Ethnos 360 Aviation, Sandhill Cranes and the Chiricahua mountains

Hello friends!

    I (Rick), enjoyed volunteer work at Ethnos360 Aviation during January and February. My good SOWER friends, Joe & Kim serve at Ethnos during the winter months. Joe invited me to help with a new project...build a house. I jumped at the chance to hang out with Joe, and at the same time get some construction experience plus, serve the Lord with my time and talents (I have one or two).

    Over the past several years, I've become quite familiar with Ethnos because of my friend's commitment. Ethnos primary mission is to provide timely and affordable air transportation to remote jungles for Christian missionaries whom serve indigenous tribes. Potential pilots and mechanics undergo a two-year training program in McNeal, Az. Ethnos is a top notch professional organization that houses multiple planes and helicopters on-site along with several airstrips. The work these guys do is awesome! Helicopter mechanics have to be able to tear down and rebuild a helicopter! 

                                              I was blessed with a great helicopter ride!

                                          Darren the pilot, was as professional as they come.

                                                                              

The hangar. So clean you could eat off the floor.

Helicopters are Robinson R66

Several planes in the hangar used at Ethnos. 

There is so much more to this organization. 

If you would like to research further, just Google

Ethnos360 Aviation 

Aerial view of Ethnos

Helicopter sling load training.

Birds eye view of the facility, it covers one section (1 square mile, 640 acres).

Notice the RV park in the upper right side.

I thought curious history nerds like myself, might enjoy this.

:

This plaque hangs in the maintenance building, a 60 by 150ft steel

warehouse structure, located mid-center right, in the site photo.

The Villa at the on-site RV park for volunteers.

Wide open skies!

My first day on the job: We set 28 trusses in place.

The concrete foundation and framing were completed prior

to me arriving on January 5th.

Joe, the volunteer foreman with another volunteer, Dale. 

It is amazing how this house was built by the hands of one staff member Danny, 

head of maintenance, and about 10-15 volunteers from the US and Canada. 

The construction began

October 2025 and was just finished this third week of April 2026.

 

Finished!

   When I departed Ethnos the third week of February, the exterior of the house was mostly finished and the interior was ready for drywall. While working on the project, I spent my time installing trusses, roof sheathing, installing windows and doors, and running electrical wiring (looks like the lights are working!)

        Having the Villa (travel trailer) on-site made it possible for me to stay and work on the project Monday through Thursday. And, for most weekends, I would go home. 

McNeal AZ. is a 103 mile, two hour drive southeast of Tucson, southeast of Tombstone and north of Douglas Az. Noreen stayed home in Tucson while I was away, but did take an opportunity to spend a weekend with me.

       An added benefit of being in McNeal, is the close proximity (5 1/2 miles, 10 min.) to Whitewater Draw, where thousands of migrating sandhill cranes roost during the winter months. I enjoyed viewing the cranes one evening, and even met up with my astrophotographertiscismanatoprogramathicmeterologisthobbyist buddy Randall, from Tucson. He came out to observe the Sandhill cranes for a day. 

        If you've been on our blog, you've most likely read about Whitewater Draw multiple times. It's one of our favorite spots to visit for the day or camp for a couple of nights.

                                                           Whitewater Draw at dusk.

                                                                                  

    I also took the opportunity to go exploring and truck camping in the Chiricahua mountains, specifically in Rucker Canyon. The weekend I set aside to go, the weather turned extremely wet and mucky...of course. That weather brought an increase in the risks and challenges of driving in the mountains, but hey, that's what a remote camping adventure is all about--super exciting! 

    

                            The view coming over a ridge and looking down into Leslie Canyon.

                                                                                                                                                             

 

                                           My spot for the night in upper Rucker Canyon.           

                                                      Can you see Thundra back there?

                         Hot coffee and a bowl of chili made for a perfect late afternoon dinner.

The chili was great and warmed me up. Soon after dinner I retired into the truck camper to watch a movie and sleep. About 15 minutes after laying down and trying to sleep (8pm), I was startled by heavy breathing and snorting just outside of the truck. I couldn't see through the window in the dark, but--I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON! A bear had shown up to investigate the wonderful aroma of Noreen's chili, which was wafting from the garbage bag I had secured in the cab of the truck. There was only one thing to do: yell, bang, and cause enough racket to spook the bear. It worked! I know, because I didn't go to sleep for a lil bit.

Below is a video of the Rucker Lake Dam, (nearby my camp spot) which prior to 1994, used to hold back the lake.

                                  

                                                      Brief history of the lake below.

Rucker Lake in Arizona filled with silt in 1994. 

The 3-acre lake was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s but was destroyed following the 1994 Rattlesnake Fire. The fire burned 28,000 acres of national forest, and subsequent erosion from the denuded slopes washed large amounts of silt into the lake, effectively filling it, according to the USDA Forest Service. 

              Thundra did okay in the mud. Things got pretty slippery and a little sketchy on several                                 occasions. To this day, there is still mud far up underneath the truck.

             Returning to my camp spot, I had to make several water crossings.

After raining all night, the stream looked like in the morning. 

I didn't have to cross there, but further down I did. The water was running strong enough that I stopped at my first crossing. It just didn't look safe; I had no way to really check the depth. After waiting about 10 minutes (and contemplating my life choices), another truck appeared on the other side. I signaled for them to cross. He made it across, then stopped to inform me he had a rope to pull me out if I didn't make it across. Not that that was reassuring but his ability to cross gave me a good gauge for how deep and strong the water was. I put Thundra in low gear and gave it a quick run. No problem, the last two crossings went just fine.

There is a paid campground called Walnut Grove and some interesting history surrounding that area, including Camp Rucker.

             Thanks again for traveling along. We consider ourselves blessed to call you family and friends.                                                 We look forward to sharing with you again soon.