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SAMARITAN AVIATION

MESA, AZ · EIN 841543484 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE E60 · Health Care · Medium ($1M-$10M) · www.samaritanaviation.org
revenue
$3.9M
expenses
$2.7M
net assets
$4.3M
employees
14
volunteers
25
program ratio
94%
mission · from form 990

TO PROMOTE THE GOSPEL BY PROVIDING MISSION, MEDICAL, AND AVIATION SERVICES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Samaritan Aviation provides emergency medical flights and delivers essential medical supplies to remote communities in Papua New Guinea, where access to healthcare is severely limited by rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure. Operating seaplanes in the East Sepik and Gulf Provinces, the organization turns days-long canoe journeys into one-hour flights, offering free, lifesaving care. Founded in 2000 and based in Arizona, it integrates faith-based ministry with practical medical support.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

Disaster Relief
Responds to natural disasters with urgent aid including food, water, and medical supplies via air transport
Fuel for Life
Donor-funded program that purchases aviation fuel to ensure uninterrupted emergency flight operations
Hospital Ministry
Provides spiritual support through prayer and sharing the Gospel with patients and families during medical transport and treatment
Life Flights
Provides emergency medical evacuation flights for patients in critical condition, transporting them from remote villages to hospitals in one hour instead of multi-day canoe trips
Medical Supplies Delivery
Delivers essential medicines and medical supplies to isolated villages that lack access to healthcare infrastructure
activities · 6 groups

