Jobs in Africa (2011 onwards) part 3.
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Africa is a plan B for me. Plan A is to find a job in Canada (yes a PILOT job). I better like to go in Africa, fly there 2-3 years than work as a rampie in Canada for the same amount of time. I didn't try to find a job yet because i'm finishing a university degree right now, I'll be looking in late may after I pass my IR flight test. I'm considering all options so that's why i'm asking a question on this forum.
English side of Africa is not an option, too many guys from countries with a big pool of pilots (USA, UK, N-Z, Australia) hanging around there. My idea is that on the french side there's not many pilots looking for a position because you have only France as a pool of french speaking people. I don't think that if the operator where I go have a lack of pilots it will be difficult for them to obtain the papers.
Anybody speak english, so I guess my french is an advantage down there (over 20 french speaking countries). Correct me if i'm wrong.
English side of Africa is not an option, too many guys from countries with a big pool of pilots (USA, UK, N-Z, Australia) hanging around there. My idea is that on the french side there's not many pilots looking for a position because you have only France as a pool of french speaking people. I don't think that if the operator where I go have a lack of pilots it will be difficult for them to obtain the papers.
Anybody speak english, so I guess my french is an advantage down there (over 20 french speaking countries). Correct me if i'm wrong.
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True that they speak french, but I'm pretty sure they have to speak English over the radios. Its not like in Quebec where you can speak either English or French.
I'm not too familiar with Western Africa, only Southern so I can't be of much use. My understanding is that the major companies operating around there are under contract from other states (Example, Kenn Borek [I think its them] operating their twin otters and dash 8's in chad). Or are using planes that are run down and of average maintenance.
But I can tell you know, that with the hiring that is happening, and will continue to happen in Canada, that you will NOT be on the ramp for 3 years. 6months tops if you choose your companies right!
I'm not too familiar with Western Africa, only Southern so I can't be of much use. My understanding is that the major companies operating around there are under contract from other states (Example, Kenn Borek [I think its them] operating their twin otters and dash 8's in chad). Or are using planes that are run down and of average maintenance.
But I can tell you know, that with the hiring that is happening, and will continue to happen in Canada, that you will NOT be on the ramp for 3 years. 6months tops if you choose your companies right!
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Everyone in North America, outside Quebec, thinks that everywhere else in the world, English is the only language spoken on the radio, when in fact that couldn't be further from the truth. In many French African countries (from actual, real-life experience: Gabon, Senegal, Burkina, Mali, Rep. Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, even Morocco and Mauritania) there is quite a bit of French on the airwaves. And in Equatorial Guinea, there's Spanish, French, and even a local language thrown in once in a while, just for extra fun. (English too, but it's ATC's 4th language, usually, so... yeah.)
As far as having French being an advantage over "everyone else" speaking English going to the English African nations - there are a lot of French and Spanish speaking Europeans I've met in French Africa that have a decent amount of flight time but are working for not so great companies & pay in some pretty "interesting" places because they can't find work in Europe. That's not saying you won't be able to find anything, but just another caution not to limit yourself solely based on the perceived lack of competition.
Wherever you go, be careful, watch for scams, question everything, and remember - ass, license, job - in that order. Putting your life on the line every day isn't worth a couple hundred flight hours. If you want to fly in Africa, do it with a Canadian company (Sander, Fugro, Voyageur, Trans Cap, etc etc.)
Good luck.
As far as having French being an advantage over "everyone else" speaking English going to the English African nations - there are a lot of French and Spanish speaking Europeans I've met in French Africa that have a decent amount of flight time but are working for not so great companies & pay in some pretty "interesting" places because they can't find work in Europe. That's not saying you won't be able to find anything, but just another caution not to limit yourself solely based on the perceived lack of competition.
Wherever you go, be careful, watch for scams, question everything, and remember - ass, license, job - in that order. Putting your life on the line every day isn't worth a couple hundred flight hours. If you want to fly in Africa, do it with a Canadian company (Sander, Fugro, Voyageur, Trans Cap, etc etc.)
