What JAARS, Inc. does

JAARS, Inc. (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1948 and headquartered on a 630+ acre campus in Waxhaw, North Carolina, with 400+ staff. It operates as the dedicated transportation and training backbone of the Wycliffe/SIL Bible translation movement, providing specialized Air, Land, and Sea Operations — using aircraft such as the Cessna 208 Caravan and Bell L4 LongRanger helicopter, boats, and off-road vehicles — to carry missionaries and supplies into remote, roadless rainforest and mountain regions across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia/Oceania. In 2025 the organization logged 21,049 aviation passengers, 6,203 field flight hours, and 1,810 training flight hours.

The organization complements its core transportation services with a portfolio of fee-based training programs (the 4-week Intercultural Communications Course at $1,500-$1,900 per participant, the virtual Learning that LASTS adult-learning program, Spiritual and Relational Vitality workshops, Water Travel Safety with US Powerboating certification, and Off-Road Training), an 11-month Fellows Program paid at $12.30/hour, a 10-week paid Interns Program at $11.66/hour, and youth engagement products including Camp Aero ($950) and Vision Flights ($50). It also operates The Alphabet Museum and JAARS Base tours as engagement channels.

JAARS is funded almost entirely through charitable donations, with diversified giving channels including an online portal, mail/phone, tax-advantaged vehicles (Qualified Charitable Distributions, Donor Advised Funds, charitable gift annuities), gifts of appreciated assets, and cryptocurrency donations via Engiven. Its customers are functionally the Wycliffe Global Alliance's 100+ affiliated organizations and the individual missionaries they deploy; its donor base is a long-tail of evangelical Christian individuals and organizations. Leadership includes President Steve Russell (elected 2022, former U.S. Representative and Oklahoma State Senator), COO Craig Sheppard, SVP of Air, Land and Sea Operations Craig Russell, and a board chaired by Andrew J. Hood. The organization holds ECFA accreditation (since 1989), GuideStar Platinum Seal, and Charity Navigator 4-star rating.

Name

JAARS, Inc.

Legal name

JAARS, Inc.

Website

https://jaars.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

JAARS, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1948 that provides specialized air, land, and sea transportation plus training programs to enable Bible translators and missionaries to reach remote, unreached people groups across Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mission Aviation and Transportation

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190)

akta.pro primary industry

Remote & Rural Community Passenger Lift Services (THABAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB), Helicopter Charter & Sightseeing (TLAFABAH)

Keywords

• Mission aviation services
• Intercultural training programs
• Remote area transportation
• Youth aviation programs
• Nonprofit flight operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Waxhaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: JAARS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on charitable donations from individuals and organizations to fund operations. Donations support aircraft operations, staff funding, and mission work.
2. Tax-Advantaged Giving Options: Offers multiple tax-advantaged giving vehicles including Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, Donor Advised Funds, charitable gift annuities, estate planning, and gifts of appreciated assets (stocks, real estate, business interests).
3. Cryptocurrency Donations: Accepts cryptocurrency donations via Engiven platform supporting 39 cryptocurrencies.
4. Training Program Fees: ICC course fees: $1,500 for JAARS/SIL/Wycliffe family, $1,900 for other mission agencies. Learning that LASTS: Free for JAARS, $75 Wycliffe family, $100 others.
5. Vision Flight Fees: $50 per person for Vision Flights offering hands-on preflight experience and flight time for individuals aged 12-21.
6. Camp Aero Fees: Youth aviation camp fee was $950 in 2025 including $200 deposit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

JAARS provides specialized air, land, and sea transportation services to enable Bible translators and missionaries to reach remote communities beyond the reach of regular aviation, boat charters, or bus routes. The organization operates purpose-built aircraft, boats, and off-road vehicles capable of landing on steep mountain runways and navigating Amazon rivers and rainforest terrain where no roads exist. Supporting its transportation operations, JAARS delivers training programs for multicultural mission teams, professional development fellowships, youth aviation experiences, and operates The Alphabet Museum.

