1940s - The dawn of Mission Aviation Fellowship
1944 Murray Kendon proposes MAF concept
1945 MAF office opens in London, UK
1947 First aircraft dedicated (Miles Gemini)
1948 Gemini survey of Africa
1949 De Havilland Rapide purchased for Sudan
1950s - Flights take off
1950 Sudan: First MAF regular flight operations commence
1953 First flights from Sudan into Ethiopia
1957 Sudan: Single-engined Cessna 180 aircraft introduced
1958 Survey of south-western Ethiopia
1959 Kenya: MAF programme starts
1960s - Operations broaden throughout Africa
1960 Ethiopia: MAF programme starts
1964 Sudan: Expulsion of missions and closure of MAF programme there after 14 years
1965 Chad survey
1966 Chad: MAF programme starts
1970s - Struggles and blessings
1974 Ethiopia: six MAF aircraft now operating
1975 Chad: Bitter persecution of the church
1976 Finnish council of MAF formed
1977 Tanzania: MAF programme starts Ethiopia: Marxist government restrictions force closure of MAF’s operations. Programme ends after 17 years Sudan: A respite in the civil war. MAF programme restarts
1978 MAF Netherlands formed
1979 Chad: Fierce fighting and civil war in Chad forces MAF to fly its planes out of the country after 13 years
1980s - A time of expansion
1981 Chad: Programme reopens
1982 FFM, later MAF Sweden, formed First European MAF conference held with representatives from Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and UK. Tanzania now has six aircraft operating all over the vast country from five bases
1983 Sudan: After seven years of further operations (21 years in all in Sudan) programme closes due to government restrictions
1985 Chad famine
1986 MAF Norway formed
1987 Uganda: MAF programme starts
1988 Madagascar: MAF programme starts
1989 MAF Denmark formed MAF Europe Board officially constituted with representatives from Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and UK
1990s - 50 years of Mission Aviation Fellowship
1990 Finland, Denmark and Norway join MAF Europe
1991 Namibia: MAF service initiated Mongolia surveyed
1992 Ethiopia: programme restarts MAF France and MAF Germany established
1993 MAF Europe now operating 30 aircraft and has over 80 family units overseas Relief operations with MEDAIR in northeast Somalia Kenya operating five aircraft Relief flights into Sudan from Kenya
1994 Rwanda crisis – MAF involved Tanzania now has 11 aircraft Rapid expansion in Ethiopia MAF Europe reconstituted. Appoints a separate Chief Executive to concentrate on overseas operations while European national supporting groups, including UK, focus on gathering the necessary resources for the operations
1995 Rwanda crisis continues MAF 50th anniversary celebration meetings Ethiopia now operating five aircraft
1996 Rwanda crisis still continues Crisis in Zaire (Now DRC) MAF Italy formed
1998 Opening of new Nairobi operations centre Ethiopia – flying stops again
1999 Ethiopia – Abyssinian Flight Services formed Substantial increase of flights into Sudan Funds provided for Caravan and hangar in Mongolia
2000s - Vision into the future
2000 First flight in Mongolia Mozambique crisis
2001 Funds provided for Grand Caravan and operations centre for MAF South Africa
2002 Handover of Bangladesh operations from MAF Sweden to MAF Europe Further crisis in DRC
2003 Relief flights into Sudan from Uganda Evacuation of 1,700 people in DRC by MAF and AIM AIR Second Grand Caravan provided for South Africa MAF Europe and MAF Australia seeking closer collaboration
2004 MAF South Africa and MAF Europe integrate
2005 Daily relief flights take vital food and medical supplies to remote communities in Aceh, Sumatra following 2004 Boxing Day tsunami New amphibious Cessna Caravan is purchased and begins operating in Bangladesh
2006 Permission granted to open operational base in southern Sudan
2007 MAF opens new operation in East Timor Base reopens in East DRC - in Bunia
2010 Cambodia operation closes MAF is central to the relief efforts in Haiti providing flights and logistical support following the devastating earthquake in January
2011 Southern Sudan votes to secede becoming officially independent on 9 July. MAF flights continue to provide support in southern Sudan as well as responding to evacuation requests from areas of unrest