Maun, Botswana. The essential guide.

[bluesideoops]

IFR Requirement

For those mentioning about the Wilderness Air IR requirement, as many have pointed out, it is not a regulatory requirement. However, the weather can get very hairy in the wet season and it is a very good idea to have an IR rating.....its only 175 seconds if you don't.....I spent 3-1/2 years in the Delta and was TC and DCA Examiner so have a little experience on the subject...

[AIWA]

Hey guys,

could please one clarify the actual requirements regarding the documents to be brought?
-Must it be originals or can it be copies?
-Must it be certified?
-Which documents are exactly required?

Thanks a lot! Cheers

[PilotInPink]

Originally Posted by AIWA

Hey guys,

could please one clarify the actual requirements regarding the documents to be brought?
-Must it be originals or can it be copies?
-Must it be certified?
-Which documents are exactly required?

Thanks a lot! Cheers

Less than 10 posts ago I wrote the following:

- At least 3x certified copies of every document you can think of (licence, medical, passport, birth certificate, school/ university certificates...). Work permit applications require all documents to be certified in the country of origin now

[carrot123]

Hi, does anyone know what it is like to work in Maun if you bring a girlfriend/wife? is it a family-friendly environment and do spouses usually like it or has there been a history of this being an issue for a lot of pilots? Any info is highly appreciated, thanks

[PilotInPink]

Originally Posted by carrot123

Hi, does anyone know what it is like to work in Maun if you bring a girlfriend/wife? is it a family-friendly environment and do spouses usually like it or has there been a history of this being an issue for a lot of pilots? Any info is highly appreciated, thanks

Plenty of pilots have come with significant others. Some love it, some hate it. Maun is totally what you make of it. There are no real shopping malls or cinemas and not everything works properly, but with great friends and a positive attitude you can really have a good life here. From my observation, it's the wives/ girlfriends (and sometimes even the pilots themselves) that don't get out much and miss the conveniences of "home" who are less happy.

[Timmy Tomkins]

Originally Posted by Cardinal Puff

Money? We still use coloured beads. Just carry them around on a bit of string.

Brilliant! Oh how things have changed in Maun since the 1980s

[carrot123]

Originally Posted by PilotInPink

Plenty of pilots have come with significant others. Some love it, some hate it. Maun is totally what you make of it. There are no real shopping malls or cinemas and not everything works properly, but with great friends and a positive attitude you can really have a good life here. From my observation, it's the wives/ girlfriends (and sometimes even the pilots themselves) that don't get out much and miss the conveniences of "home" who are less happy.

Thank you for the info! Do the pilots in Maun usually come home in the evenings or is this rather rare and they mostly sleep in lodges and only come home for 1-2 nights per week?

[carrot123]

>1000TT C206/208 Jobs

Hi

Do you know of any open positions for a C206 or C208 pilot with over 1000hrs TT? I don’t really care where, as long as it is anywhere in Africa. But I assume that South Africa might be an issue for non-residents. Can you recommend any websites that might list such opportunities or how did you find your job? Does anyone have any other information on the job situation in general, also in regards to what salary can usually be expected and so on?

Thanks and good luck to you all with your jobs and applications!

[HeliRich]

Originally Posted by carrot123

Thank you for the info! Do the pilots in Maun usually come home in the evenings or is this rather rare and they mostly sleep in lodges and only come home for 1-2 nights per week?

Depends on the company. Most of the companies the pilots come home every night but you will also overnight in camps/lodges a couple of times a month.
There are one or two companies where you will spend a lot more time in the camps/lodges.

[Deltasierra010]

Originally Posted by carrot123

Hi, does anyone know what it is like to work in Maun if you bring a girlfriend/wife? is it a family-friendly environment and do spouses usually like it or has there been a history of this being an issue for a lot of pilots? Any info is highly appreciated, thanks

Maun is a frontier town, facilities are limited and basic, there are no other towns within reach and few expat females, so your lady would have to be very tolerant with a high boredom threshold. If she had been to Africa before, knew the territory, was passionate about wildlife and flying maybe it would be OK, it would be a good idea for her to visit you for a couple of weeks before committing, check up on visa for long stays too.

[carrot123]

Thank you, this is very useful information! There’s a lot to think about...

[piperul]

Hunting job during September and October

Hi, I wonder if anyone knows if during these months are currently any chances to get hired ? I have ICAO CPL 740 TT 255 MEP 50 IFR, ELP 5 and coming CFI rating.

Thank you in advance for any help !

[Bushdodge]

Tourism in Maun is rapidly growing. This has meant that in recent times there has pretty much always been at least one company hiring, if not several.

Currently, there are several companies hiring including for people to put straight on to turbines. The time of year isn't so critical anymore for getting a job, but arriving in the busy season (winter) will likely mean your training will take longer than if you arrive in the summer.

​​​​​​If you turn up with a CPL and more than 500 hours, you have a shot at a job.

[piperul]

Thank you for the update
Someone at Maun at this time doing interviews or trying to get one ?

[Bushdodge]

You asked, but you're probably not the only one wondering so I'll give a public reply...

Salary can be between 8,000 and 18,000 pula a month for line pilots, depending on the company and what you're flying.

All companies pay enough to live off. If money is your reason for going to Maun, you probably won't live a happy life here.

[piperul]

Thank you for your reply, I just asked to have an update on the payment, but the money in my case is not the cause to go there, I am earning more than the common paycheck in Maun, just wondering is the information I knew is the same.

[piperul]

Docs to be presented in Maun

Someone mentioned to bring at least 3 copies of everything you may have for visa work paperwork.

​​​Is there any kind of requirement to have those docs translated to English by a registered translator with legal stamps on the translated docs ? I am from a non native English speaker country.

[abezzi]

Yes, they must be translated by a registered translator and stamped accordingly. But since a month the regulation has changed, you can bring only 1 original document and then have copies made here in Maun and stamped by a local lawyer, cheaper option!

Originally Posted by piperul

Someone mentioned to bring at least 3 copies of everything you may have for visa work paperwork.

​​​Is there any kind of requirement to have those docs translated to English by a registered translator with legal stamps on the translated docs ? I am from a non native English speaker country.

[piperul]

Originally Posted by Bushdodge

You asked, but you're probably not the only one wondering so I'll give a public reply...

Salary can be between 8,000 and 18,000 pula a month for line pilots, depending on the company and what you're flying.

All companies pay enough to live off. If money is your reason for going to Maun, you probably won't live a happy life here.

Hey Bushdodge, can I ask if you're still working in Maun ?

[piperul]

Someone heading to Maun next month ?