Product overview

JAARS, Inc. (Jungle Aviation and Relay Service) is a missionary organization that operates a multi-service transportation and training portfolio. The core offerings are its Air, Land, and Sea Operations—specialized transportation services using aircraft, off-road vehicles, and boats to reach remote communities for Bible translation and missionary work. Supporting these operations are training programs including the Intercultural Communications Course (ICC), Spiritual and Relational Vitality workshops, and Learning that LASTS. The organization also runs professional development programs (Fellows and Interns), youth aviation experiences (Camp Aero and Vision Flights), and operates The Alphabet Museum. All services are designed to reduce barriers and ease burdens in delivering God's Word to unreached people groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air Operations Mission aviation service providing specialized aircraft for transporting Bible translators, missionaries, equipment, supplies, and emergency medical transport to remote communities inaccessible by regular aviation. Operations cover pilot support, aircraft maintenance, and flight operations in challenging terrain including steep mountain runways of up to 19% slope. Aircraft fleet includes Cessna 208 Caravan and Bell L4 LongRanger helicopter; the service transported 21,049 aviation passengers and logged 6,203 JAARS Alliance Field Flight Hours plus 1,810 Training Flight Hours in 2025.
• Land Operations Off-road vehicle transportation service using 4WD vehicles and motorcycles to navigate remote terrain where roads do not exist, supporting missionaries in reaching isolated communities in rainforest climates. Service includes 4WD training and motorcycle basic riding and maintenance capabilities for overseas mission conditions.
• Sea Operations Marine transportation service using specialized boats for river and waterway navigation in remote areas, enabling missionaries to reach communities accessible only by water, including Amazon rivers and other treacherous waterways. Includes water travel safety training and outboard motor maintenance capabilities.
• Intercultural Communications Course (ICC) A 4-week intensive course training and preparing mission workers to serve in multicultural, multigenerational teams through instruction in interpersonal skills, worldview understanding, and language learning methods. Pricing is $1,500 per adult for JAARS/SIL/Wycliffe family organizations and $1,900 per adult for other mission agencies.
• Spiritual and Relational Vitality Program Virtual and in-person workshops strengthening mission partners through events focused on spiritual vitality, relational effectiveness, and multicultural team-building dynamics, including spiritual retreats and individual, team, and leader development.
• Learning that LASTS Virtual training program teaching adult learning principles and interactive teaching methods for engaging learners effectively in ministry contexts. Free for JAARS staff, $75 for Wycliffe family organizations, and $100 for others, with $40 cancellation fee within two weeks and full charge for no-shows.
• JAARS Fellows Program An 11-month merit-based fellowship providing entry into mission careers, cultivating emerging leaders through professional experience in areas such as aviation management, global operations, software development, and training. Paid at $12.30/hour with housing at $100/month additional, 10 PTO days, approximately 10 sick days, paid holidays, and health insurance eligibility.
• JAARS Interns Program A 10-week paid summer internship developing transferable professional skills while contributing to mission work, with positions spanning aviation events, chaplaincy, guest services, and museum operations. Paid at $11.66/hour with $100/month housing additional and no paid time off or paid holidays.
• Camp Aero A youth aviation camp for ages 15-18 encouraging consideration of missionary aviation careers through hands-on aeronautics experience, flight time with qualified pilots, ground school, and missions-themed devotionals. The 2025 cost was $950 per camper including a $200 deposit within two weeks of acceptance, with 12-16 campers per session.
• Vision Flights Introductory flight experiences for individuals aged 12-21 featuring pre-flight briefings, control time during flight, and JAARS Wings certification pin. Available Thursday mornings from JAARS Base for $50 per person with limited capacity and weather-dependent scheduling, designed to inspire interest in missionary aviation.
• The Alphabet Museum A two-building museum with the Cardenas Building (JAARS history and transportation methods) and Pittman Building (history of writing systems and modern alphabet makers), offering guided tours, hands-on exhibits, and special Night at the Alphabet Museum events.
