Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > PPRuNe Worldwide > African Aviation
Reload this Page >

Flying for the UN

Wikiposts
Search
African Aviation Regional issues that affect the numerous pilots who work in this area of the world.

Flying for the UN

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 2nd Dec 2006, 16:20
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Oz
Posts: 281
Received 9 Likes on 4 Posts
Flying for the UN

Hi All,

Would be most grateful for any information on the UN flying operations in Africa such as:

What are the various bases ?
How do you apply/Where do you get the information ?
What is the operation like ? etc etc

Thanks,

Oz2
Australia2 is offline  
Old 3rd Dec 2006, 17:53
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Eire/HK
Posts: 590
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Info on the other thread not all entirely correct. Alot of UN contracts are held by South African companies who will employ you with 700 hours and a Van rating. That is the current UNWFP requirement for a co-pilot.
If you have a 200 or 1900 rating it gets easier.
Good Luck
B200Drvr is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2006, 06:47
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Your nearest Marriott
Posts: 1,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Easier to get a job maybe, but flying for the UN sure aint easy. The largest bunch of paper pushing ops-incapable folk on the face of the planet....and lets not talk about being licensed to print money!
I.R.PIRATE is offline  
Old 4th Dec 2006, 07:18
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Globe
Age: 44
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
UNorganised

Fully agree on that I.R.Pirate.....Working for the UN is like working in an absolute LOGICfree zone.........
rattex4U is offline  
Old 7th Dec 2006, 14:10
  #5 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Oz
Posts: 281
Received 9 Likes on 4 Posts
Thanks,

Van rating? - can anyone help with this one?

Cheers
Australia2 is offline  
Old 7th Dec 2006, 14:59
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: FL350
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That would be the C208 (Cessna Grand Caravan).

The UN might not be the most proffesional crowd when it comes to aviation but for those looking to build time and learn a lot its a good place to start. Who we kidding, its one of the few places where a relatively low time pilot can still get a job. (If he is prepared to put up with deepest darkest and everything it has to throw at you).

From the above posts you will see that the South African contract companies are responsible for the bulk of Western aircraft plying their trade up North. These are the guys to get hold of, and with enough determination, you should eventually get lucky.
imustbemad is offline  
Old 7th Dec 2006, 15:24
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
**Quote**

Who we kidding, its one of the few places where a relatively low time pilot can still get a job.

Thats not true, in actual fact, the UN has fairly high requirements, although the operators have not always adhered to these requirements.
south coast is offline  
Old 7th Dec 2006, 16:54
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: UK
Age: 50
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oz2, try the following operators, they all operate UN/Red Cross contracts from time to time. You should be able to get a C208 rating at Lanseria Airport (Johannesburg) or otherwise Fedair in Durban used to do them. Better option is to get the rating on your national license before coming over, as it will make conversion/validation to SA license a lot easier.

www.airserv.org
www.naturelink.co.za
www.norseair.co.za
http://www.kingair.co.za/
www.solenta.com
www.fedair.com
www.safair.co.za
http://www.qwila-air.co.za/
http://www.zimex.com
http://www.transafrik.com
http://www.swiftair.com/actividades....vo=act_charter

Forget the politics and enjoy the experience, it is some of the best flying you will ever do. Good luck
Jelly Doughnut is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 23:48
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: All over the world
Age: 40
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And since some recent times www.denimair.com with F-50's flying, amongst others, for the UN.
PH-JPC is offline  
Old 4th May 2007, 20:42
  #10 (permalink)  
Fly Conventional Gear
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Winchester
Posts: 1,600
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do the UN employ any pilots themselves or is it all done by contractors?
Contacttower is offline  
Old 4th May 2007, 21:36
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: No fixed abode
Posts: 197
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
try also www.angolaairsevices.com
[email protected]
they need 1900 p1's $6500 per month

No all UN pilots are contractors via the above companies
big buddah is offline  
Old 5th May 2007, 01:01
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: RSA
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
yes a great option. considering............

Last edited by putt for dough; 5th May 2007 at 07:47.
putt for dough is offline  
Old 6th May 2007, 01:09
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Canada
Age: 39
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Airserv

Hey all,

I have 1500hrs and a King Air 200 type rating. I am really interested in UN flying but don't have a ZA license. Any chance of me getting a job with these qualifications? I'm particularly interested in airserv. Would there be any chance of an upgrade with 1000PIC on singles?
arcticbeaches is offline  
Old 6th May 2007, 01:12
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Canada
Age: 39
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Forgot to mention that most of my time is on short gravel strips(and ice for a lot of the year) if that helps.
arcticbeaches is offline  
Old 6th May 2007, 10:40
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: U.K.
Posts: 206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Apply directly to Airserv since you meet their minimum requirements. They don't as such fly for the UN so much as for NGOs to the best of my knowledge.

Some SA registered and some N registered A/C.

Validation to SA licence is no problem but, you can only fly types you're rated on on your foreign licence and no types can be added to your SA license.

Executive Turbine amongst others, fly King Air 200s. With your time you should be able to find a job.

GB
Gooneybird is offline  
Old 7th May 2007, 14:15
  #16 (permalink)  

I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
These are the minimum hours that were specified in an RFP for a UN contract in Afghanistan. The table is from the DPKO Aviation manual. Yes they do seem extreme especially for the hrs on type requirement. The same hours were specified regardless of aircraft type.
Pilot in Command
Actual Flight Hours in all types 1500
Actual flight Hours as PIC of type aircraft BID 500
Actual Instrument Flight Hours 75
Actual Night Flight Hours 100
First Pilot/Co-Pilot
Actual Flight Hours in type aircraft bid 100
but this was raised to 300 hrs if the PIC had less than 1700hrs total.
No allowance was given for pilots who were perhaps flying someithiing like Dash 8 or ATR 72 then reverting back to B200.
Yes the UN is indeed one of the most uptight bureaucratic and incompetent organisation I ever worked for. But they do pay good bucks Unless you are a pilot. Then you are at the mercey of whatever the contracted charter company like AirServ or PacTec pay. I wouldn't have got out of bed for the money they were offering.

And as South Coast said, the UN org I was with never actually checked crew log books to ensue compliance with the hour requirement. But it would not be in the operators interest to allow pilots without the specified hours fly as their (company's) name would be forever on a UN sh1t list.
Islander Jock is offline  
Old 7th May 2007, 15:25
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Canada
Age: 39
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Upgrades

Islander Jock,

How do people accomplish their upgrades if a 500 PIC on type requirement exists. Are there some contracts that have no PIC on type minimums? (this is what my current employer has: all new captains are sent on one contract not requiring multi-PIC). I would otherwise have all the other specified minimums when my skill level was deamed adequate for the left seat.
arcticbeaches is offline  
Old 8th May 2007, 02:10
  #18 (permalink)  

I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
G'day Arcticbeaches,

As far as I am aware, the minimums I have would apply to all UN contracts however I could be wrong and someone with info to the contrary might like to let us know. The Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO) Aviation Manual is the bible wrt air operations for UN.

I know that quite a few of the operators responding to our RFP had problems getting pilots with the minimums on type despite maybe thousands of hours on more complex ME turbo prop aircraft.

Sad fact is the aviation side of UN is largely run by people who were perhaps ground staff at some stage with a third world countr's air force. They will follow what is written to the letter (when it suits). Most have no experience to draw upon to question and say hey this doesn't seem right" or "we need to change this"
Islander Jock is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.