Monday, February 22, 2010

Han Solo gets a little help from local missionaries.

For many years, Mission Aviation Fellowship serviced us with air support in Venezuela .

Film star Harrison Ford (left) studies a map of Haiti on the wall of MAF's hangar office as MAF pilots John Munsell (center) and Jason Krul (right) provide Ford with a briefing on the area and Port-au-Prince airstrip. The actor, acclaimed for his iconic roles in films, including the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” blockbuster movie series, flew one of his aircraft loaded with medical supplies and volunteers from Los Angeles to Haiti for a humanitarian mission. Ford visited MAF facilities twice during his recent visit to Haiti.





MAF Pilots Brief Acclaimed Actor, Provide Airstrip Chart

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – MAF pilots recently provided acclaimed actor Harrison Ford with an airstrip chart of the Port-au-Prince airport and offered him a personal briefing at the MAF hangar.

Ford told MAF the information its pilots provided helped him in his humanitarian mission to relieve suffering following the Haiti earthquake. Ford flew from Los Angeles into the capital city’s airport in his own aircraft loaded with medical volunteers and supplies to help earthquake-stricken Haiti.

“MAF is honored that an international celebrity such as Ford visited our post at the Port-au-Prince airport,” said MAF President John Boyd. “We commend him for his selfless humanitarian work.”

Ford, 67, is among the most successful film artists in history. His roles have included Han Solo in “Star Wars” movies, the title role in “Indiana Jones” adventure films, and as CIA official Jack Ryan in screenplays based on author Tom Clancy’s military novels. The award-winning actor flew the supplies and team in his Cessna 208 Caravan to assist Operation Smile's relief effort in Fond Parisien, a community in central Haiti.

While at Haiti’s main airport, Ford learned of MAF and asked the MAF staff to brief him on the area and the airstrip. MAF pilots John Munsell and Jason Krul provided the actor with a briefing and an airstrip chart. Ford stopped by the hangar a second time to thank MAF for the airstrip chart, said John Woodberry, MAF disaster response/security manager.

During his visit, Ford also flew medical teams in his airplane into the central Haiti town of Hinche and piloted other flights into Santo Domingo, capital of the neighboring Dominican Republic.

Ford, who is also a helicopter pilot, is a noted philanthropist and has used his aircrafts in mountain rescue operations.

Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org) is a Norfolk, Va.-based charity that offers free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries in poor nations.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE RELIEF EFFORTS, VISIT www.mafc.org TO DONATE ONLINE.

But I do wonder... 
Is Ford's plane perhaps named 'The Millennium Falcon'????

8 comments:

Rosie said...

That is awesome~I've always liked HF!

Rhonda in Chile said...

I hope someone witnessed to him!

Brooke said...

LOL!

Very cool post!

Harry said...

The people of Haiti do need all the help they can get.

MightyMom said...

sigh, I saw this on facebook and I must say....it made me sad....


so sad ...


to see Harrison Ford with a belly and white hair.


sigh.

Carrie said...

Way cool!

Charles said...

I follow H.F. in all things aviation. And got to hear him speak at an aviation function once. He is involved with several worthy charities. No doubt is a serious pilot and not just a rich star with a new toy.

I hope we'll keep him and all the relief teams in our prayers.

Unknown said...

And he played a neat, tough President in "Air Force One"!
I heard that he loves to fly his plane and the environmentalists are upset with him!
So cool he was helped by the good people at MAF! Neat story!