What Samaritan Aviation does

Samaritan Aviation is a 501(c)-style nonprofit missionary aviation organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, operating seaplane (float plane) emergency medical transport services in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik and Gulf Provinces. Its core product, branded as Life Flights, converts multi-day canoe journeys from remote river and swamp villages into one-hour emergency flights to hospitals; supplementary programs include medical supply delivery to 40+ aid posts, disaster relief, and in-hospital spiritual ministry using the King of Glory curriculum and audio Bibles. The organization holds an effective monopoly on 7-day-a-week seaplane medivac in its service area, a position it has maintained for 25+ years.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable donations rather than fees for service to patients. Streams include one-time gifts ($25–$2,500) processed via the WeGive platform, the $19/month Compassion Crew recurring giving program, the Fuel for Life flight-sponsorship program, and short-term mission trip fees ($3,000–$11,000). Go-to-market is community-led: a website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram), email newsletters, and a formalized church partnership program that recruits donors through 'Hope Takes Flight' Sundays and documentary screenings of the Saman Balus film.

The organization is currently mid-execution on its Mission to More II capital campaign, targeting $3,505,000 for a new Wewak hangar, training center, staff housing, and infrastructure to support its expansion into Gulf Province. Leadership is anchored by President and CEO Mark Palm, a pilot and cancer survivor, with a lean team of 12 employees supporting both US administration and field operations in PNG.

Name

Samaritan Aviation

Legal name

Samaritan Aviation

Website

https://samaritanaviation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Samaritan Aviation is a nonprofit missionary aviation organization that operates seaplane emergency medical flights free of charge in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik and Gulf Provinces, funded by charitable donations and monthly giving programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aviation Services

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Seaplane & Amphibious Air Taxi (TLAFABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Remote & Rural Community Passenger Lift Services (THABAGAI)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aviation services
• Emergency medical flights
• Medevac operations
• Medical supply delivery
• Disaster relief missions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mesa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations - One-Time: Individual donors make one-time gifts through the organization's website using the WeGive platform. Donation amounts range from $25 to $2,500 or more, supporting emergency medical flights, medical supply delivery, and general operations.
2. Compassion Crew Monthly Giving: Recurring monthly donations at $19/month through the Compassion Crew program, providing consistent support for lifesaving flights and enabling the organization to plan and respond to emergencies without delay.
3. Short-Term Mission Trip Fees: Volunteers pay trip costs to participate in construction, aviation maintenance, and other mission opportunities in Papua New Guinea. Costs range from approximately $3,000-$11,000 depending on trip duration and role.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Samaritan Aviation operates a fleet of float-equipped seaplanes in Papua New Guinea to provide free emergency medical evacuation flights, medical supply delivery, disaster relief, and hospital ministry to remote villages along the Sepik River and in Gulf Province. All emergency medical flights are provided completely free to patients, turning 3-day canoe trips into 1-hour flights to hospitals. The organization is funded by charitable donations and operates as the only seaplane medivac service running 7 days a week in the region.

Product overview

Samaritan Aviation is a nonprofit humanitarian organization operating a fleet of seaplanes that provides emergency medical flights and related services in Papua New Guinea. The core product is Life Flights, supplemented by Medical Supplies Delivery, Disaster Relief, and Hospital Ministry programs. The organization operates exclusively in East Sepik and Gulf Provinces, serving remote communities that would otherwise require days of canoe travel to reach medical care. All flights are provided completely free of charge. Fundraising programs include Compassion Crew (monthly giving) and Fuel for Life (direct flight funding). The organization also produces documentary media through its 'Saman Balus' film.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Compassion Crew: Monthly giving community program
• Fuel for Life
• Saman Balus
• Mission to More

Products and services

• Life Flights Free emergency medical flights transporting critically ill or injured patients from remote Papua New Guinea villages to hospitals, converting multi-day canoe trips into one-hour flights. Available to anyone in the Sepik River and Gulf Province regions without cost or catch.
• Medical Supplies Delivery Delivery of vital medical supplies including malaria treatment, antibiotics, and birthing kits to over 40 remote aid posts and villages in Papua New Guinea that lack access to essential medicines. Coordinates with a medical coordinator for distribution.
• Disaster Relief Rapid response to natural disasters in Papua New Guinea, providing essential aid such as food, water, and medical supplies to communities facing loss and devastation.
• Hospital Ministry Daily prayer with patients and family encouragement during hospital stays, combined with sharing the Gospel message using the King of Glory curriculum and audio Bibles distributed in local languages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Turns 3-day canoe trips into 1-hour emergency flights
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• New Life ChurchminorOthersChurch partner that supports Samaritan Aviation's mission. Pastor John Pool stated the church immediately connected with the mission because it was clear: serve people in crisis and point them to Christ.
• Damascus ChurchminorOthersChurch partner supporting Samaritan Aviation. Pastor Jesse Brunk stated the church loves supporting the organization as 'the hands and feet of Jesus in places we may never get to go.'
• Lifepointe Prescott ValleyminorOthersChurch partner. Pastor Mike Cool stated the partnership has connected their congregation with the Great Commission through impactful updates, videos, and service opportunities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Air Serv International: Humanitarian air transport nonprofit operating aircraft in Africa and developing regions for medical, disaster, and supply missions. Comparable in operating model (small aircraft medevac and supply delivery to remote areas) and beneficiary profile (communities lacking road access to healthcare).
• Wings of Hope: Nonprofit aviation organization providing medical transport and humanitarian flights in remote and developing regions, including Papua New Guinea. Closely aligned mission, beneficiary profile (remote communities lacking medical access), and aircraft type (single-engine planes reaching roadless areas).
• Pacific Mission Aviation: Mission aviation nonprofit specifically serving Pacific Island nations with medical evacuation and remote community access flights. Operates in a similar geography (Pacific) with comparable float plane operations and faith-based donor model.
• Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF): Faith-based mission aviation organization operating float planes and aircraft in remote regions worldwide, including PNG. Directly comparable in operating model (small-plane medevac and community access in developing countries), donor base (Christian supporters), and service mix (medical, disaster relief, supply delivery).
• Helimission: Christian helicopter mission aviation organization operating medevac and humanitarian flights in developing regions. Directly comparable in faith-based mission aviation, medical transport focus, and remote-area service model, though uses rotorcraft rather than seaplanes.

Regional players

• Angel Flight East Africa: Nonprofit coordinating volunteer pilot flights for medical transport in East Africa. Comparable in low-cost/free medical flight model serving underserved remote communities, though regional focus differs from PNG.
• Hope Air (Canada): Canadian charity providing free medical transport flights for patients in remote and northern communities. Comparable in free-flight medevac model and donor-funded nonprofit structure, but operates in a developed country context with different infrastructure baseline than PNG.

Emerging players

• LightHawk: Nonprofit that leverages volunteer pilots and donated aircraft for environmental and humanitarian flights. Comparable in aviation-as-mission model and nonprofit structure, but focuses on conservation/environmental missions rather than medical transport in PNG.
• Remote Area Medical: Nonprofit providing free medical care to underserved and remote populations through pop-up clinics. Comparable in serving remote populations lacking healthcare access and free-to-patient delivery model, but uses ground-based clinics rather than aviation transport.

Broad incumbents

• Samaritan's Purse: Major faith-based humanitarian organization with global disaster relief, medical, and aviation programs (including the DC-8 cargo aircraft). Comparable in faith-based donor base, spiritual/medical mission integration, and PNG presence, but operates at vastly larger scale across many verticals beyond aviation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/samaritanaviation
• Instagraminstagram.com/samaritanaviation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samaritan-aviation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Samaritan Aviation