstructing the taxi ways and drainage ditches. Then Jon spent much of his last few weeks in PNG helping to oversee the finishing work.

It is our hope that the improved Aiyura airstrip will continue to fulfill SIL Aviation’s mission to provide safe, reliable, economical and efficient transportation for SIL PNG. We thank the Lord for sending us Bill Damon and others with the knowledge to bring this project to completion.