Christian Humanitarian Relief Organization Upgrades Aviation Fleet Amid Global Crisis Response

Samaritan’s Purse has retired its last US-registered DC-8, marking a significant chapter in humanitarian aviation. The organization held a decommissioning ceremony on November 14, 2025, at its Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, where it formally parked the DC-8 for the final time and dedicated the Boeing 767. According to Samaritan’s Purse, the event marks a significant shift in how the organization moves people and supplies into disaster zones as it scales up its aviation operations. For more than a decade, the four-engine DC-8 has been the backbone of Samaritan’s Purse airlift work, carrying millions of pounds of cargo on over 200 missions to crisis zones around the world. The ministry said the event marks a significant shift in how Samaritan’s Purse moves people and supplies into disaster zones as it scales up its aviation operations. For more than a decade, the four-engine DC-8 has been the backbone of Samaritan’s Purse airlift work, carrying millions of pounds of cargo on more than 200 missions to crisis zones around the world. The organization also brought a Boeing 767 cargo aircraft into service, closing a remarkable chapter in humanitarian aviation and opening what the organization describes as a far more capable one. According to AeroTime, CEO Ed Bastian said the expansion reflects strong demand for European travel.