Maun Season 2010-2011-2012
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NBV4,
Think its just that prospective pilots tend to hang around alot longer these days. I was there looking for a job in Jan 2006, there were 20+ pilots all looking for jobs at the same time, some came, some went, some got jobs! think folks generally only stayed for a month or so back then though.
lilflyboy
Don't think we ever met bro, i left Maun circa dec 2008. worked for Moremi Air, when I was there it was a top company, went a bit downhill a bit with a few dings here and there, one just before i left and then the other more recent ones.
Having said that, in 2 and a bit years I was in Maun, I think every company except Kavango and Safari had at least one fairly serious prang, I think that just comes with the territory, there is such a massive amount of daily flights (At least 100+ sectors per day across all the companies!) into some fairly average strips, then sooner or later someone is bound to mow over a stray antelope on landing or slide off a greasy strip or something. Doesn't mean the pilots are all cowboys, its just a reality of the conditions that they fly in, 6 days a week, 5 or so hours a day.
So even though training it pretty extensive, (at least 50hours in the delta initially, plus 20 odd hours on any new type, and 50 hours on type for Van/Islander.) The reality is that the pilots that generally start have a Fresh CPL, most havn't seen a strip thats not tarseal, and tho most of them probably think they are ace's, someone is bound to f*#k up every now and then.
The majority of the blokes and gals that decide to travel to distant botswana and land a job however, are good buggers, and get through while hopefully learning a thing or two!
Think its just that prospective pilots tend to hang around alot longer these days. I was there looking for a job in Jan 2006, there were 20+ pilots all looking for jobs at the same time, some came, some went, some got jobs! think folks generally only stayed for a month or so back then though.
lilflyboy
Don't think we ever met bro, i left Maun circa dec 2008. worked for Moremi Air, when I was there it was a top company, went a bit downhill a bit with a few dings here and there, one just before i left and then the other more recent ones.
Having said that, in 2 and a bit years I was in Maun, I think every company except Kavango and Safari had at least one fairly serious prang, I think that just comes with the territory, there is such a massive amount of daily flights (At least 100+ sectors per day across all the companies!) into some fairly average strips, then sooner or later someone is bound to mow over a stray antelope on landing or slide off a greasy strip or something. Doesn't mean the pilots are all cowboys, its just a reality of the conditions that they fly in, 6 days a week, 5 or so hours a day.
So even though training it pretty extensive, (at least 50hours in the delta initially, plus 20 odd hours on any new type, and 50 hours on type for Van/Islander.) The reality is that the pilots that generally start have a Fresh CPL, most havn't seen a strip thats not tarseal, and tho most of them probably think they are ace's, someone is bound to f*#k up every now and then.
The majority of the blokes and gals that decide to travel to distant botswana and land a job however, are good buggers, and get through while hopefully learning a thing or two!
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I agree with 206dog, To be honest if you have been to Maun and worked you don't need to keep arguing with everyone's dumb arse opinion, let them think what they like.
When I was there the pilots were good and there was one incident that I recall and it was the C206 A2-DOG.
Some of you need to relax a bit and stop going tit for tat, Maun was a place where that sort of BS was left behind at home and the pilots who came and made it were a differant breed.
When I was there the pilots were good and there was one incident that I recall and it was the C206 A2-DOG.
Some of you need to relax a bit and stop going tit for tat, Maun was a place where that sort of BS was left behind at home and the pilots who came and made it were a differant breed.
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Lilflyboy is I think the best authority on this subject for current times (I doubt we haven't met, it's been a bit since I was there).
Personality does play a part but like anything a mixture of personalities will lead to a disagreement etc but I think has little to do with the professionalism of most pilots.
I am sure we have met/flown with people who would happily dance with their pants off to "twisting by the pool" on a table in a bar but when it comes to work switch their minds onto the job and focus on a safe op that makes their boss money.
Then you get the other end of the spectrum - over qualified guys of all ages who might be teetotalers but are a space cadet once then have a 182 and 4 sectors for the day.
An example of both extremes and by no way the norm of course.
I heard a story about a guy who worked oil rigs off Angola and he was saying there was a night when a good ole' southern boy was punching it out with big guy from Leeds while a Canadian was leaning on his shoulder and telling him how he paints his miniature Napoleon army soldiers for war games....
....And they're making dollars for their boss.
Personality does play a part but like anything a mixture of personalities will lead to a disagreement etc but I think has little to do with the professionalism of most pilots.