• JAARS Base Tours Guided 90-minute and self-guided cell phone tours of the JAARS Base in Waxhaw, NC, showcasing Air, Land, and Sea Operations, the Alphabet Museum, and 75 years of mission innovation. Includes optional paid ride experiences during JAARS Day.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21,049 aviation passengers transported in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wycliffe Bible TranslatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWycliffe Bible Translators was founded in 1942 by William Cameron Townsend to support recruiting and equipping missionaries. JAARS was established in 1948 specifically to provide transportation and communication services for Wycliffe translators. The organizations share a common mission to reach unreached people with God's Word.
• SIL Global (Summer Institute of Linguistics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIL Global is a world leader in the Bible translation movement with over 4,000 members from nearly 90 countries. Founded in 1934 by Townsend, SIL and JAARS work closely together to support Bible translation and language development work globally. JAARS provides transportation solutions for SIL field workers.
• Wycliffe Global Alliance (100+ organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAARS partners with over 100 organizations of the Wycliffe Global Alliance to reach unreached people with God's Word and His love. Each organization serves a unique function but shares the common goal of Bible translation.
• The Seed CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working in Bible translation and mission work. Logo appears on JAARS website as a trusted partner.
• Blue TrustminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFaith-based organization recommended by JAARS for charitable giving planning assistance. Provides expertise in estate planning and charitable giving strategies.
• National Christian Foundation (NCF)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFaith-based organization recommended by JAARS for charitable giving planning. One of the largest Christian grantmakers in the US.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Helimission: Swiss-based helicopter mission aviation organization serving missionaries in remote regions including Asia and Africa. Comparable in deploying rotorcraft for last-mile mission logistics, overlapping JAARS's helicopter operations.
• Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF): The largest mission aviation organization globally, operating a fleet of light aircraft to deliver missionaries, medicines, and supplies to remote communities. Most directly comparable peer to JAARS — same customer base (mission NGOs), same charter/on-demand air service model, and overlapping geography (PNG, Africa, Indonesia).
• Air Serv International: Faith-based air transport serving humanitarian and mission organizations in conflict and post-conflict regions of Africa. Comparable charter mission aviation operating model and remote-region service profile.
• Samaritan Aviation: Faith-based aviation nonprofit operating float planes in Papua New Guinea to serve remote villages — directly overlapping with JAARS's PNG missions use case and Cessna Caravan fleet profile.
• New Tribes Mission Aviation (NTM Aviation): Provides aviation, maritime, and overland transportation for church-planting missionaries in unreached regions. Comparable mission-aligned customer base and multi-modal land/air/sea service similar to JAARS's portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• SIL Global: Largest faith-based language development organization worldwide with 4,000+ members; a primary internal customer for JAARS's transportation services. Indirectly comparable as the dominant institutional partner shaping JAARS's mission demand.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators: Founding partner of JAARS and parent organization in the Bible translation ecosystem. While not a transportation company, Wycliffe drives demand for JAARS's services and shares overlapping mission and donor base.
• Samaritan's Purse: Major Christian relief organization that donated the Cessna 208 Caravan and Bell L4 LongRanger to JAARS. Comparable as a large faith-based humanitarian aviation/relief operator with overlapping geographies and donor pools.

Emerging players

• LightHawk: Volunteer pilot environmental aviation nonprofit providing free flights to conservation partners. Comparable in mission-driven aviation nonprofit model, though focused on conservation rather than religious missions.

Regional players

• MAF Papua New Guinea: Regional arm of MAF operating in PNG — a geography where JAARS also maintains a major mission (Johnny the pilot landing on 11–19% slope runways). Closest competitor in JAARS's flagship PNG market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jaarsinc.3613
• Facebookfacebook.com/jaarsinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/jaarsinc/?hl=en
• Xx.com/jaars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/445850

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JAARS, Inc.