Good luck.
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Survey, I'm not from North America. I'm just working there 
Just because it is spoken on the radio, doesn't mean that it should be in today's ICAO world.
But totally agree with the last portion of your post and that's what I was trying to get at... kinda left a major part missing out of the previous post.
Be very very careful in what you are getting yourself in for while you are there. Try and organise as much as you can before you get there. I'm not saying that everyone there is out to rip you off or steal your things. But you will stand out. And more likely to have something like that happen to you.
Just because it is spoken on the radio, doesn't mean that it should be in today's ICAO world.
But totally agree with the last portion of your post and that's what I was trying to get at... kinda left a major part missing out of the previous post.
Be very very careful in what you are getting yourself in for while you are there. Try and organise as much as you can before you get there. I'm not saying that everyone there is out to rip you off or steal your things. But you will stand out. And more likely to have something like that happen to you.
Está servira para distraerle.
If people keep on advocating or approving of the use of French for ATC purposes it won't be long before Brussels and Strasbourg get to hear of it. Then you'll soon find that, notwithstanding the impossible idiocy of it, January will be Flemish month, February: German, March: Greek (well maybe) April: Turkish, (if the silly Brits get their way) and so on. Allah alone knows what happens when you approach the Spanish month with all their delightfully different languages. Quite a lot of people have a hard enough time with English as a second or third language. Don't widen the field too far beyond the parameters of rational possibility.
Last edited by cavortingcheetah; 25th Apr 2012 at 12:12.
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I wont bother posting my hours as they are pretty miniscule in comparison, just starting out, but realise nevertheless that in the aviation world a plan is neccessary. All apologies from diverting from linguistics and to one of nationality, now here is my dilemna Ive been reading on pprune about geting the low timer jobs in Africa but more and more it seems as though work visas are harder to come by, preference given to locals. I used to be dual nationality Botswana and U.K, however the Bots one has expired and cannot be renewed as it is illegal to be dual in Bots but not the UK. Since the introduction of e-passports in Bots they are allowing people to renounce their current citizenship to become Motswana, but has to be done soon.
I grew up in Botswana and regardless of all the red tape would like to spend a couple of years there again, it does have its positives. However speaking to the UK powers that be, I can become British again if renounced, but only once, so may be a good idea.
Sorry for the length of this as a first post but I need to make a decison now, even if all licences will not be achieved for another 2yrs, when I can only imagine the tape geting thicker, for those that have flown in that part of the world, is it worth the hassle??
I grew up in Botswana and regardless of all the red tape would like to spend a couple of years there again, it does have its positives. However speaking to the UK powers that be, I can become British again if renounced, but only once, so may be a good idea.
Sorry for the length of this as a first post but I need to make a decison now, even if all licences will not be achieved for another 2yrs, when I can only imagine the tape geting thicker, for those that have flown in that part of the world, is it worth the hassle??
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In short,
Yes.
Best two years of my life, and taught me a hell of a lot.
It is safe there, the only risks are the ones that you take yourself. In other words, it is as safe as you make it.
Before you go renouncing your English citizenship, contact your closest Botswana consulate or Botswana Immigration, and see if your ex-citizenship will allow your to get a resident's visa. Once you have the visa and work permit, then there is no need to renounce your British citizenship.
Get it done ASAP though, as you said, the red tape is only getting thicker.
Yes.
Best two years of my life, and taught me a hell of a lot.
It is safe there, the only risks are the ones that you take yourself. In other words, it is as safe as you make it.
Before you go renouncing your English citizenship, contact your closest Botswana consulate or Botswana Immigration, and see if your ex-citizenship will allow your to get a resident's visa. Once you have the visa and work permit, then there is no need to renounce your British citizenship.
Get it done ASAP though, as you said, the red tape is only getting thicker.
