Instructing in South Africa

[Dreamairliner_340]

Hi everybody,

Savaing towards paying for a CPL at 43 Air School in South Africa and planning to start by mid 2008. On the border of the critical 30 years( have 2 years left to cpmplete CPL and apply before I hit that).

I have been told that it takes roughtly 12months to complete a CPL and I have been quoted for 12 months.
I have two questions:

1) I am not a south african national, I know how tough it is to land that forst job, so planning to go instructing to build some hours, but now there's problem about getting a work permit! I want to know if there's anybody out there who has been done his instructor rating in South Africa and has been able to instruct here?

2) Is the 12 months period to get your CPL correct or does it normally take longer as I have seen some posts mentioning that they completed their CPL in 2 years?

Thanks to provide some guidance!

Hope to fly that huge metal bird one day;)

[Vortex Thing]

When I left the army I went out to Lanseria & Grand Central South Africa in 2003 to do my CPL.

I had to do the South African CPL exams and about 150 hours as I had previously flown mostly rotary. I did South African CPL multi IR, the exams and hours in 3 months.

It was cheaper to do this and then come back to UK and convert your ICAO licence to JAR then try and do the JAA syllabus out in SA. I'd suggest that you can live with friends or family and do the JAA exams back in UK 12-18 months self learning means you can earn some cash whilst studying.

Converting the IR took 10hrs sim and 5hrs in a PA34 (or any twin) at about £10k and the CPL was literally the 170a followed by the test so 3hrs in a PA28RT(or any complex single).

Re instructing out there, not really an option. For starters the South African pilots cannot find jobs but not only that you would never get a work permit to do it legally unless you happen to have South African residency rights through parentage. This doesn't meant that you can get work in Namibia, Botswana or further up Africa though and some of my friends did do this and in 2 cases are still out there 4years on flying turbo props now.

never say never but I'd suggest getting north of SA would be the best way to get work once you get the shiny blue licence. Good luck. The journey is long but worthwhile :)