In 1956, MAF initiated a flight service to missions serving on Brazil’s frontiers. As the initiative expanded, the Brazilian entity Asas de Socorro (ADS) was incorporated in 1964. By the early 1980s, MAF’s aircraft, equipment and buildings were transferred to ADS.

In 1985, ADS started a life-saving project, enabling doctors and medical teams to bring medical care to people living in isolated areas.

Today, ADS is an autonomous Brazilian entity incorporated under Brazilian law as a non-profit public service, with a Brazilian board of directors and Brazilian operational leadership.

Its goal is to support missions and churches that are preaching the Gospel and bringing humanitarian support to hard-to-reach areas in the Amazon basin region of Brazil.

ADS also reaches local communities with the Gospel through youth projects, and has a workshop that services the needs of the fleet and those of other organisations.

Because the Brazilian authorities require aviation personnel to have the highest motivational and technical standards, ADS has established a school to prepare pilots and engineers for the types of flying necessary for Brazil.