what they do

  • Infrastructure and Logistics Support for Missionary Operations 6 activities
    • Aviation Hangar Acquisition and Training Center Development
      Acquiring and renovating an aviation hangar in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, to support operations and building a Training Center to equip local leaders and host missions teams.
    • Base Operations and Support
      Purchases and renovates aviation hangars and builds staff housing to support its operations in Papua New Guinea, providing administrative support, inventory management, and facilities oversight for missionary staff.
    • Infrastructure Development and Maintenance
      Organizes short-term mission teams to build and maintain infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, including storage structures, floating docks, staff housing, and aviation hangars, and conducts maintenance on floatplanes.
    • Infrastructure Development and Maintenance
      Organizes short-term mission teams to build and maintain infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, including storage structures, floating docks, staff housing, and conducting aircraft maintenance on floatplanes.
    • Infrastructure Development and Maintenance
      Organizes short-term mission teams to build and maintain infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, including assembling storage structures, expanding floating docks, fencing properties, clearing roads, building staff housing, and performing aircraft maintenance.
    • Infrastructure Development and Maintenance
      Organizes short-term mission teams to build and maintain infrastructure in Papua New Guinea, including assembling storage structures, expanding floating docks, fencing properties, clearing roads, building staff housing, and performing aircraft maintenance like sheet metal corrosion repair.
  • Documentary Film Production for Social Awareness 4 activities
    • Documentary Film Production and Outreach
      Produced a documentary film, "Saman Balus," detailing its mission, and organizes special screenings in various cities to raise awareness and allow attendees to meet the team. The organization also provides resources for individuals to host private screenings.
    • Documentary Film Production and Outreach
      Produced a documentary film, "Saman Balus," detailing its mission, and organizes special screenings and provides resources for private screenings to raise awareness and engage supporters.
    • Documentary Film Production and Screenings
      Produced a documentary film, "Saman Balus," detailing its mission in Papua New Guinea, and organizes special screenings and provides resources for individuals to host private screenings.
    • Documentary Film Production and Screenings
      Produced a documentary film, "Saman Balus," detailing its mission, and organizes special screenings and provides resources for private viewings to raise awareness and engage supporters.
  • Medical Equipment Donation and Support 3 activities
    • Delivery of Medical Supplies and Aid
      Delivers vital medical supplies, vaccines, and critical supplies to remote communities and river aid posts in Papua New Guinea, supporting over 40 aid posts.
    • Delivery of Medical Supplies and Aid
      Delivers vital medical supplies, vaccines, and essential aid to remote river aid posts and villages in Papua New Guinea, supporting over 40 aid posts and responding to disease outbreaks and natural disasters.
    • Medical Supply Delivery
      Delivers vital medical supplies, vaccines, and critical supplies to remote communities, river aid posts, and over 40 aid posts in Papua New Guinea.
  • International Medical Missions 2 activities
    • Community Health Programs
      Conducts community health programs in remote villages, including vaccination clinics and medical training for rural health workers.
    • Community Health Programs
      Conducts community health programs in remote villages, including vaccination clinics and medical training for rural health workers.
  • Disaster Response and Relief Logistics 2 activities
    • Disaster Relief Operations
      Provides disaster relief by responding with essential aid such as food, water, and medical supplies to remote areas following natural disasters or disease outbreaks.
    • Disaster Relief Operations
      Provides disaster relief by responding with essential aid such as food, water, and medical supplies to remote areas following natural disasters or disease outbreaks.
  • Uncategorized 8 activities
    • Emergency Medical Evacuation Flights
      Operates free emergency medical flights using Cessna 206 seaplanes in remote regions of Papua New Guinea, serving approximately 700,000 people in the Sepik and Gulf provinces. These flights transport patients to hospitals, significantly reducing travel time for medical emergencies from days to about an hour.
    • Emergency Medical Evacuation Flights
      Operates free emergency medical evacuation flights using Cessna 206 seaplanes in remote regions of Papua New Guinea, serving approximately 700,000 people in the Sepik and Gulf provinces. These flights reduce travel time for medical emergencies from several days by canoe to about one hour, transporting patients to the regional hospital in Wewak.
    • Emergency Medical Evacuation Flights
      Operates free emergency medical flights using Cessna 206 seaplanes in remote regions of Papua New Guinea, serving approximately 700,000 people in the Sepik and Gulf provinces. These flights transport patients to hospitals, significantly reducing travel time from several days by canoe to about one hour.
    • Emergency Medical Evacuation Flights
      Operates free emergency medical flights using Cessna 206 seaplanes in remote regions of Papua New Guinea, serving approximately 700,000 people in the Sepik and Gulf provinces. These flights reduce travel time for medical emergencies from several days by canoe to about one hour, transporting patients to the only regional hospital and delivering critical medical supplies.
    • Hospital Ministry and Patient Care
      Provides ongoing care and ministry to patients after they are flown to Wewak and dropped off at the hospital, utilizing staff as hospital chaplains. This includes distributing toiletries, food, and toys, offering spiritual encouragement, prayer, trauma healing lessons, and sharing the Gospel message through audio Bibles and literature.
    • Hospital Ministry and Patient Care
      Provides ongoing care and ministry to patients after they are flown to Wewak and dropped off at the hospital, including spiritual encouragement, prayer, trauma healing lessons, and distribution of toiletries, food, toys, and audio Bibles.
    • Hospital Ministry and Patient Care
      Provides ongoing care and ministry to patients after they are flown to hospitals, including spiritual encouragement, prayer, trauma healing lessons, and distribution of toiletries, food, toys, and audio Bibles. This includes daily prayer and Gospel lessons as part of hospital ministry at Boram Hospital.
    • Hospital and Spiritual Ministry
      Provides ongoing care and ministry to patients at Boram Hospital in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, including distributing toiletries, food, and toys, offering spiritual encouragement, prayer, trauma healing lessons, and sharing the Gospel message through audio Bibles and literature.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$3.87M
Contributions & grants$3.86M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$5K0%
Other revenue$8K
expenses
Total expenses$2.69M
Program expenses94%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$1.22M
Grants paid out$7K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.41M
Cash$2.55M
Investments$0
Liabilities$80K
Net assets$4.33M
Liquid reserves11.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +59.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
STEVEN MARK PALM President 40 $151K
BRYAN YEAGER Vice President 40 $130K
board members · 5
  • DANIEL JONES — Director
  • DR DAN CRANSTON — Chairman
  • JASON SCHWITTERS — Secretary
  • JOEY BURNS — Director
  • JOHN DAVIS — Director
relationships · 19

who they work with

  • Aerocet Partner — Partner organization.
  • Ambit Consulting Partner — Partner organization.
  • Baylor Scott & White Partner — Partner organization.
  • Coal Creek Consulting Partner — Partner organization.
  • Digicel Foundation Partner — Partner organization.
  • East Sepik Provincial Health Authority Partner — Has forged strong relationships with this provincial government entity.
  • Heart to Heart International Partner — Partner organization.
  • International Aid Partner — Partner organization.
  • Islands Petroleum Partner — Partner organization.
  • Kendall Farms Partner — Partner organization.
  • Oxfam Australia Partner — Partner organization.
  • PNG Ministry of Health Partner — Has forged strong relationships with this national government entity.
  • Papua New Guinea Partner — Works to provide lifesaving medical flights to remote regions.
  • Papua New Guinea government Funder — Receives grants for funding.
  • S&J Tube Partner — Partner organization.
  • Save the Children Partner — Partner organization.
  • South Seas Tuna Corporation Partner — Partner organization.
  • The Planning Center Partner — Partner organization.
  • Western Skyways Partner — Partner organization.