Maun Season 2010-2011-2012

[Cactus225]

Does it get any worse?

Man!!!

I had hopes about making it in Africa.

You guys collectivly busted that happy bubble building up in me with all these posts about rejected n lenghy visa procedures, the 2000TT requirements, local being preffered and already interviewed, rigged jobs and the government out to flex its muscles, etc, etc, etc.

60 guys already waiting in the arena? thats a big number.

As if my own country isnt corrupt enough.

What does a man have to do to fly huh?

Why is experience given such darn importance? Arent freshers ever to learn? Wont hard work n slogging asses ever count?

What is the world going to do when all these experienced (read OLD) people whither away huh?

Stuck with 263 hrs TT n absoluely no way of taking that number up north.

Had hoped I would be one of the few bold enough to make way till africa, stick it out for a few months, put a few miles on the car n bump my TT upto some respectable 2000 range.

But NO! that 2000 is the basic requirement now right.

Thought the situations BAD, but no!! its ALWAYS WORSE huh?

Its such a messed up state of affairs that I cant even concentrate on venting my frustration here.

I dont need a 3 month vacation there, I need to fly. Its oxygen.


Anyways, I aint a quitter.

This year or next- I am making my wya there and I will stick it out, and I will FLY.

Keep posting people. Need all the information I can get before I take that leap of faith.

[Cactus225]

Hey,

by the way, how much money would you suggest I need to save for a three month stint over there?

[Exascot]

Is Cactus really serious about a flying career?

Cactus225 if you are really serious about flying why don't you look at this web site: Official Career Website of Indian Air Force

[Cactus225]

Exascot,

I don't fit all the criteria for those jobs, so cant.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

[soakingpilot]

how much beer do you drink?

[Cactus225]

To keep it cheap, I can stay off beer for a couple of months. Depends on how much money is needed to hang in there for three months.

What do you think that number would be like?

[soakingpilot]

you should be able to live on the cheap for say 400-500 bucks a month. thats including a tent stay at audi camp which i think comes to 110 or so per month ( double check ) and then just money for food at around 10 bucks a day plus transport which is cheap.

but thats pretty much slumming it out if you do that. the thing you will find about southern africa is that none of it is nearly as cheap as you may first think.

keep in mind too that during my 3 month tour in maun I was "housesitting" for about 85% of the time but thats just because I'm the man and people like me

[ragdragger]

If you are in TZ you might try Auric. They are desperate for caravan pilots right now. They are looking for experienced pilots but you may be able to work out a deal flying on two crew flights until you have the hours to go online. Auric is based in mwanza but they have on office in dar now and the chief pilot is usually there.

[subbu73]

Hi SOAKINGPILOT,

Are you currently staying at Maun, I mean hired over there?

I have just got some 206 flight time and seriously looking forward to be at Maun now.

Are the Mack Air recruiting pilots now or they are just accepting the CVs? I called them and they told me to forward my CV but I think they will be least bothered to check mails.

Is it only at the audi camp where you find the cheapest price to stay monthly(How much does it comes to about in terms of US Dollars? Do you know any other place over there?

So sorry to ask you so many questions. I already read the maun's guide but I wanna know whats the exact situation like. Im really running out of budget to keep myself current in flying

[Exascot]

Is it only at the audi camp where you find the cheapest price to stay monthly

The guys in theatre are in the best position to advise on jobs at the moment but it is very doubtful. We prefer The Old Bridge Backpackers as a low budget option. It is 50 Pula a night but monthly rates and those for pilots is even less. The only problem is the hike to the main road to hitch a lift. They have a web site just Google it.

[kush3370]

@cactus225

for which country visa did u applied for and rejected??? i heared if you are from india, then u dont need an advance visa for most of the african countries, they issue it on arrival...arent they????and which companies u are looking for...as far as i know most of them dont need more than 250TT in africa...

[Cactus225]

Khush,

Have not applied for any country at all. All that comes later.

Was just doing research and planning to take a trip down there next year. Have to arrange my finances to be able to do that first.

I just have 260 Hrs TT with just the Multi engine license.

Think I would be better off with a Single engine endorsement, and some more money in my pocket before I head off to Africa.

Next year..

[kush3370]

Dont u hold an indian CPL with single as well as multi engine aircraft endorsed on it? cause as far as FAA goes i aslo have only multi engine CPL but i had enough hours on single engine which allowed me to get DGCA CPL on single and multi both. so its not the same case with you??? and by the way its kush and not khush

Regards...

[Exascot]

Top award for Mack Air

'Maun-based Mack Air has been named the best air charter in Africa at the tourism Indaba held in Durban, South Africa.'

The Ngami Times

A very well deserved congratulations to Stuart, Lara and all the delightful and very professional team at Mack Air.

And no, I am not after a job - too old and bold

[pujandamani]

hi

Hi,
Cactus 225


Is it worth going there and search for a job........?
staying there for 3 months is once again spending huge amount of money?
do you think we people with 250 hours will be able to get a job

even i am planining to go there .....!
if you have more information most appericated

[lilflyboy262]

Total amount you will spend will be about $4000-5000 USD if you look after your money. Thats including airfares.
Thats less than 10hrs in a small twin. Weigh that up for a job for 2 years?
I dont know how many more times I will have to say this.
Yes. a 250hr pilot will have a chance. That is what the majority of the people turning up here have.

[Cactus225]

Majority of people? Really?

I have been through this post enough number of times to know the that more than 100 people turn up there looking for a job every season. Out of these about 10-15 seem to get hired every season. Apparently, the one who stays the longest has the maximum chance of getting a job. ( Guess they wanna see you tough up to the rugged African lifestyle before they trust you for a 3 year contract ). Indians dont get a Visa to stay more than a month. So makes things a bit difficult there. Guess you really have to shine out in the first week itself.

