Maun, Botswana. The essential guide.

[CPLPilot87]

Yes that's true but you need to keep at least some common sense with your desicions.

[lilflyboy262...2]

CPL.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I left for Africa.
I had enough of working a ground job dispatching aircraft and knew where I wanted to be. I quit my job and sold everything and a month after making the decision, I was on a plane for Jo'burg.

Two years later I was leaving again with nearly 2000hrs and 500 turbine.

You have to remember. It is only money. If all goes sour, you can always go home again and build up your savings for another go somewhere else.
Africa was my third attempt after Australia and Indonesia.

Sure 10k could buy you another 60hrs in a Cessna... or it could give you the chance to get 1500hrs.

[Nekro]

Hey fella's. I've been thinking a lot about this whole bush pilot thing in Africa to build my hours. how legit is this whole thing? do most newbies go here and build their hours? I will be doing my ATPL / JAA license soon probably and was just wondering since I'm sure no airline would take me with low hours. so I need to pay the bills and I'm thinking about things like seaplanes, bush pilot, w.e it is. building hours and getting paid is my aim. do these operators need pilots? is there demand? and living in Africa sounds kinda weird for me, freaks me out a lil tbh just is very weird.. but yeah .

[CPLPilot87]

You're right lilfly,It's also always possible that the gov. of Bots will again chance their regulations.
Lets see if the January is still on.

[lilflyboy262...2]

Oh that's the fun part about flying in Africa.
Just look at one of the new threads in the African forum about no permits being issues to expats in Tanzania.
There is chest beating like that every year. And then it all goes back to normal.

[lilflyboy262...2]

Nekro, Then it seems like Africa is not the right place for you.
You might want to look at getting an instructor rating or dropping parachutes.

[stewmath]

I been watching that program on tele called Bush Pilots, where they are flying from Maun etc to all the smaller camps to take tourists to and from and food.

Seems like an amazing job to build the hours, i wonder if any of them pilots on tele are members of this forum

[lilflyboy262...2]

You hoping for Emarn?
I know Kristy is on here somewhere, that's how she found out about the place.

I'm sure some of the Brits are as well... never did collect on those beers they promised me...

[stewmath]

I know may sound like a daft question but which one is Emarn again? haha

Im hoping any of them are on here, i would be good to actually ask some questions, or see how things are going etc.

[kibz2005]

haha yeah lilflyboy, i've been watching the show too. i actually trained in the same school as kristy. hadnt heard from her in a while so imagine my surprise when i saw she was in maun!

[stewmath]

Im not even sure what episodes im upto with this bush pilots series, has it ever been on before in the UK under a different name or anything? I want to catch up on any previous episodes.

[bkehoe]

No, it's a brand new series. Dave showed the entire set of 10 episodes over 2 weeks every weekday.

Now that it's finished, they're showing one a week. Episode 1 was on last Saturday, Episode 2 on this coming Saturday and so on.

[n.dave]

Hey CPLpilot87,

Looks like I will be seeing you in Maun next year, Jan- Feb. Got the permission from my GF after so much talking (Max. 2 years or she will leave and marry someone else!!!). After so much reading and research on Bush pilot, and lots of reality checks. Wants to challenge and experience Bush pilot life. My I/R will be expired soon. Does anyone know that current I/R is needed????? Up to now, I only know W.A requires I/R.

Thanks

[stewmath]

i may have to see if they are all available online to watch then

[stevef]

You'll find it's over-dramatised drivel in many places, beginning with:
'Botswana - one of the most inhospitable places on earth.'
I lived there for several years, including four in Maun. It's nowhere near the dangerous environment that the exciteable presenter portrays. And as for making the pilots out to be steely-eyed supermen...

[CPLPilot87]

N.dave I PM'd you, but what I've heard about the situation, there's only one pilot looking for job there, others went back to home because of lack of hrs. It seens to be that 350 is absolut minimum at the situation.

[n.dave]

CPLpilot87, check your pm!

Just been reading Wilderness Air requirements and they wanted 250hrs min. Also, been reading caab botswana caa about foreign licence conversion and it didn't mentioned anything about TT requirements. Unless things have changed recently!!

Cheers

[CPLPilot87]

That's the situation now what I've understood the provlem is work permit granted by goverment. That's at least due to emails I've got from there.

[lilflyboy262...2]

One of the girls hired in the last round got hired with 275hrs.

Cpl, maybe it is too hard for you to come to Africa and perhaps you should be looking elsewhere as well?

[stewmath]

I think the only way to be 100% sure about the hours required is to personally contact the companies in question by telephone.