Hi everyone,
I plan to become bush pilot in Africa (I don't know yet where, I just want ).
Apparently, if you look at all the things already stated on this website, low timers (as me) are everywhere (Namibia, Bostwana, Zambia, South Africa....). Procedures for work permits become more and more stringent (sometimes you will need more than 1000TT to get a job on a cessna C210!
2 years ago, nothing was more easy to get a job in Maun. Just knock at the chief pilot desk's door with 250hrs TT, and a job was nearly offered to you.
Now everything is changing, and it freaks me out.
Here is a letter I just received from a chief pilot in a famous local charter company in Maun:
"We are NOT hiring at the moment. Our minimum hour requirement is as follows:
•
500 hour total time with an instructors rating and instructors experience or
•
800 hours total time with a Commercial Pilots License.
CV's are filed for six months, as is policy in our company. When we require crew, we contact short-listed candidates for an interview in person.
All non-Botswana citizens require a work visa/permit to work in Botswana. We have been experiencing extreme difficulties in obtaining these from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and this is beyond our control. Consequently, we prefer hiring Botswana crew i.e. citizens of the country. Should none be available, we revert to the (foreign) CVs on file.
All our pilots start their career with XXXX – Botswana on the Cessna 206 aircraft for a minimum period of one year, after one year of service selected candidates will progress onto the Cessna Grand Caravan.
Good luck in your search for employment!"
Howewer, I'd like to have your opinion. Is it still possible for a european guy, low houred with a CPL IR/ME to get hired by a local charter company (on SEP) out there?
Did you hear any story about employement in RDC, Gambia, Madagascar, Angola, Gabon etc... I just do not want to camp around a airport or weeks to get my first job.