More Info for those (low-timers) seeking a job in Namibia
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Hey everyone!!
I have read this thread with interest and I am seriously considering visiting Namibia in the New Year. Is it true that the best time to go is Jan-Mar time?
I am in my early twenties and have an EASA CPL/MEP/IR with 200hrs TT is this realistic to get a low-time job over there?
My SEP has expired I assume it will be necessary to have this renewed before going?
Any advice on the current situation and any more stories I would love to hear them! Anyone can PM be most grateful.
I have read this thread with interest and I am seriously considering visiting Namibia in the New Year. Is it true that the best time to go is Jan-Mar time?
I am in my early twenties and have an EASA CPL/MEP/IR with 200hrs TT is this realistic to get a low-time job over there?
My SEP has expired I assume it will be necessary to have this renewed before going?
Any advice on the current situation and any more stories I would love to hear them! Anyone can PM be most grateful.
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Hello to all.
Thanks for waste your time on me
This is the point I planned to arrived in NAM in April for try to get a job there.
Now I hace 620 hours TT and C206 rating and there I will do the C210 rating.
How is the expectative there for this year?
thansk and sorry.
Thanks for waste your time on me
This is the point I planned to arrived in NAM in April for try to get a job there.
Now I hace 620 hours TT and C206 rating and there I will do the C210 rating.
How is the expectative there for this year?
thansk and sorry.
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Not much going on right now in namibia, might want to try bots first, especially with that 206 rating.
I want to try in namibia because I like the country the airplanes and ther I'll do the C210 rating for try to get a job because here in my country there isnt any 210 aircraft
Sorry again for waste the time on me
Join Date: Mar 2014
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And now for something almost completely different ...
I was thinking to go to Namibia hang out for a while. I happen to be rookie with only 200+h, but with one big difference - due to heritage I do own a 206 and some money to keep me and MajaBee alive for quite a while. Will that be an advantage or will I be ripped off by the maintenance organizations there? Any idea how long I could stay without local validation?
I was thinking to go to Namibia hang out for a while. I happen to be rookie with only 200+h, but with one big difference - due to heritage I do own a 206 and some money to keep me and MajaBee alive for quite a while. Will that be an advantage or will I be ripped off by the maintenance organizations there? Any idea how long I could stay without local validation?
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: USA
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I've been reading over this forum over the last year or two, finally joined. I'm very interested in the region particularly Namibia and Botswana, but how much attention should I give to the minimum required hours since the companies are increasing the hours for foreigners. And with supposed numbers of locals starting flight training on the increase, is it worth the trip for the foreigner?
Im up for possibly sleeping in a tent in intense heat, and spending days knocking on doors and shaking hands and willing to accept a lot of rejection but, as of right now, what are the conditions and outlooks like?
Im up for possibly sleeping in a tent in intense heat, and spending days knocking on doors and shaking hands and willing to accept a lot of rejection but, as of right now, what are the conditions and outlooks like?
Join Date: Mar 2014
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In Namibia, poor. No one is hiring at all.
Maybe Bots?
If you have over 1000tt and time on a van, TZ
Otherwise just fly back home, it's easier to find a job in the US (presuming you're an American) anyway
Maybe Bots?
If you have over 1000tt and time on a van, TZ
Otherwise just fly back home, it's easier to find a job in the US (presuming you're an American) anyway
Join Date: Mar 2014
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Yep I was born in the US, raised in the Caribbean. I've been interested in the area but don't want to spend thousands on a ticket just find out there's absolutely no hiring for a good while.
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Tamworth, UK / Nairobi, Kenya
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There's the rub.
If you go, and there's no hiring, you're out the cost of the trip, but have the holiday/vacation of a lifetime.
If you don't go, and they start hiring, you can't get there fast enough to be hired, because they've already interviewed everyone they're going to consider.
What I saw was the hiring happens across all companies at about the same time. So if you miss it, you miss it. Get there too early, you miss it, get there too late, you miss it.
If you go, and there's no hiring, you're out the cost of the trip, but have the holiday/vacation of a lifetime.
If you don't go, and they start hiring, you can't get there fast enough to be hired, because they've already interviewed everyone they're going to consider.
What I saw was the hiring happens across all companies at about the same time. So if you miss it, you miss it. Get there too early, you miss it, get there too late, you miss it.
Join Date: Mar 2014
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Few failed, last guy hired had a little over 500hrs.
Keep in mind it's not the hours it's how much chit you'll deal with. You stick it out there long enough and smooze the other pilots you'll eventually get it. Might be 5-6 months.
Getting some PIC time in the 210 or 206 will save you some money
Keep in mind it's not the hours it's how much chit you'll deal with. You stick it out there long enough and smooze the other pilots you'll eventually get it. Might be 5-6 months.
Getting some PIC time in the 210 or 206 will save you some money
hi
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Namibia
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Hi,
I just joined this forum because the misinformation being supplied in the replies annoyed me. I'm sitting at a lodge, bored, so I thought I would reply and try and clarify things.
Firstly, I have been in Namibia now since 2011. Got a job here with 200 hours (roughly).
It is very hard these days to get work permits/visas with less than 500 hours TT. I waited months for mine to come through. There was a guy in Swakop recently who got hired, did training, test flight with DFE and everything and the DCA refused to issue him a validation. That being said, I know of two other pilots that were issued with work permits and full licences almost immediately. (One with low hours.)
