Around the Pacific Rim in 14 Days

Kenneth and Lynette Hagin quickly slipped out of RHEMA Bible Church Easter Sunday morning. Normally they stand at a door and shake hands with the congregation and visitors as they are leaving church. But on April 24, 2011, the Hagins needed to get to the airport as soon as possible. They were leaving to visit the international RHEMA Bible Training Centers along the Pacific Rim.

 

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Fast Facts:

Lynette Hagin prepared 112 meals onboard the airplane. At a fuel stop in the Aleutian Islands, the Hagins were delayed four hours because of snow on the runway.

“Tulsa ground, KHM Jet at hanger 13 ready to taxi with information bravo.”

“KHM Jet, Tulsa Tower. Taxi to runway three six right via golf Charlie and the terminal ramp.”

As the Bombardier jet taxied to the hold short of the runway area, the pilots ran through one of their final checklists before takeoff. Once finished, Captain Dave radioed the tower, “Tulsa Tower, KHM Jet ready for takeoff on three six right.

“KHM Jet, runway three six right cleared for takeoff. Fly runway heading.”

The power on the engines were brought up, and as they spooled up, the rumble of the engines became palpable to everyone onboard. With the release of the brakes, the jet surges down the two mile long runway—the parking lots and trees that line the runway whizzing by like a blur. Within seconds the airplane is in the air heading northwest to Alaska.

It takes two days to reach Bangkok, Thailand. The Hagins and crew first overnight in Anchorage, Alaska. From there they cross the international dateline and lose a day on their way to Taipei, Taiwan, for another overnighter. Landing in Taipei brought back many memories for Kenneth Hagin. It’s been 46 years since he was honored to serve in the United States Army. And during his commission, he was based on the mountainous island of Taiwan. Scheduled rest stops on a long trip like this really help to adjust to the many time zone changes. That way when Kenneth and Lynette land in Bangkok, they’re ready to go.

The flight out of Taiwan took Kenneth and Lynette over the rolling aquamarine South China Sea and a quick flight over the S-shaped country of Vietnam and the landlocked nation of Laos. The triple canopy forests of these nations soon gave way to Thailand’s “rice bowl,” one of the most
fertile paddy rice regions in the world. Landing the jet in Bangkok is always a bumpy ride. In
that part of the world there’s a lot of moisture from the sea and it’s always hot. Once the plane comes down through the clouds, the pilots have to deal with a lot of lifting action from the clouds. Captain Dave turns on the “Fasten your seatbelt” sign.