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Thinking British
Yeah actually I never thought about speaking to the Bots dept, only because a lot of them have been caught up in being illegally dual, including Mr Khama and relatives, hence the renouncing episode at the moment. Working as a croupier at the moment, with the hope of using those daylight hours for training, but my mum is motswana, and I was born there so, yeah i see no reason for denial of a permit?
Lillflyboy...(or others but you seem more knowledgeable) what do you think the future situation will pan out to be....still a haven for low timers, or the unfortunate, 1000 unless local?.
Lillflyboy...(or others but you seem more knowledgeable) what do you think the future situation will pan out to be....still a haven for low timers, or the unfortunate, 1000 unless local?.
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A lot of the guys that got hired this year still had a pretty basic commercial licence. A few had a few more hours, with other having instructor ratings and the like. As long as the company is also hiring Motswana, then they usually don't have any issues in the permit side of things.
However, if you already hold a permit and resident visa, then you will basically be as eligible as a Motswana, and should have no issues at all in getting a job. We hired a girl who was in that situation, purely because she already had the permits, and she also had a little time on a C206.
However, if you already hold a permit and resident visa, then you will basically be as eligible as a Motswana, and should have no issues at all in getting a job. We hired a girl who was in that situation, purely because she already had the permits, and she also had a little time on a C206.
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Cheers, for the info, but as I said all self funded at the moment, so need to know what is essential....and dont please start hitting your head against a brick wall, cause I have read all the Maun essential thread thoroughly, very informative and well done, IR not particularly asked for, which would save a chunk including renewals, but if you could what is the ideal licences to go down with.i.e 206 time over IR etc?
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The main workhorse is the C206 followed closely by 210. There are also several 208 Caravans. Experience and type ratings for the 206 and 210 should be enough to find you some work.
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The C206 is the mainstay of all the fleets. The C210 not so much now. There is one or two in a few of the companies fleets. The new kid on the block is definitely the GA8 airvan. Although they wont let you loose on that until you have 400hrs.
3 Companies have C172's, with one of the other companies looking at rebuilding their one.
Don't bother with the C208 rating. It is expensive to train on and they wont let you near one until you have at least 1000hrs. You have to do a Turbine Certificate of Test every 12 months, and it will take you at least 5hrs to get back up to speed after not flying one for over a year.
You can get trained by the company in that space of time. And have them pay for it.
If you are going to get time, do your training, or at least part of it in a C172. Then as much time as you can afford in a C206 ( I know that they aren't cheap! )
I would suggest at least spending a bit of time learning about VOR's and a bit of actual IMC stuff. Sometimes in the summer, IMC can't be avoided even though you are "VFR" as well as them using VOR radials to seperate you from inbound IFR traffic.
I'm not sure if wilderness still requires you to have a IFR rating or not. But it was always something they could use to weed you out from the others. That being said...if you have permits already prior to getting there... then that's a whole new board game.
3 Companies have C172's, with one of the other companies looking at rebuilding their one.
Don't bother with the C208 rating. It is expensive to train on and they wont let you near one until you have at least 1000hrs. You have to do a Turbine Certificate of Test every 12 months, and it will take you at least 5hrs to get back up to speed after not flying one for over a year.
You can get trained by the company in that space of time. And have them pay for it.
If you are going to get time, do your training, or at least part of it in a C172. Then as much time as you can afford in a C206 ( I know that they aren't cheap! )
I would suggest at least spending a bit of time learning about VOR's and a bit of actual IMC stuff. Sometimes in the summer, IMC can't be avoided even though you are "VFR" as well as them using VOR radials to seperate you from inbound IFR traffic.
I'm not sure if wilderness still requires you to have a IFR rating or not. But it was always something they could use to weed you out from the others. That being said...if you have permits already prior to getting there... then that's a whole new board game.
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Hello,
Bruno
JAA FROZEN ATPL (CPL/ME/IR)
ICAO LEVEL 6
TT <250hrs
SET C208 (in process)
Active duty Army spec ops nco
Willing to re-locate anywhere in Africa to fly.
