Maun, Botswana. The essential guide.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 99
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From: Bruges
I'm in Namibia now
Just went through the interview for Wilderness Air, I know Westair is looking for guys too (closer to 1000 hours though). Not sure whats happening at the coast but I heared companies got tuned for not employing enough locals.
Air Namibia is getting rid of expensive contract pilots from Europe so people will be moving up the ladder ssonish... Wouldn't be too sure it will be dead in Feb... I'll keep an ear out
Air Namibia is getting rid of expensive contract pilots from Europe so people will be moving up the ladder ssonish... Wouldn't be too sure it will be dead in Feb... I'll keep an ear out
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Warrington, UK
MKA742, sounds to me an opportunity in namibia??.or maybe not. If air nam. is kicking out expats and forced to hire locals, which means pilots from bush companies will move up the ladder and an opportunity for us low timers? But, 1000hrs for bush seems quite a lot. The last time i checked on westair was around 200-300 hrs, and check again its still the same. Anyway, thanks for the update and hope you get through with wilderness.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Bruges
Yes Dave, thats what I meant 
Westair is not looking for C210 guys per se, thats why they ask 1000 hours. They want people who can move on to the Cessna twin turbines quickly. The website is not there main concern I suppose...
Heared today that Scenic (from Scenic staff) will be hiring 'a couple' soon, but if youre not here now, youre too late anyway
You just have to be here by the end of the holidays and you can get lucky!
Westair is not looking for C210 guys per se, thats why they ask 1000 hours. They want people who can move on to the Cessna twin turbines quickly. The website is not there main concern I suppose...
Heared today that Scenic (from Scenic staff) will be hiring 'a couple' soon, but if youre not here now, youre too late anyway
You just have to be here by the end of the holidays and you can get lucky!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: paese dei balocchi
Hey guys i am in Maun now and the minimum requirements are 300hr! This is due to work permit difficulties! Major, Wilderness and Moremi are asking for min 500hr. Make your decision but this is the situation...
Last edited by matteosalga; 26th January 2013 at 08:45.
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: Bruges
Dave is right, except that it's in Winhoek, not Maun.
Sending your cv is not gonna help. Show up here and talk to Christo the chief pilot. Heared this weekend they hired five so only guys with real twin time are still in the running. C425 rating especially. If you have either of that, calling might a good thing to do. I heared of a guy getting hired over Skype, that was last year and he was lucky they needed an instructor fast!
So far about 15 guys got hired this season, not bad at all. Most hiring done now but like I said... anything is possible down here
Sending your cv is not gonna help. Show up here and talk to Christo the chief pilot. Heared this weekend they hired five so only guys with real twin time are still in the running. C425 rating especially. If you have either of that, calling might a good thing to do. I heared of a guy getting hired over Skype, that was last year and he was lucky they needed an instructor fast!
So far about 15 guys got hired this season, not bad at all. Most hiring done now but like I said... anything is possible down here
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Warrington, UK
MKA472,
I think I already missed this hiring opportunity in Namibia! Still waiting to renew my medical and IR. Waiting is pain in the as%
Did my research on Low Time Pilot Guide and another various websites that hiring are mostly done in Mar-May. I guessed i was mis-informed.
I think I already missed this hiring opportunity in Namibia! Still waiting to renew my medical and IR. Waiting is pain in the as%
Did my research on Low Time Pilot Guide and another various websites that hiring are mostly done in Mar-May. I guessed i was mis-informed.
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: California
Getting a job a Maun is about to get alot tougher....
I'm guessing with the FAA raising the minimum required hours for airlines to 1500TT in August 2013, meaning ERAU grads and such don't have the feeder from regionals airlines because they wont have the time to qualify....FO's originally only need 250hrs to qualify for regional airlines... soooo all those pilots have to find a gap somewhere....there will be a massive influx of American pilots looking to grab these jobs..... so expect the minimums at these places to keep rising as well because they will be getting the pick of the litter from some of America's best flight schools.....
Está servira para distraerle.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
From: In a perambulator.
The Yanks have done just fine in Maun for years if not decades. They're a blight on the southern African market but on the other hand there used, at one time, to be plenty of pilots from South Africa who couldn't cope with the tremendous heat and dust of Maun.
Registered User **
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 940
Likes: 1
From: Botswana & Greece
Do you really think that a lot of americans will be able to cope with africa?
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Africa
Do not go to Maun with less than 300TT.
CanPilot89, 300TT is the strict minimum for work permit issues. As it is, don't bother going there if you are under 300. Take my word for it. Been there.
Just confirming what byronmc said.
300TT is just for the work permit (government thing). Companies there usually want 500TT. This is the actual reality in Maun.
Wish you the best mate.
Just confirming what byronmc said.
300TT is just for the work permit (government thing). Companies there usually want 500TT. This is the actual reality in Maun.
Wish you the best mate.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 96
Likes: 1
From: Australia
Hey PLC-
If a guy was to rock up with slightly less than the minimums you mentioned on powered aircraft, but with substantial gliding experience as well, how do you think this would be viewed with regards to meeting the total time requirements? I know different regulatory authorities have different attitudes towards counting gliding time for a CPL, but has anyone had any experience of how this sort of thing is viewed by operators, or whether non GA flying experience could be used to get you over the line for a work permit if your powered flying hours fell a little short?
Cheers.
If a guy was to rock up with slightly less than the minimums you mentioned on powered aircraft, but with substantial gliding experience as well, how do you think this would be viewed with regards to meeting the total time requirements? I know different regulatory authorities have different attitudes towards counting gliding time for a CPL, but has anyone had any experience of how this sort of thing is viewed by operators, or whether non GA flying experience could be used to get you over the line for a work permit if your powered flying hours fell a little short?
Cheers.
Last edited by desert goat; 10th March 2013 at 07:46.
Está servira para distraerle.
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
From: In a perambulator.
Isn't that like asking if you'd receive preferential achievement if you were a dandy shot with a .375 magnum and had a boy scout badge in bushcraft?
After all, in the unlikely event of a forced landing, there you are, out in the bush with a plane load of bedraggled Brits, each one of whom thinks they are now the colonial master piece in charge. Quickly taking command yourself by the simple expedient of pointing out which way is North, you use your not inconsiderable talents to make bivouac for them, pot off a passing impala with your trusty rifle, whip up a gourmet stew, tell them tales of the bush under the stars, bed the millionaire charter's daughter and lead them all to safety the next day. Well, perhaps the day after if the daughter was very good in the sand pit. Those are talents that would be of more use on the face of it than gliding. However, none of the above would have happened had you not known how to glide and had you not known that jettisoning the aforementioned daughter from the gliding aircraft would not have extended your gliding range one metre.
So yes, gliding is very important but a degree in aeronautical engineering would be really useful in the Botswana bush.
After all, in the unlikely event of a forced landing, there you are, out in the bush with a plane load of bedraggled Brits, each one of whom thinks they are now the colonial master piece in charge. Quickly taking command yourself by the simple expedient of pointing out which way is North, you use your not inconsiderable talents to make bivouac for them, pot off a passing impala with your trusty rifle, whip up a gourmet stew, tell them tales of the bush under the stars, bed the millionaire charter's daughter and lead them all to safety the next day. Well, perhaps the day after if the daughter was very good in the sand pit. Those are talents that would be of more use on the face of it than gliding. However, none of the above would have happened had you not known how to glide and had you not known that jettisoning the aforementioned daughter from the gliding aircraft would not have extended your gliding range one metre.
So yes, gliding is very important but a degree in aeronautical engineering would be really useful in the Botswana bush.