James331 said that nobody is hiring here. To those reading this thread take that with a pinch of salt. There is constant movement here. I know of at least 6 guys who have started in the last 2 months. People are always leaving, moving on up, getting fired, need to be replaced.
It is all about being in the right place at the right time. Coming here is a gamble.
Being fluent in German is an advantage, especially in Swakop. The operators have to hire Namibian candidates first, after that they can begin to look at foreigners. If you want to get a job here with 200 hours as a foreigner, your CV has to be spectacular in other regards, and you have to immediately come across as the right candidate. Inquiring about work using text speech is not the correct approach.
Even if you are in the right place at the right time and you come across as a d*ck, you won't get hired.
Unlike Botswana, the operators here won't expect you to hang around and constantly visit them. On the contrary, they will get very annoyed with you.
Visit, drop off your CV, (Phone ahead of time to find out when will be good), then visit Botswana and check things out there.
PM me if you have questions.
I just joined this forum because the misinformation being supplied in the replies annoyed me. I'm sitting at a lodge, bored, so I thought I would reply and try and clarify things.
Firstly, I have been in Namibia now since 2011. Got a job here with 200 hours (roughly).
It is very hard these days to get work permits/visas with less than 500 hours TT. I waited months for mine to come through. There was a guy in Swakop recently who got hired, did training, test flight with DFE and everything and the DCA refused to issue him a validation. That being said, I know of two other pilots that were issued with work permits and full licences almost immediately. (One with low hours.)
James331 said that nobody is hiring here. To those reading this thread take that with a pinch of salt. There is constant movement here. I know of at least 6 guys who have started in the last 2 months. People are always leaving, moving on up, getting fired, need to be replaced.
It is all about being in the right place at the right time. Coming here is a gamble.
Being fluent in German is an advantage, especially in Swakop. The operators have to hire Namibian candidates first, after that they can begin to look at foreigners. If you want to get a job here with 200 hours as a foreigner, your CV has to be spectacular in other regards, and you have to immediately come across as the right candidate. Inquiring about work using text speech is not the correct approach.
Even if you are in the right place at the right time and you come across as a d*ck, you won't get hired.
Unlike Botswana, the operators here won't expect you to hang around and constantly visit them. On the contrary, they will get very annoyed with you.
Visit, drop off your CV, (Phone ahead of time to find out when will be good), then visit Botswana and check things out there.
PM me if you have questions.
Join Date: Mar 2014
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In my experience it didn't have anything to do with your CV and I never even had anyone ask to see my log book.
It's
1) stick around for someone to get fired, quit or be upgraded
2) roll with the punches, and just keep smiling and be nice
3) go to every bar or party and become every pilots BFF, as per not being a d1ck -> NEVER talk about your prior flying experience (if you have had other jobs) just ask about theirs or talk about non-aviation stuff
4) keep your cell phone on and check your email, do the rounds once a week or so.
I can't give any updated advise as I left a month ago for a job outside of Africa. All that being said it's a AWSOME place (mainly swakop and the smaller areas outside of Windhoek), for the most part the people are nice, the meat and drinks are great and cheap and there is a ton to do if you're into hiking, hunting, skydiving or anything like that.
AGAIN, the biggest advantage that WILL land you a job, be able to stay here for 5-6 months non stop.
It's
1) stick around for someone to get fired, quit or be upgraded
2) roll with the punches, and just keep smiling and be nice
3) go to every bar or party and become every pilots BFF, as per not being a d1ck -> NEVER talk about your prior flying experience (if you have had other jobs) just ask about theirs or talk about non-aviation stuff
4) keep your cell phone on and check your email, do the rounds once a week or so.
I can't give any updated advise as I left a month ago for a job outside of Africa. All that being said it's a AWSOME place (mainly swakop and the smaller areas outside of Windhoek), for the most part the people are nice, the meat and drinks are great and cheap and there is a ton to do if you're into hiking, hunting, skydiving or anything like that.
AGAIN, the biggest advantage that WILL land you a job, be able to stay here for 5-6 months non stop.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Namibia
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"AGAIN, the biggest advantage that WILL land you a job, be able to stay here for 5-6 months non stop."
This applies to Botswana and not Namibia.
"do the rounds once a week or so."
Again, as I said earlier, this applies in Bots, but just annoys the operators in Namibia. Repeatedly popping in annoys most the operators. If they told you the previous week that they do not need anybody and they have your CV on file, repeatedly popping in isn't going to change their minds.
To anyone reading this, I would suggest you take the advice of someone working in Namibia over the advice of someone who failed to get a job though.
To be fair to James though, his hours were all wrong. If an operator here is going to high someone with a few thousand hours, a thousand or so on vans and FI time, they will hire someone with local experience.
This applies to Botswana and not Namibia.
"do the rounds once a week or so."
Again, as I said earlier, this applies in Bots, but just annoys the operators in Namibia. Repeatedly popping in annoys most the operators. If they told you the previous week that they do not need anybody and they have your CV on file, repeatedly popping in isn't going to change their minds.
To anyone reading this, I would suggest you take the advice of someone working in Namibia over the advice of someone who failed to get a job though.
To be fair to James though, his hours were all wrong. If an operator here is going to high someone with a few thousand hours, a thousand or so on vans and FI time, they will hire someone with local experience.