Thanks
Bruno
JAA FROZEN ATPL (CPL/ME/IR)
ICAO LEVEL 6
TT <250hrs
SET C208 (in process)
Active duty Army spec ops nco
Willing to re-locate anywhere in Africa to fly.
Thanks
Last edited by eaglesnest1972; 9th May 2012 at 11:34.
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Hello everyone,
I am a special ops senior NCO in the italian Army.
I hold a JAA frozen ATPL with around 200 hrs TT, icao level 6 and class 1 medical. I am about to invest some money in a caravan type.
I am 39 now.
I always wanted to fly for living but for a series of reasons i was able to attend a modular course in recent yrs only.
I am aware about how things are moving in EU. P2f and so on so i dont even try to send an application to european companies, i dont know anyone and honestly i cannot spend 30k to buy me a right seat.
I ask to you all suggestions and advices on how a pilot with my profile could find a job in Africa, anything flying is good for me as long as it is decent and an honest job to gain enough to live.
After all i can still work for another 25 yrs or so.
I spent yrs of my life in hostile and remote areas so relocating for me is not really a problem, anywhere.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
Best.
I am a special ops senior NCO in the italian Army.
I hold a JAA frozen ATPL with around 200 hrs TT, icao level 6 and class 1 medical. I am about to invest some money in a caravan type.
I am 39 now.
I always wanted to fly for living but for a series of reasons i was able to attend a modular course in recent yrs only.
I am aware about how things are moving in EU. P2f and so on so i dont even try to send an application to european companies, i dont know anyone and honestly i cannot spend 30k to buy me a right seat.
I ask to you all suggestions and advices on how a pilot with my profile could find a job in Africa, anything flying is good for me as long as it is decent and an honest job to gain enough to live.
After all i can still work for another 25 yrs or so.
I spent yrs of my life in hostile and remote areas so relocating for me is not really a problem, anywhere.
Thanks in advance for your attention.
Best.
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Hi all,
and greetings from Finland. I've also been thinking to go checkout the Africas job markets, probably try to set timing somewhere in Jan and Feb 2013 incase there will be no Maya's end of the world
.
I'm also on low hours and got just usual ME IR MCC like everyone here. Bush piloting isn't the usual way here in Finland and getting more hours in here is also too expensive SE hours are usually something like 180€/each, and most of the companies 'd like to see just piles of ME IR hrs.
So if I can't find any other job until December, got the guts, get enough money from summer and everything goes as supposed it's probably of to Windhoek then!
Any tips would be appreciated! Also I'd like to learn about expanses in there. How much liiving, eating, beer, etc. (In Finland pint's something like 4.50€-7.00€)
Cheers and happy landings!
and greetings from Finland. I've also been thinking to go checkout the Africas job markets, probably try to set timing somewhere in Jan and Feb 2013 incase there will be no Maya's end of the world
.I'm also on low hours and got just usual ME IR MCC like everyone here. Bush piloting isn't the usual way here in Finland and getting more hours in here is also too expensive SE hours are usually something like 180€/each, and most of the companies 'd like to see just piles of ME IR hrs.
So if I can't find any other job until December, got the guts, get enough money from summer and everything goes as supposed it's probably of to Windhoek then!
Any tips would be appreciated! Also I'd like to learn about expanses in there. How much liiving, eating, beer, etc. (In Finland pint's something like 4.50€-7.00€)
Cheers and happy landings!
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Yeah in general it will be cheaper than scandoland, but not that cheap on a global scale, Africa is more expensive than Asia, i find....they have a high tax on booze in Botswana, but Namibia and S.A should seem cheap.
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By a high tax, you have to keep it relative.... 7 Pula for a beer isn't expensive haha.
20 euros for a night out in Botswana would be a really good night out plus buying a few for friends. Probably could eat with that as well.
20 euros for a night out in Botswana would be a really good night out plus buying a few for friends. Probably could eat with that as well.
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20 euros for a night out in Botswana would be a really good night
Bad form chaps, guess I will have to wait until I get back to find out what happened.