Jobs in Africa

[noddie]

To all Rotorheads,

I'm about to complete my CPL(H) and am in the process of scouting around for employment possibilities. I'm very keen to work in Africa and would like to know a bit more about the industry over there and if there are any operators which take on low hour pilots (i.e. hangar rats!). I would be grateful for any information or advice you can offer.

T'ra for now,
noddie :rolleyes:

[212man]

Any particular part of 'Africa'?

Cairo, Tripoli, Algiers, Tunis, Casablanca, Agadir, Nouakchot, Dakar, Freetown, Monrovia, Bamako, Timbukto, Abidjan, Cotonou, Abuja, Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Malabo, Duoala, Bangui, Port Gentil, Libreville, Luanda, Cape Town, Durban, Maputo, Lilongwe, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, Mogadishu, Djibouti, Asmara, Khartoum, Cairo?; oh, did I say that already? Not to mention Kampala, Kigali and Bujumbura! (8 thousand miles in 18 seconds!)

Or, just some generic hot dusty place with poor black people, like what you saw on telly, where white people with no experience and a shiny new CPL(H) can work for peanuts flying undermaintained squirrels filled with with dodgy Jet A1 and get valuable 'bush time'?

Answers on a postcard to:

[email protected]

Harsh?: try Africa!:)

[noddie]

212man,

Apart from assuming that I'm white (which I'm not), I think you're right. Time for a bit of homework! The reason that I'm being very general is that I can't go back to my native land of Zimbabwe for obvious reasons. However, being a second generation immigrant in Britain, I'm keen to go back to Africa and work. Unfortunately, I'm a bit in the dark. I know Africa's a big place and that you can't simply refer to it as if it were a small island with a few hundred people. However, being the poverty-stricken place that it is, I imagine that the helicopter industry is very small compaired to the more wealthy western continents. So, 212man, before shooting me down again by suggesting I'm a rich little white-boy, think about my position - a black man going into a predominantly white industry who can't go back to his native country for fear of political oppression but wants to work in a vast continent with a tiny helicopter community. I don't blame you for assuming I'm a squeeky clean white boy who wants to go and satisfy his self-righteous cravings out in the poverty-stricken dust bowl of Africa so he can go and pat poor little black children on the head while polishing his halo. Let's be honest, there are plenty of those around and who the hell needs more?
Anyway, I didn't come onto this website to have a slagging session. So, if there is any advice out there which I could use as a starting point, I'd be more than grateful. If not, I'll dig out the back pack, brush the cobwebs off the halo, and go check it out for myself!!

noddie

[HillerBee]

Bravo Noddie.

[international hog driver]

Noddie, in order to help you, you need to help yourself first. This board and others have miles and miles of info on just about everything and 212 is correct regardless of your current colour, white, black, green with envy or purple with rage it does not matter.

What you have to do is be more specific in you request, 8k miles in 18 seconds is a good way to sum it up.

Firstly do you speak French….. no take a marker and cross off half the countries.:confused:
Pork and Cheese… cross off a few more.:yuk:

That leaves you with your targets, now pick your type of flying, commercial, tourism, relief, offshore, onshore, or the stuff that were not allowed to mention that Gun’s does!!:=

Now to help you out here is a gem, I am speaking from personal experience here. The example is Angola, rapidly growing offshore market with a few international operators where the majority of FO’s are local (and high time) and a few Local operators.;)

The major local operator took potential candidates straight from education to flight school in SA, trained them up and first leap from the Robbie was into the left seat of a brand new 76C+. Paid for everything.:{

This is what you will be facing no matter what colour you may be, there will always be local preference and even though you are 2nd gen, you will be treated exactly in the way that 212 came across, you will seem like just another European wannabe trying to take the rightful job of a local.:D

I am not being critical just realistic.

Be more specific, be more realistic and if you think I am being Harsh
TRY AFRICA :E


As for HillerB.. stick it in you pipe and smoke it:ouch: :mad: :ugh:

[Heliport]

noddie

These threads might help with background information -

Africa: Training, flying and working (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=116911)

What's new in West Africa (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=145176)

Use the Search facility to look for information on specific areas by keyword.
NB: The default setting looks for posts within the last month. Change it to 'any date' for more results.

