Hello all,
So as you can see this thread is about jobs in Botswana, Maun. What I'm going to do is give NEW information regarding the possibilities of getting a job here in Maun.
In the previous Jobs in Maun post it stated that you need 200 hrs TT, now it's not the case anymore unfortunately, it really suck. It's pretty much because the Immigration Department are trying to force the Foreign Pilots out. The ability to get a work permit in Maun is VERY difficult for pilots with less than 300 - 350 hrs TT.
There are 8 Charter/Scenic Companies:
Wilderness Air,
This company has C206 (Not sure how many) and 5x C208 Caravans, their minimum requirement for foreign pilots is 800+ hrs BUT they will consider pilots with 500+ hrs and obviously preferably a C206 rating & an instructors rating. Their pay is good, you night stop in the bush 4 - 6 times during the week between your off days so there is pretty much no need to have your own place in Maun.
Safari Air,
These guys have 1x C206 (Which they are selling) and 3x GA8 Airvans, their minimum requirement for foreign pilots is 300 hrs with a GA8 rating. I don't know what the pay is like but I know that you night stop in camp sites between 2 & 4 times between off days.
Delta Air,
They have C172s, C206s and GA8 airvans if I'm not mistaken, this company is not as "out there" as the rest of them so I don't particularly know what they do or how they are. Although the minimum requirements of the company are 300+ hrs they have hired a few people quite recently in the past with LESS THAN 300 hrs.
Moremi Air,
This company has 1 x C172, 1 x C206, 1 x C210, 1 or 2 x GA8 Airvan and a PAC 750. They are not a bad company, although once you do get hired you will only get paid 1000 Botswana Pula per month as a retainer until you finish your training and go online (equivalent to 112.90 USD) once you go online you do get paid more. The minimum requirements of the company are 500+ hrs with at least a C172 &/or C206 rating. They are a good company I have a few friends working there, their main concern is the retainer pay check because it's impossible to rent a one bedroom place for less than 2000 Botswana Pula per month. There are people that need house sitters to look after their house when they are away so that's pretty much what the new pilots do until they are online.
Kavango Air,
These guys have 2 x C172, 2/3 x C206, 2 x GA8 Airvan, the boss is currently looking to get a C208 Caravan. Their minimum requirements are 300+ hrs with a C172 & C206 Rating, they are thinking of raising the hrs requirement to 500+ hrs, but I will keep you updated.
Air Shakawe,
These guys are very small, they only have 2 x C207s, their minimum requirements are 300+ hrs with a C207 rating, I have no idea where one would get that rating.
Major Blue Air,
The company is pretty good, they have 2 x 172s, 4 x C206, 3 x GA8 Airvan and 1 x C208 Caravan, their minimum requirements are 500+ hrs but will consider 300+.
Mack Air,
These guys have the largest fleet currently in Maun, 6 x C206, 1 x C210, 5 x GA8 Airvan and 5 x C208 Caravan. Their minimum requirements are 500+ hrs but will consider 300+ hrs.
Guys and Ladies, those of you who want to work in the Delta I recommend getting either a C206 or GA8 Airvan rating, if not both, with 300+ hrs. One more thing DON'T SEND YOUR CV TO THE COMPANIES VIA EMAIL, you must come to Maun and physically hand it to the Chief Pilots, if you send it via email the chances of you getting hired are NONE, it happened once, a company hired someone and he/she resigned within a day so now the companies won't risk it anymore. So please come to Maun even if you are not looking for a job, it's really a beautiful place. If your are coming to look for a job, when you go through the border control, for your own sake DO NOT SAY YOU COMING TO LOOK FOR A JOB, say you visiting the country, the maximum that they can give you on your visa per year is 90 days so ask for 90 days if they don't give it to you then you can always extend it at the immigration department in Maun, ask any of the pilots here and they will give you directions. Its a very small a chilled place, very beautiful hardly any crime...just look after your belongings regardless. The only crime that happens is across the river away from Maun Airport.
Ok so once you get employed the company will organise a waver for your passport which last for 6 months if I'm not mistaken, then they organise a temporary Botswana Licence for you to fly a Botswana registered aircraft (Alpha 2 - Foxtrot Tango Whiskey for example) and in those 6 months you will need to do an airlaw exam and approximately 50 hrs of line training depending on the company and then do 500 hrs PIC in the delta, once that's completed you can get your Botswana CPL and therefore it will be a bit easier to get your Botswana work permit, bare in mind the Immigration Office likes taking the piss out of work permit applications, they take forever and sometimes get rejected up to 3 times before being accepted.
Good luck to all you job hunters!!
