Maun 2009/10 season
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Small town, Iowa
Age: 36
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anybody know if there are many female pilots in Maun? I'm a female pilot thinking of heading down to Maun in September and just curious about the ratio of male to female pilots.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: South Africa
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Safari had a Kiwi girl, but she left about a month ago, I think the only other company with female pilots is Sefofane with two girls that work there. But girl pilots are alwasy welcome to come fly here in Maun, and also well respected when you go on-line!
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Down the airway.
Posts: 689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unless you are a veritable Messalina you will find a sufficient ratio of men pilots in Maun to satisfy your inquiry.
Whether any of them are rational however is something you will have to judge for yourself when you get there; unless of course, you have already arrived at a conclusion from reading these pages which explains your desire to go there.
Whether any of them are rational however is something you will have to judge for yourself when you get there; unless of course, you have already arrived at a conclusion from reading these pages which explains your desire to go there.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Cardboard box
Age: 35
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm a female pilot thinking of heading down to Maun in September and just curious about the ratio of male to female pilots.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Godzone
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think we had a massive misunderstanding here. The harsh comment was not directed at you, rather my first comment, as it came across badly to you. I did not mean it like that.
It's a little perplexing that you would need a type rating for, as I understand it, every single aircraft you want to fly then?
For example, here, if I have a Single engine land with complex and high performance endorsements I can fly just about any piston driven single made. This would include a PA28, C152, C210, AA-5 and M20 etc. This is far from the case in Africa(?) it seems and I don't understand the reasoning behind it.
Also, here we don't have anything on our license regarding specific aircraft. It's a class rating as said above.
I know the FARs that pertain to me fairly well, but I've never so much as cracked a book on African laws... so I don't know or understand the reasoning behind them.
It's a little perplexing that you would need a type rating for, as I understand it, every single aircraft you want to fly then?
For example, here, if I have a Single engine land with complex and high performance endorsements I can fly just about any piston driven single made. This would include a PA28, C152, C210, AA-5 and M20 etc. This is far from the case in Africa(?) it seems and I don't understand the reasoning behind it.
Also, here we don't have anything on our license regarding specific aircraft. It's a class rating as said above.
I know the FARs that pertain to me fairly well, but I've never so much as cracked a book on African laws... so I don't know or understand the reasoning behind them.
if you can get over yourself, go and burn 10 hours in a 210/206, then at least you have got logbook time to apply for the endorsement.
i know guys who have 1000hrs 206 who have had to do a 30 minute type rating flight. personally, if you turned up with Single engine land with complex and high performance endorsements before i let you loose i'd be pretty keen to see how you flew a specific type that maybe you hadn't flown before - say you had a Mooney rating, and you wanted to fly a 210T - similar, but not really the same - your check ride would essentially be your type rating, if you could convert to the aircraft in 30 mins - that really is only 1/2 dozen circuits.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: ohio
Age: 40
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I spent 2 months in Maun back in Jan/Feb '09 and another two months in Malawi in March/April 09. I worked for Nyassa for the two months I was in Malawi, so if anyone has any questions about Malawi, send me a message or something, I can set you up with some of the guys that care currently there who can also tell you about the place.
That said, here are some tips about going to Maun:
* bring sunscreen with you. Bug spray/roll-on you can get there, but sunscreen you have to take with you. White skinned folk are the only ones who need sunscreen, and there aren't that many white people in botswana, so it's hard to find and quite expensive.
* Don't worry too much about malaria. Everyone I spoke to while I was there said that they have never heard of anyone getting malaria in maun. Technically Maun is in the malaria zone, but it's hardly a problem there. That said, it's not a bad idea to have some doxy with you just in case. Doxy is easy to find in maun, and it's cheaper too. Walgreen's in teh US tried to sell me a 2 months supply for $40, where I can get a months supply in Maun for 5 bucks. Doxy can be used as a treatment, or as a prophylactic.
* bring with you books to read, or SOMETHING to do. Preferable something that doesn't require batteries, as they are hard to find there. There is only one bookstore in Maun and it sucks for selections. They sell magazines at the supermarkets, but they are ridiculously expensive. Think 15-$20 for an issue of Car&Driver or National Geographic. They sell more more "local" magazines that are cheaper but they suck.
