Tanganyika Flying Co

Hi Savannah

To clarify my friend Solenta's comment. We did not advertise, directly, but requested that the TCAA should inform the PATP that we are looking for crew. At present we have identified and are about to recruit a low time pilot to join our Caravan Fleet in Arusha.

In September we will be advertising for experienced crew to join us on some new projects that we are working towards. Solenta are our technical partners, we lease two of their aircaft and we are looking at ways that we can collaborate with flight crew training and some staffing.

justasmallfire

One possible reason for a poor response maybe the Solenta website,i tried uploading a CV some time back and it just kept getting stuck in a loop.

CaptZeloZelo

To be honest, in most other countries people don't just get handed over premium jobs.
Paying their dues might mean many different things that one doesn't necessarily WANT to do but does it anyway in order to progress their career.
For example, flight instructing wouldn't be for me, I would however do it in order to progress my career in the long run if I had to.
Some countries make their people work on the ramp for years before getting touch the controls of a plane. (ie. Ice Pilots)
Some people have to move way the up north and fly 206's onto frozen runways.
Here, it seems like the low time locals are just after the "caravan entry job" to then move onto the ATRs...
I've talked to one that refused to go on a 206. Why? I guess he's just too good for it. Again going back the that terrible mindset....
If I were in there shoes, like I have been in the past, I'd be willing to do whatever I had to in order to get myself in a plane...

ps. CTA's are now hard as hell to get as a foreign pilot entering the country and you may only receive ONE CTA OF 3 MONTHS, once that one expires, no more renewing it... Anxious to see how that turns out...

brits_in_tz

The association is currently playing the "race card", which is complete , with work permits now costing 3000 usd a pop a company would choose a tanzanian over a foreigner with equal experience, problem is there isn't any. Fact is that for the last 2 years I haven't seen a single experience tanzanian come for an interview or hand in a cv. It costs about $20 000 usd to train someone to fly a C208 from scratch, this doesn't include the extra hours of training to make the 1500hr insurance requirement.

kibz2005

Ah right, gotcha now. I am actually an East African and I do agree with you 100% on that one. I don't like the people who sit around and wait to be handed the job flying a caravan or an ATR or even a dash. I started off flying a teensie SEP and it was great fun and experience. I learned a lot from it and made lots of friends. A low-time pilot who turns down a job flying a 206 because they 'deserve better' is better suited to working in a bank if you ask me.

Solenta

well so far after looking for Tanzanian experienced pilots we have received CV's from India, Sweden, UK, South Africa etc.... not one Tanzanian !
So where are all these experienced Tanzanians that everyone talks of... and the salaries certainly are market related - Oil and Gas salaries are a lot higher than your average tourist pilot. ( in fact higher than some big airlines )
I am convinced that the experience, or pilots, are just not there - so the reality is that there is a SHORTAGE of Tanzanian pilots who are actually acceptable by client, or insurance standards - makes you wonder

cavortingcheetah

Suddenly one discovers that, due to the exigencies of a wastrel family, one might need to renew that old southern licence in October and attempt to enter the employment market.
As one ruefully tries to remember where one parked the Zimmer frame and being of a youthful and disposition one ponders on your age limits for experienced African aviators of European nomadic lineage. No ageist interpretations will be inferred or even deduced, just a guide line will do nicely as in, 'we'd prefer it if you spoke Swahili and were under seventy five.'

B737 lover

Hey just a matter of concern, at an age of 5! Do you even know what a Plane is? Ha ha, all in all keep on doing a good job in Tanzania and Mozambique

Solid Rust Twotter

B737 lover

I have seen a couple of more Foreign Pilots still coming to Tz recently and they are flying, maybe this Ban is no longer there after all or the Association is collapsing slowly...

CaptZeloZelo

Update: Immigration now requires a letter of acceptance from the pilots union in order to supply expat pilots with residency permits.

petesevenseven

It's been a long time since I operated in TZ.

I will say this I think the idea of a pilots association is a great idea for protecting the interests of ALL pilots operating in that area. However their first actions of Banning Expats when there is always a shortage of qualified locals is wrong. It will hinder growth of aviation in the area which is bad for everyone. The guys that in turn will lose the most are the locals plain and simple.

The Pilot Association or Union needs to turn its attentions to more immediate needs like Safety that being Aircraft Maintenaince issues, Flight Duty Times, Training Standards...and Employment Terms and Conditions.. These are the things that the association need to focus on rather than Booting Out Mzungus who speaking from experience don't stay anyway.... Unless they are Greek and like shouting " WoW"

My few Shillingys Worth,

Pete

B737 lover

Well talking about a letter of acceptance from the Union??? I guess it will never be given out. As far as most of the guys in the union are jobless! I doubt. It's always a good thing to be neutral in this situation.

daladaladriver

Word is the association leader had previously abandonned an out-of-country flying contract with an operator over here... He just left the aircraft and came back to TZ without talking to his employer. Perfect Mascot for such a group of professionals if you ask me. It's sad that fresh CPL pilots from tanzania are looking up to this joker for career advice.