Anyways, 10 out of 100 are better odds than in most of the cases.

The 4000-5000USD spent on that trip would be really worth the experience- ONLY IF YOU MANAGE TO LAND A JOB OVER THERE. I personally dont have money for a pleasure trip.

But we would never find out unless we make it there our self.

Thing is 5000 USD is a lot of money for an Indian. ( Thats more than what an average Indian earns after three years of hard work.) Honestly, even I am not sure about going all the way. ( Expense I would like to avoid without an absolute guarantee for a job. )

So, I really dont know what to say Pujan.
Tough times huh?

But then I guess you already know all this, I have just summed up what I read through this entire thread. I dont know of any Indian working over there though. And there are quite a few who tried.

So, if you are asking me for my perspective about this as an Indian pilot- there you have it.
The temptation for that African adventure and getting back in the air Vs. my anxiety about spending all that money and not achieving anything in return.

If you just want a Pilots perspective of this, there area lot many others who could guide you better.

Some more relevant input from pilots already working there / recruiters would be a lot more beneficial than my words here though.

- perhaps lilflyboy could guide us better.

[MichaelPL]

Well, I am not there, never have, but I guess I'd might chip in my 2 cents.

I've been following the Maun info for over 2 years now. Both here on the forums, and on various blogs (thumbs up Csanad ) Back when I was still saving up for my PPL. Took a gap year off Uni, travelled to cold Norway, was with and without a job a couple of times, once for almost 3 months.
But guess what, when you're persistent, things actually happen for you.
I saved up enough to get my PPL. Went back to Poland, got PPL, finished Uni, learned Norwegian, and with a fresh Masters diploma in IT and Econometrics went straight back to Norway to work cleaning hotels. Why? 'Cos I want to pursue my goal.

Now what I seem to notice is that people in the modern, so-called civilised world, with Internet, cellphones, and all that fancy stuff we got are hell-bent on feeling 'secure'. Steady job, steady career, that kind of stuff. Well, for me, all that is but an illusion. You can never know what tomorrow brings. Sure, you can (and should) be prepared for what might happen, but the truth is we can't fortell the future.

My point is - from all the info that's been posted here, and there's been tonnes of it - one thing clearly stands out. There are NO guarantees. At all.
But the last time I checked, work in aviation never had any in the first place, at least not after the last 'crisis'. I am fully aware of that fact right now, still in the early part of my training towards being a commercial pilot. I have no illusions that when I complete it, a job will be handed on a plate to me.

I fully understand where e.g. Cactus is coming from - 5000$ is a lot of money. And you get no guarantees.
But hold on, you already spent at least ten times that on your training, didn't you? Well, you had no guarantees then either...
(btw I guess that by 'majority of people' lilflyboy means that the majority of people who showed up had around 250hrs, not that the majority of people who showed up landed a job)

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, your attitude to the trip is the key factor here. If you DO spend the money to get there, but DON'T manage to land a job, and DON'T enjoy the trip itself, then you just wasted your money. If you do enjoy it, however, the money is not wasted - c'mon, it's Africa, you'd probably never see the place if it was not for that job hunt, while you're there you might just make the most of it, right?
You can not be sure if you will get a job, but you DO have full control on wether you'll enjoy the trip. And for me the decision of go/no go boils down to just that.
I guess it's two more seasons before I get sorted, but I will visit, you can count on that.

Good luck to you all. Make the most of it.

[Propellerpilot]

MichaelPL - you hit the hammer onto the nail - in aviation in general, it is a lot about personal attitude that counts.

One other thing that came to my mind just now, seeing so many Indian guys in this thread. Take no offence here please, but the reality is that you will probably experience a more difficult chance of getting hired, which is actually pretty unjust - you guys are probably considered a bit exotic. Out of all Expats, South Africans (or even South African license holders) are preferred, then come Ozzies and Kiwis, then after a longer stretch the odd American and European candidate here and there. That is just the way it is unfortunately - but correct me if I am wrong.

[lilflyboy262]

@ Cactus. Well then it is pretty simple. It is too hard and too costly for you to come. How about go and pay for a A320 type rating like so many have and go and chase the airlines.

Don't give me the figures for the "average Indian". The Indians that train to become pilots are NOT your average Indian. I have met a large amount of them at my flying school back home, they were paying anywhere between $75,000 to $100,000 for a CPL with a multi IFR.
Whats another $5000 when you are paying that much? Hell most wont even blink when they fork out $20000 for a A320 rating.

Nothing is gaurenteed in aviation until you have signed the contract and sitting at the controls.

Where on earth did you get those figures from? 100 people? My ass! At tops there would have been 60 people. Even then most of them didnt stick around for long. I know of even one person who was here in the morning, passed out his cv's, then left in the afternoon.
Off the top of my head, there was 22 people hired this year. That is more than last year. People that were here that didn't get jobs will laugh at what I have just said. But it is the facts.

Where else on this earth will you have a 1/3 chance of getting your first aviation job?
In Northern Australia I was up against the same number of people for around 10 jobs.
Back in New Zealand I was up against the same number, for 1 job.
A nice figure that we have back home is that 80% of the CPL holders in NZ are NOT flying commercially.


@MichaelPL. I love your attitude. I truely hope that you do get a job somewhere. I know you will. You have the right attitude for it.

@Prop~ A little wrong there. Its just the majority of the people turning up here are from SA. Its used to be mainly Kiwi's here, but they don't really know about this place anymore.
The problem with Indians are the work visas and permits, its just like that in Namibia as well.