[noddie]

International Hog Driver,

Thankyou for the helpful and realistic advice. Much appreciated.

noddie

[jetflite]

Any particular part of 'Africa'?
Cairo, Tripoli, Algiers, Tunis, Casablanca, Agadir, Nouakchot, Dakar, Freetown, Monrovia, Bamako, Timbukto, Abidjan, Cotonou, Abuja, Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Malabo, Duoala, Bangui, Port Gentil, Libreville, Luanda, Cape Town, Durban, Maputo, Lilongwe, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, Mogadishu, Djibouti, Asmara, Khartoum, Cairo?; oh, did I say that already? Not to mention Kampala, Kigali and Bujumbura! (8 thousand miles in 18 seconds!)
Or, just some generic hot dusty place with poor black people, like what you saw on telly, where white people with no experience and a shiny new CPL(H) can work for peanuts flying undermaintained squirrels filled with with dodgy Jet A1 and get valuable 'bush time'?
Answers on a postcard to:
[email protected]
Harsh?: try Africa!:)

:ugh: you got put in your place, that comment back fired on you a bit huh..:D ..Maybe it will teach you not to be so judgemental. . Don't judge a book by ....hmmm the WAY IT TYPES!!!!!!:=

[TomBola]

noddie,
I think that 212man actually got it about right. If you're a Brit and living in UK and serious about wanting long-term employment in Africa you'd probably do better to take a long-term view and shelve your plan to do that for a few years. Once you have your CPL see if you can get employed by Bristow, Scotia or Bond and get your ATPL(H) and a couple of years experience. You can then look at getting moved to one of the many African operations that Bristow or CHC have in places like Mauritania, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, Rwanda, Cote D'Ivoire or wherever they have them at the time. You'll then get a full expat deal with a tax free salary. The present MD of CHC Africa is a Nigerian who worked for both Bristow and CHC on the North Sea and he's an inspiration to any black helicopter pilot as to what can be achieved if you have the ability.
Keep your dreams alive, but maybe postpone your immediate plans. Even as a copilot on the North Sea the money is quite good now and you could use some of your leave time to visit some of the African countries where these companies have their operations and find out more about what life's really like there. There are many pilots in UK who have worked for these companies in Africa and can tell you a bit more (but don't be put off by the negative things many of them will tell you). You might also find Heli Union worth a try, though if you're not French, or not a fairly fluent French speaker you'll probably find them a hard nut to crack.
Good luck :ok:

[212man]

Jetflite/Hillerbee, perhaps I could be accused of jumping the gun, though others seem to think not, and frankly I'm surprised that someone who has actually come from that continent would be so vague.

It is not the first time the question has been asked (I mean using the word 'Africa', not those asking about specific countries/operators etc), and it is generally asked by people with little or no experience who seem to think 'Africa' will be the panacea of all things.

Noddie,
I think IHD has the right approach (a little more politely put I agree): if you can't speak French, Arabic or Portugese then cross off a big chunk or three. If you don't have offshore experience, cross off a 4-6 operators. Do you want to live there (with a family?) or commute? Where would you actually have the right to live and work? What is the purpose of going there; to live and work indefinitely, or to gain experience and return to the UK? etc etc. If you can be more detailed with your own experience and abilities then I'm sure there will be a wealth of information available from contributors here.

[jetflite]

Or, just some generic hot dusty place with poor black people, like what you saw on telly, where white people with no experience and a shiny new CPL(H) can work for peanuts flying undermaintained squirrels filled with with dodgy Jet A1 and get valuable 'bush time'?
Answers on a postcard to:
[email protected]
Harsh?: try Africa!:)

212man, I understand and agree with your statement about "AFRICA", but thought the above comment wasn't called for and has nothing to do with noddie be vauge. anyway. . i'm interested to know what you and others have to say about the topic. :ok:

[Gotagivitago]

Touche' Noddy!

212 Man

Sarcasm truly is the lowest form of wit.It seems to me that to give advice in the first place rather than the condescending, self indulgent rant you first responded with would have been easier, less time consuming and not to mention more productive.

It's a sad day when people can't ask a question without fear of being ridiculed by their peers.

The answer you gave does you no credit.:(

[DryAir]

:cool: Noddie,
Well... you wanted opinions and advice.. obviously there are both sides to the coin in anything... look at it at different angles and compile what has been posted in the rotorhead forum.
212man is a very respectable man in my point of view and if he chooses to say as such .. then there must be his side of the story so PM him for details... a wealth of experiance there.. and i would also suggest you look deeper into Tombola's suggestion about trying with Bristows and CHC or the other operators to build up hours and experiance .. so you can be more 'marketable' in the future... a few thousand hours in the north sea helps lots... good money too.(and really... flying an under maintained aircraft does not do good for your heart..!)
All the best and good luck.:ok:

[Dangagan]

There may soon be a requirment for a low time Pilot to fly a corporate/personal Bell 407. Send an e mail to the GM at [email protected]

[SASless]

Given a choice of Nigeria or Aberdeen.....why take a pay cut to go to Nigeria.

Sure you pay taxes but lord have mercy....there is a trade off in lifestyle that money cannot pay for....especially if there is not an incentive (read:MONEY).

[Mama Mangrove]

Dangagan,
Don't tell me that they're looking for someone else to fly Gito's machine again? Surely that should be available to a Nigerian pilot?