About SMAT

“They shall mount up with wings as eagles.” - Isaiah 40:31

School of Missionary Aviation Technology
730 Lincoln Lake Ave. Lowell, MI 49331
Phone: (616) 897-5785
Email: info@smat-aviation.org

Our Vision: To serve the Lord through aviation training.

Our vision is to serve the Lord in missions by providing certified training in flight, aviation maintenance and related technical fields. We are committed to providing a high level of training through academic excellence, quality personnel, and facilities conducive to the real world missionary environment. As servants of Christ, we will accomplish this by providing a learning environment that is Christ centered, caring, compassionate and responsive.

Our Mission: Equip students to serve God in mission aviation.

Our mission is to equip men and women with the skills necessary to serve God in mission aviation. We will do this by providing Christ centered, performance based training in maintenance, flight, and related technical disciplines; and through hands-on experience in both laboratory and field environments.

Our History: 1969 to Now

  • 1969 to 1993 - GRSBM - SMAT‘s origins can be traced to Lt. Col. Clair McCombs who began the missionary aviation program at Grand Rapids School of the Bible & Music as part of the school’s Missions Program.
  • 1993 to 1997 - MATS - Cornerstone University acquired GRSMB and formed MATS (Missionary Aviation Training Service)
  • 1997 to Now - SMAT - SMAT became an independent school (School of Missionary Aviation Technology)

Our Leadership: Highly-Experienced and Mission-Driven

Each person on our Board of Directors and faculty has a strong desire to serve the Lord combined with the knowledge and experience to steer our school in the right directions.

Board of Directors

  • Howard VanHorn, President
  • Michael McDonald, Treasurer
  • Marvin Tyler, Chaplain
  • David Pray, Secretary
  • Roger Lucas, Resources
  • Ron Reitsma, Vice-President
  • John McNeil, Legal Advisor
  • Duane Linsley, Program Administrator

Faculty

  • Duane Linsley, Maintenance Instructor & Program Administrator
  • Bill Jones, Controller
  • Dean Peterson, Maintenance Instructor
  • Tim Allen, Maintenance Instructor
  • Paul Segard, Director of Flight Training and Flight Instructor
  • Dan Williams, Intern Department
  • Karen Dillon, Administrative Assistant

Our Alliances: Mission Agencies & Other Schools.

We have alliances with missions agencies and other schools that send their students to SMAT for the specialized training only we can provide.

Here are some of the mission agencies we are affiliated with:

  • MAF - Missionary Aviation Fellowship
  • JAARS - Aviation Division of Wycliffe Bible Translators
  • AIM-AIR - Africa Inland Mission
  • NTM - New Tribes Mission
  • SAM - South American Mission
  • ABWE - Association or Baptists for World Evangelism
  • Baptist Mid-Missions