Quick question, i'm an Aussie Pilot, just over 1120hrs total, got 97hrs ME, MECIR Current, flown Airvans, 207s, 206s and 310 doing Skydiving, Scenic and Charter. What i'm wondering is, would having this amount of hours work against me getting a job in Maun? I'm really considering taking the plunge as the job market over here isn't great and i'm pretty keen on a new adventure!! I know there are some places that would look at my hours and worry that i'll leaving too soon, would those of you whom have been involved over there see this as being the case?
Ixixy, haha if you think you are over qualified then I'm well under qualified! Just 331tt, cpl and sep! (i/r and mep will be expired by then) I'm planning to go there in jan and feb 2013.
Hahaha, not overqualified, I've just had the situation before where people look at me having more hours than the usual candidates and become worried that i'm not going to stick around long enough to make it worth their while with training and such! So when i'm looking at most people going over there like yourself with around 300hrs I get a little worried and just thought i'd check it if would work against me!!
i'm also worried too! There are guys like you with thousand hours. You got the experience but i do not have! You probably get less training and be put on line very quicky. I probably need more training and be on line slighty longer! Haha. You have your advantages and I have mine. Just have to see what decisions the recruiter makes.
I don't see why either of you would require more or less training? Just saw one of the new company co-pilots at my new job blow 4 tyres on a king air while trying to stop to make a turn off with thousands of feet of runway remaining..... and he has thousands of hours from instructing.
The biggest advantage that Ixixly will have is that it will be easier for him to get work permits. Also Ixixly, if you do not get a job in Maun, I would suggest Zambia and Tanzania. Both do the same sort of flying, but there are twin jobs to progress into. And you need over 1000hrs for a work permit there.
ixixly, the deal is on! But, i'm no gentleman and i will shoot you before the paces are done lol. Lilflyboy, thanks for some useful info. regarding to work permits. I have being reading 'Low time flying jobs in africa' and very little info. about it.
Well if you watched the show you saw one guy getting into Qatar.
If you watched the show even more carefully, you would have seen a clue on the front of that guys logbook, which might have better explained how he got into Qatar. A lot of people where he trained found the same destination.
Not so much where he trained, but the type of licence he holds. Qatar are also after guys with their ATPL's. The time here counts towards your ATPL's. So yeah...
From a consultants point of view what is happening there with the work permits? I understand that some of the guys featured in the documentary and accepted by a company are still awaiting their permits.
What type of licence did he have? Also on a slightly different note, anyone who is in Maun just now, where is the cheapest and best place to camp ie Backpackers, Audi etc and also, is it better to book Air Botswana flight prior to travel or at air port on arrival in J bourg
The guys and girl who were offered positions at Wilderness on Bush Pilots have been advised that their work permits have been approved. Some of them are doing line training now.
Hey guys! are there any latin american pilot (not latin american idol) i`d like to go but, i think, iy`s gona be more confortable to me, speak sometimes in spanish. what ever...may be next season i`ll be there Kily from argentina!!
African Pirate, last summer most of the new pilots stayed at Sedia. It is set back just from the road so easy to get into town. Campers (huge site on river) have access to all the amenities in the hotel, pool etc. Backpackers do not encourage long stay guests now.
AP, it is the end of the season and it is an enormous, really nice, camp site there will be no problem. We will also be back in exactly 5 weeks. Often in Sedia for a beer at lunchtime.
Actually I forgot to mention that the other attraction of Sedia is that it is just a 1km walk to (stagger from) the Sports Bar. If you do not know about this establishment you will!
As most people know who Exascot is I have been avoiding risking the wrath of a certain employment agency in Maun who arrange work permits for many of the air charter companies. I cannot remain silent anymore. For anyone intelligent enough to be a commercial pilot the process is not difficult. We know from experience that if one is patient and polite the immigration officers are extremely helpful and efficient. OK their computer system does frequently let them down but they are very apologetic about this.
The last tranche of pilots (the film stars!) employed this year had incredible difficulties getting their work permits. There are issues with the quota of non-Batswana pilots that is constantly changing. However, I feel that rather than using a middle-man a personal approach with the immigration officers would be more successful.
The companies would also save a considerable amount of money by not using these people.