* Prepare to be bored. My daily routine was to take up at around 10AM, take a combi into town to get breakfast, then at 11:30 or so I'd go over to the airport and maybe waltz on into Sefofane or Kavango to ask if they need anyone. The answer was always "no". I'd then sit on a bench and watch planes land/takeoff for an hour or so. Then I'd take a combi back to Audi at 1 PM or so. Then I'd hand around the pool for 2 or 3 hours killing time. 5PM or so I'd go back into town to get dinner. Then until it got dark, I'd read through the stash of magazines they have at Audi. Then I'd walk over to The Bridge (one hour walk) to get my drink on.
I did that pretty much every day for 2 months.
* Botswana is a great place. I likes it way more than I liked Zambia and Malawi. The people there are MUCH nicer and way less corrupt. In Malawi, if you're white, you will get hassled all the time and the only way to make it stop is to pay out a bribe. I will say though, the people in Botswana hate speaking English. They all can speak it, but they much prefer speaking their local language (setswana). I never heard them speak English to each other. Whenever I had to speak to a native, I always got a weird vibe, where they seemed to be embarrassed to speak English, so they'd speak it really softly. It was annoying at first, but I eventually got used to it.
* I flew into Joburg, then took a flight to Gabs. I did this because I was under the impression that the bus station in Joburg (being in the middle of downtown) was extremely dangerous and was to be avoided unless I wanted to get killed. On my way back to Joburg after I decided to leave africa, I took a bus through Joburg's downtown station and it was no big deal. If I could do it again, I'd have taken a $15 bus ride from joburg to Gabs instread of taking the $150 flight. But I'm cheap like that. Theres a night train that runs from Gabs to Francistown that runs daily and is only like 8 bucks for coach and $20 or so for first class. It's a long ride but cheap as hell. Busses from F-town to Maun leave almost hourly and are cheap as well.
Typing this all out has made me nostalgic for Africa now
I want to go back 
That said, here are some tips about going to Maun:
* bring sunscreen with you. Bug spray/roll-on you can get there, but sunscreen you have to take with you. White skinned folk are the only ones who need sunscreen, and there aren't that many white people in botswana, so it's hard to find and quite expensive.
* Don't worry too much about malaria. Everyone I spoke to while I was there said that they have never heard of anyone getting malaria in maun. Technically Maun is in the malaria zone, but it's hardly a problem there. That said, it's not a bad idea to have some doxy with you just in case. Doxy is easy to find in maun, and it's cheaper too. Walgreen's in teh US tried to sell me a 2 months supply for $40, where I can get a months supply in Maun for 5 bucks. Doxy can be used as a treatment, or as a prophylactic.
* bring with you books to read, or SOMETHING to do. Preferable something that doesn't require batteries, as they are hard to find there. There is only one bookstore in Maun and it sucks for selections. They sell magazines at the supermarkets, but they are ridiculously expensive. Think 15-$20 for an issue of Car&Driver or National Geographic. They sell more more "local" magazines that are cheaper but they suck.
* Prepare to be bored. My daily routine was to take up at around 10AM, take a combi into town to get breakfast, then at 11:30 or so I'd go over to the airport and maybe waltz on into Sefofane or Kavango to ask if they need anyone. The answer was always "no". I'd then sit on a bench and watch planes land/takeoff for an hour or so. Then I'd take a combi back to Audi at 1 PM or so. Then I'd hand around the pool for 2 or 3 hours killing time. 5PM or so I'd go back into town to get dinner. Then until it got dark, I'd read through the stash of magazines they have at Audi. Then I'd walk over to The Bridge (one hour walk) to get my drink on.
I did that pretty much every day for 2 months.
* Botswana is a great place. I likes it way more than I liked Zambia and Malawi. The people there are MUCH nicer and way less corrupt. In Malawi, if you're white, you will get hassled all the time and the only way to make it stop is to pay out a bribe. I will say though, the people in Botswana hate speaking English. They all can speak it, but they much prefer speaking their local language (setswana). I never heard them speak English to each other. Whenever I had to speak to a native, I always got a weird vibe, where they seemed to be embarrassed to speak English, so they'd speak it really softly. It was annoying at first, but I eventually got used to it.
* I flew into Joburg, then took a flight to Gabs. I did this because I was under the impression that the bus station in Joburg (being in the middle of downtown) was extremely dangerous and was to be avoided unless I wanted to get killed. On my way back to Joburg after I decided to leave africa, I took a bus through Joburg's downtown station and it was no big deal. If I could do it again, I'd have taken a $15 bus ride from joburg to Gabs instread of taking the $150 flight. But I'm cheap like that. Theres a night train that runs from Gabs to Francistown that runs daily and is only like 8 bucks for coach and $20 or so for first class. It's a long ride but cheap as hell. Busses from F-town to Maun leave almost hourly and are cheap as well.
