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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Shedric Bisapen

A community without road access will now have timbers to build essential infrastructure after MAF landed with a 364kg sawmill.

Story by Aquila Matit

Wetap airstrip was crowded when the MAF plane landed with a special delivery that will change lives in the isolated community.

A Walkabout Sawmill was flown there to give the village the ability to cut its own timbers to help construct essential facilities such as schools and an aid post. 

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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Shedric Bisapen
Local men from Wetap helping to remove the Sawmill from the plane

For MAF pilot Mathias Glass, the charter is special because the 364kg ‘passenger’ has the potential to improve lives for years to come.

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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Mandy Glass
Captain Mathias Glass

“When I made that flight, it was special for me, because I knew that the sawmill makes a difference - a lasting difference for this community,” he said.

“It's not just a shop or food - people eat and then it's gone. It will have a lasting impact. And I felt really privileged to be able to do this flight. 

“As a mission pilot. We are here to actually help remote people develop. And this is one of the flights that I really enjoyed and loved doing.”

The sawmill was purchased in Mount Hagen and transported by road to Tari. Once there, it was loaded on to a MAF Cessna Caravan and flown to Wetap. Although a short flight, it was a challenge for Captain Mathias.

“I have flown sawmills before, portably on Twin Otters, and this was the first time I had flown one in a Caravan. It is a different story, because the cabin load is quite small, and we had to put in different shaped pieces of metal that were really difficult to strap down,” he said.

“For me, as a pilot, the main thing was to get the equipment strapped down so that it wouldn’t move in flight. And that was not easy because there were so many different parts of the sawmill.

“Also, if I compare the airstrip in Wetap with all the other airstrips we have, the set-up is definitely one of the most difficult, it was a challenge for me.”

The man in charge of transporting the sawmill, Shedric Bisapen, who was flown from Mount Hagen to Tari and Wetap with Captain Mathias, said the machine will serve his people.

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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Shedric Bisapen
Shedric Bisapen (left) and a team member (right) in front of the MAF plane at the Wetap airstrip

“Through MAF, I will take the sawmill to my people and do the launching of this machine. The people will use the sawmill for community projects such as providing timber to build schools and an aid post,” he said.

“It is the first time for the community to have a sawmill, and the people are very excited to see me bring the machine to them. So, everyone is at the airstrip waiting for their machine.”

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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Shedric Bisapen
Captain Mathias Glass receives gifts from locals as a sign of appreciation

This project to purchase a sawmill was initiated by the people of Wetap. Due to the benefits of the project for the people of Wetap, it was funded by Telefomin District through its 2024 District Services Improvement Programme (DSIP) funds. 

“The sawmill was well received and is already in service chopping timbers,” Shedric said.

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Wetap receives Walkabout Sawmill
Shedric Bisapen
Locals operating the Walkabout Sawmill.

“MAF is the only aircraft operating in Wetap, thank you MAF for making this project possible and for your continued service to us.”