I am sure we have met/flown with people who would happily dance with their pants off to "twisting by the pool" on a table in a bar but when it comes to work switch their minds onto the job and focus on a safe op that makes their boss money.
Then you get the other end of the spectrum - over qualified guys of all ages who might be teetotalers but are a space cadet once then have a 182 and 4 sectors for the day.
An example of both extremes and by no way the norm of course.
I heard a story about a guy who worked oil rigs off Angola and he was saying there was a night when a good ole' southern boy was punching it out with big guy from Leeds while a Canadian was leaning on his shoulder and telling him how he paints his miniature Napoleon army soldiers for war games....
....And they're making dollars for their boss.
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Letters
The Ngami Times
Very well written by 'name and address supplied'. Guess you guys down there know who it is.
‘Blatantly biased and flawed' report on pilot training'
Very well written by 'name and address supplied'. Guess you guys down there know who it is.
‘Blatantly biased and flawed' report on pilot training'
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Unfortuately things will be changing in Maun in the near future and I believe it will be a end to low houred pilots being able to come and look for work. Perhaps we might be able to squeeze another year or two in.
I throughly recommend giving the operators a phone call before coming over.
I throughly recommend giving the operators a phone call before coming over.
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changes in Maun
Hi lilflyboy.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the changes you fear will come? And what are the grounds for you to believe they will?
I'm really counting on the Maun opportunity to kickstart my flying. But I do need to gather the means necessaty to complete my training first. So, if all goes well, I could be coming nov/dec 2012. Do you think I might still make it before the end of low-hour era is there?
Also on a side note - if low-hour guys won't be flying the planes, who will?
Can you tell us a little bit more about the changes you fear will come? And what are the grounds for you to believe they will?
I'm really counting on the Maun opportunity to kickstart my flying. But I do need to gather the means necessaty to complete my training first. So, if all goes well, I could be coming nov/dec 2012. Do you think I might still make it before the end of low-hour era is there?
Also on a side note - if low-hour guys won't be flying the planes, who will?
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They are looking at bringing in the following restrictions on Ex-pat pilots.
A minimum of 1500hrs.
A grade two instructors rating.
Relevant experience to become either a Operations Manager, Chief Pilot, Safety Officer or Training Captain.
They are going to be filling the gaps with local pilots that are currently being trained.
There will be a shortage of pilots still but I believe that it will become an operation where you are contacted by the company after sending through your CV's. Perhaps that will be a blessing in disguise for a lot of people?
The speed that things move in Africa is not a fast pace. It will take a while for things to change so there will be a year or two before this is put into place.
There has been meetings between the charter companies and the governing bodies. So we know that the changes are coming.
I will be able to tell you guys more around the middle of the week. I wouldnt go cancelling your plans to come here just yet. Just be prepared for a few changes and the amount of positions available might be a lot less.
Besides, there is still the rest of Africa that you can try while you are here!
A minimum of 1500hrs.
A grade two instructors rating.
Relevant experience to become either a Operations Manager, Chief Pilot, Safety Officer or Training Captain.
They are going to be filling the gaps with local pilots that are currently being trained.
There will be a shortage of pilots still but I believe that it will become an operation where you are contacted by the company after sending through your CV's. Perhaps that will be a blessing in disguise for a lot of people?
The speed that things move in Africa is not a fast pace. It will take a while for things to change so there will be a year or two before this is put into place.
There has been meetings between the charter companies and the governing bodies. So we know that the changes are coming.
I will be able to tell you guys more around the middle of the week. I wouldnt go cancelling your plans to come here just yet. Just be prepared for a few changes and the amount of positions available might be a lot less.
Besides, there is still the rest of Africa that you can try while you are here!
Está servira para distraerle.
(if low-hour guys won't be flying the planes, who will?)
Why sonny boy, that's going to be us!
We're the pilot aviators who know every nook and cranny of the delta the way it was thirty years ago when all the Cessnas were painted a cute baby blue and an engine failure up there was certain death. Those were the days when we used to fly the Boss in on his G111. We've got zillions of hours between us, no new stories to invent, no axes to grind or points to score. We aren't going anywhere except into the dust and once we're in up there we'll never leave. We'll fly for nearly zero because we've all got huge pensions, accumulated after years of airline flying and we really do want to keep our tax footprint hush hush. We don't ever want leave the swamps and we will fly sick, drunk or hung over, will cover for each other and will spit tobacco juice into the face of any fresh faced chief pilot who tells us how to run the Ops Manual We never get sick, although we might die from time to time, but we've always arranged cover with a mate. The passengers love us because we're reliable old hornets who instill confidence in even the most abashed of virgin fliers. Bechuanaland, last outpost of the good life in Africa, here we come! We're the Old Timers and boy! Can we fly!