Typing this all out has made me nostalgic for Africa now
I want to go back
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: ohio
Age: 40
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think one week I made it on 400 pula for the whole week. Thats not including my lodging, which was like an extra 100. Most weeks I needed 500-600. The week I did 400 I only ate food from the supermarkets (loafs of bread and rice and water from the tap at Audi camp), and no trips to the bar. 500 pula when I was there (it may be different now) comes out to about $65. Of course all I had was ~$1000 to last me that whole time so I really really had to pinch every penny. If I ever decide to do it again, I'd make sure I have way more money. I was really nervous because if I came down with malaria, I'd be screwed because that would probably require a hospital stay which could run hundreds of dollars.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Africa
Age: 44
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For those of you finishing up in Maun and thinking of going on contract, please take not that the animal shagging, like the aircraft you will fly, becomes a whole lot more complex and procedural!!!! 
BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat
Ex Maun Dog
BBC NEWS | Africa | Sudan man forced to 'marry' goat
Ex Maun Dog
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: South Africa
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Howzit chaps, herewith some more updates and information:
But you can find sunscreen at most supermarkets and pharmacies in town.
Sorry guys, but this is not entirely correct, Malaria is a real danger in Maun, many people get it, but treatmant is cheap and readily available in Maun. I keep two malaria self tests at home and test and the first symptoms that I get. The reason us locals dont take any medicine all the time is that the drugs is very aggresive on your liver and kidneys and to take this constantly is a sure death warrant.
If you only show up at the airport at around 10:30 or 11 AM, you will definitly not get a job in Maun. Companies want to see that you are keen, therefore make yourself visible to ALL the companies.
So far Moremi Air, Sefofane, Delta Air and Safari Air has hired new crew, this all happened now in the last 6 weeks or so!
Travel safe and see you guys soon!
* bring sunscreen with you.
But you can find sunscreen at most supermarkets and pharmacies in town.
* Don't worry too much about malaria.
Technically Maun is in the malaria zone, but it's hardly a problem there.
Sorry guys, but this is not entirely correct, Malaria is a real danger in Maun, many people get it, but treatmant is cheap and readily available in Maun. I keep two malaria self tests at home and test and the first symptoms that I get. The reason us locals dont take any medicine all the time is that the drugs is very aggresive on your liver and kidneys and to take this constantly is a sure death warrant.
If you only show up at the airport at around 10:30 or 11 AM, you will definitly not get a job in Maun. Companies want to see that you are keen, therefore make yourself visible to ALL the companies.
So far Moremi Air, Sefofane, Delta Air and Safari Air has hired new crew, this all happened now in the last 6 weeks or so!
Travel safe and see you guys soon!
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
nbv4, you made my day I must say, reading your pearls of wisdom, so I had to join nyathi with his replies
its only the wolds biggest killer.
Try looking in a shop, you may even see other white skinned folk buying some. (but there aren't many there, so don't be scared if all you see are 'natives')
and you are surprised when
Only an American could be offended that locals talk to each other in their own language and not yours. I mean, how dare they. You cretin.
The 'Natives' as you put it, probably had one hell of a weird vibe from you too. No wonder they did there best to ignore you.
Please don't
Don't worry too much about malaria
its only the wolds biggest killer.
White skinned folk are the only ones who need sunscreen, and there aren't that many white people in botswana, so it's hard to find and quite expensive.
at 11:30 or so I'd go over to the airport and maybe waltz on into Sefofane or Kavango to ask if they need anyone
The answer was always "no"
I will say though, the people in Botswana hate speaking English. They all can speak it, but they much prefer speaking their local language (setswana). I never heard them speak English to each other.
Whenever I had to speak to a native, I always got a weird vibe
I want to go back
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: India
Age: 35
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hei.......flyers..!!
please tell me which are form 16 and form 4 duly signed and stamped by a policeman and a doctor respectively...(( is this the police clearance and the yellow fever certificate))...
please help!!
please tell me which are form 16 and form 4 duly signed and stamped by a policeman and a doctor respectively...(( is this the police clearance and the yellow fever certificate))...
please help!!
Last edited by Appugre; 22nd Dec 2009 at 17:05.