1) A lot of people mention a C206 rating, which confuses me. Surely a C206 would be covered by a normal SEP rating without needing a specific rating? Assuming it is required, what does it involve in terms of training, examination and cost?
You need a rating for each aircraft here.. even a C172...
If you do decide to get a C206 Rating before coming, make sure you get minimum 5 hours of time on it. A lot of guys just come with a rating done with 2-3 hours logged, which is not enough to get it validated.
Edit:You don't really need a C206 rating anyways. You will have to do line training anyways, so the 206 rating is easily included in that. Most of the guys working here didnt have a C206 rating when they started...
2) I'm still a little confused with the process of converting a JAA CPL to a Botswana licence. Again specifically what is involved in terms of training, examination and cost?
You don't convert your licence by yourself. If you get hired, the company takes care of the Validation. You'll basically have to do an AirLaw exam and a if you don't have a C206 rating with at least 5 hours, a C206 technical exam. The written exams are bit of a joke.. Nothing to worry about. You will then need to do a flight test, in a C206 (stalls, steep turns, force lob, and a few circuits). You'll need to do a Botswana medical, on top of your valid foreign medical... Cost is covered by the company.
3) Can anybody who is out there at the moment tell me if they know of many people who are planning to leave soon? I'm considering heading out to Maun in January and it would be good to know if people are leaving who might need replaced. I know things have slowed down there with the rest of the world, but would you say this would be the best time to come?
People always come and go. There will be people leaving soon, but problem is, noone knows here if the companies will replace those pilots... You just have to be here at the right time..
Drinking, booze, more drinking, more booze... Seems theres more of this going on than anything else... Which concerns me greatly. It also appears that how you can handle a funnel is more important than how you can fly..
Quite a few guys here either don't drink at all, or not much. They fit in just fine. If you have a good personality and dont mind hanging around people who do drink, you'll be fine. If on the otherhand you'd rather stay home by yourself and not socialize simply because you dont drink, then your chances are very slim.. And as far as flying is concerned, you'll definitely go for a fly before you get hired, if it doesnt look good, you wont be considered. The important thing for flying here is quick thinking.