Why sonny boy, that's going to be us!
We're the pilot aviators who know every nook and cranny of the delta the way it was thirty years ago when all the Cessnas were painted a cute baby blue and an engine failure up there was certain death. Those were the days when we used to fly the Boss in on his G111. We've got zillions of hours between us, no new stories to invent, no axes to grind or points to score. We aren't going anywhere except into the dust and once we're in up there we'll never leave. We'll fly for nearly zero because we've all got huge pensions, accumulated after years of airline flying and we really do want to keep our tax footprint hush hush. We don't ever want leave the swamps and we will fly sick, drunk or hung over, will cover for each other and will spit tobacco juice into the face of any fresh faced chief pilot who tells us how to run the Ops Manual We never get sick, although we might die from time to time, but we've always arranged cover with a mate. The passengers love us because we're reliable old hornets who instill confidence in even the most abashed of virgin fliers. Bechuanaland, last outpost of the good life in Africa, here we come! We're the Old Timers and boy! Can we fly!
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@lilflyboy:
Thanks for the info. Appreciate if you keep us posted as the situation develops.
But then again, I recall reading not so long ago, that the local pilot training programme was scrapped?
EDIT: as in here: http://www.pprune.org/african-aviati...ml#post6565054
@cc:
Love your posts, keep 'em coming. Nice to find something like this inbetween all of the 'will I get a job if I go?'. This one is actually better than some of the 'you know you are in Africa' thread. Cheers
Thanks for the info. Appreciate if you keep us posted as the situation develops.
But then again, I recall reading not so long ago, that the local pilot training programme was scrapped?
EDIT: as in here: http://www.pprune.org/african-aviati...ml#post6565054
@cc:
Love your posts, keep 'em coming. Nice to find something like this inbetween all of the 'will I get a job if I go?'. This one is actually better than some of the 'you know you are in Africa' thread. Cheers
Last edited by MichaelPL; 23rd Jul 2011 at 15:59. Reason: added link
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Yebbut 200 l/h is not so bad when you can carry 12 paying pax.
And the damn things are almost indestructible.
100 knots / 120 mph cruising is fast enough for short hops in the swamps.
Flying backwards into a 30 knot headwind is quite a party trick
.
And the damn things are almost indestructible.
100 knots / 120 mph cruising is fast enough for short hops in the swamps.
Flying backwards into a 30 knot headwind is quite a party trick
.
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And isnt it something like 12L per hour of oil as well?
There was a german one that came in here sometime last year. That was a pretty cool sight to see. That and when the DC-3 comes past on its southern africa trips.
There was a german one that came in here sometime last year. That was a pretty cool sight to see. That and when the DC-3 comes past on its southern africa trips.
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100 knots / 120 mph cruising is fast enough...
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Now that's an interesting addition to the topic. We got two AN2s back in my flying club, used as skydiver lifts.
It could be possible for me to include that in the line of my training. A bit more expensive though, but I could get some time in them (I dunno if one uses the term 'rating' for this aircraft, anyway could get to the point of having some PIC hours in the logbook on one of them).
Do you think it could benefit the odds of scoring a job in Bots/Nam? Or is it better to spend the cash on some 206 time instead?
(If I spare enough cash, I'll fly 'em just for the heck of it anyway, but I don't really hope for having excessive amounts of money at any point of my flying training. Or at any point of the part that comes after that
)
It could be possible for me to include that in the line of my training. A bit more expensive though, but I could get some time in them (I dunno if one uses the term 'rating' for this aircraft, anyway could get to the point of having some PIC hours in the logbook on one of them).
Do you think it could benefit the odds of scoring a job in Bots/Nam? Or is it better to spend the cash on some 206 time instead?
(If I spare enough cash, I'll fly 'em just for the heck of it anyway, but I don't really hope for having excessive amounts of money at any point of my flying training. Or at any point of the part that comes after that
)
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Well the AN2 hasnt moved in around 4 years I beleive. Could be longer.
I think the money would be better speant on a 206
Although, If given an opportunity, I would love to be able to log some time on random old planes like that.
I think the money would be better speant on a 206
Although, If given an opportunity, I would love to be able to log some time on random old planes like that.