Base Tour Loop Preview

Welcome to JAARS!

JAARS (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service) is a Christian missionary organization with a primary focus on support operations for Bible translation. Beyond the reach of an airline flight, boat charter or bus route live people who need God’s Word. The distance between these unreached people groups and the gospel is the last mile of missions. JAARS covers the last mile of missions using special-purpose aircraft, boats and off-road vehicles so that unreached people can experience God's word and his love. In collaboration with a number of trusted mission organizations, we carry Bible translators and other missionaries across the transportation barriers that keep them from reaching communities hungry for God's Word, enabling them to focus on the work God called them to do. In support of our partners we do research, develop plans and provide effective solutions that target each partner's specific needs.

Next Stop: Piper Training Center

Piper Training Center

This building is named after Merrill Piper, an early JAARS pilot-mechanic. Piper believed strongly in the importance of training. The building houses offices, classrooms, and our Training and Computer Departments.

Next Stop: Communications

Continue down the sidewalk until you reach the next building.

Communications

Next Stop: S&R (Loop)

Shipping and Receiving

Up the hill, to the right, is our Shipping and Receiving Building. Here, our Shipping and Receiving Department handles everything that is sent to JAARS, whether to our PO Box or the physical address. Anything that is being shipped overseas to our teams and partners around the world also goes through here, from airplane parts to furniture and supplies. As one of our staff says, “We ship everything, including the kitchen sink.” The Shipping and Receiving Department provides the logistics for JAARS and keeps everything organized and running smoothly so that items are delivered correctly and on time.

Next Stop: Facilities

Facilities

Our Facilities Department provides essential maintenance for the JAARS Base and can also send teams to support remote locations. Here, you'll find our wood shop, Facilities offices, an appliance shop, and an auto repair shop.Our base has 76 buildings and over 630 acres that the facilities team is responsible for maintaining. In addition to daily repairs, the team also takes on special projects, such as constructing additional aviation training spaces and developing our Operations Center (Ops Pit), where we are able to track the work JAARS is doing worldwide.With the facilities department, JAARS is able to run smoothly. When an issue does arise, they are able to address it immediately, often resolving it before an outside specialist would be able to arrive.JAARS is looking to recruit staff and volunteers with skills in carpentry, HVAC, welding, electrical, plumbing, locksmithing, groundskeeping, and painting.

Next Stop: Quonset Hut

Quonset Hut: Land Operations

JAARS provides mission workers with off-road vehicles, equipment and training so that they can spread the gospel safely and effectively. Training includes operating automatic and manual transmission vehicles, four-wheel drive skills (basic and advanced), righting a rolled vehicle, motorcycle operational skills, vehicle maintenance, and consulting for vehicle acquisition. We give training both here at the JAARS Base and overseas.

Quonset Hut: Sea Operations

In many places, missionaries rely on water travel to reach remote people groups—on islands, or along rivers and massive lakes. For them, aviation simply isn’t a practical or affordable way to get around. Crowding into rundown boats, they cross rough waters far from any hope of rescue. Safety equipment is rare. Even before they arrive, they risk losing their lives. JAARS Sea Ops helps them tackle that risk. They offer practical, life-saving training and equipment to the countless mission workers who travel to unreached people groups by water.

Next Stop: Air Ops

Air Operations

JAARS Aviation trains, equips, deploys and sustains pilots and mechanics to operate professionally and with very high safety records in diverse, rugged, and challenging aeronautical environments. Their mission is to provide pilots and mechanics with the skills and equipment necessary for working in these unique conditions.Our aviators benefit from their instructors’ more than 500 years of combined experience in mission aviation. They also receive spiritual mentorship to prepare them for the difficulties of living in remote areas overseas.

Next Stop: McAllister (Loop)

McAllister Building

This is the first building that was constructed at JAARS; it became the first administrative offices on the base and also housed the radio department in the early days. It is named for the McAllister foundation, which provided the funds for the materials in 1961 after the Billy Graham association connected JAARS with the foundation. Many of the first buildings at JAARS, including this one, were built by our volunteers using donated materials.

Next Stop: Townsend (Loop)

The Townsend Building

This building houses our lobby exhibits, the JAARS Gift Shop, Townsend Café, our Housing Department office, Administration offices, and other departments.

Beyond the Tour

We hope you enjoyed touring the JAARS Base. For additional locations to visit, including the Townsend Café, the JAARS Gift Shop, and The Alphabet Museum, see the map below. Please also note their hours, listed beneath. You may also enjoy a visit to the Townsend gravesite and meditation garden, located between the museum buildings.