Volunteer Doctor and UK PPL(A) pilot

[Fizzwizz]

Just tentatively putting out some feelers.

I'm a semi-retired doctor looking to spend 6 months a year in the UK working, and 6 months a year doing some travelling/volunteering in Africa.

I wonder if there's a way I can combine my love of flying with voluntary medical/medical-educational voluntary work in rural Africa?

Pay is not required - free flying is always a gift, but I'm also happy to invest money in further training, and could even take my own aircraft ( 2 seater bush plane).

Any thoughts?

Positive answers only please.

Kindest regards ... Shaun

[Bloated Stomach]

Here’s some positive advice:

1. Don’t work for free.
2. Have a bit of respect for yourself and aviation professionals.

[Fizzwizz]

Probably not the most helpful or enlightened advice, but thank you for trying

[glaciermints]

I'm curious as to why humanitarian volunteering would equate to a lack of respect for oneself- I was recently inspired by the work of Ukraine Air Recue, German PPL holders that delivered medical resources (for free) to areas that needed them.

I'm hoping to graduate as a doctor in about a year's time, so very interested in responses here, thanks for asking the question Fizzwizz.

[Cenrifugel]

The reason you don’t work for free is because you are setting a president for all operators out there to abuse pilots. We aren’t all as fortunate as you to have a medical degree or to be in a financial position to afford one. For many pilots flying is the only way to support themselves and feed their families. By offering your services for free you are denying a livelihood to many well deserving people out there.

[excrab]

Another issue is that Bush flying isn’t easy, realistically you need a
minimum amount of experience and ability to do it safely, at least CPL level, that’s only an opinion, but have a look at the Mission Aviation Fellowship’s website to see what experience levels they require. Admittedly that’s not voluntary, but even voluntary needs to be safe.

[chuboy]

I think fizzwizz is volunteering their services as a doctor, not as a pilot?

Surely you are not suggesting private flying is doing commercial pilots out of a job?

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[Trim Stab]

Originally Posted by Fizzwizz

Just tentatively putting out some feelers.

I'm a semi-retired doctor looking to spend 6 months a year in the UK working, and 6 months a year doing some travelling/volunteering in Africa.

I wonder if there's a way I can combine my love of flying with voluntary medical/medical-educational voluntary work in rural Africa?

Pay is not required - free flying is always a gift, but I'm also happy to invest money in further training, and could even take my own aircraft ( 2 seater bush plane).

Any thoughts?

Positive answers only please.

Kindest regards ... Shaun

I'm afraid virtually no chance of that. African aviation is highly regulated these days - partly for good reasons, but almost more to put in a good framework for extracting bribes from aviation. Nobody will allow you to fly a local registed aircraft on a CAA PPL(A). Also there are in most african countries plenty of local pilots who would object to an expat taking a potential job from them. Taking your own aircraft is also out of the question - you could transit through Africa (with a lot of headache and paperwork and hefty bills) but to fly internally you would need to import the aircraft (massive bills!) and in a lot of countries register it on the local register.

The most positive I can suggest is to volunteer as a doctor in an area which uses single-pilot aircraft to fly to remote strips - and you could probably get a bit of stick time in RHS from friendly pilots who enjoy having another pilot along.

I have for example seen single-pilot operations in El Fasher in the Dafur region and I am sure they are desperately short of doctors - but really I don't think it would be much fun to go there!

In nicer parts of Africa (Kenya, Botswana) there is a lot of single-pilot transport of passengers and I expect they occasionally need to take doctors out and about. But you would need to get work first as a doctor and then network from there and you could perhaps be seen as a first-call when a doctor is needed.

That is about as postive as it gets - sorry!

[pfvspnf]

Only religion people might take you to fly their aircraft but need good relationship with lord they don’t take anybody

[awair]

Sorry to read the negativity in this thread for what is essentially a humanitarian offer.

I have no links with Africa, but thinking around the problem, how about:

1. Sticking to one country
2. Validating your license there
3. Buying/leasing an aircraft 'in country', then selling afterwards?

It's a vast continent, and I’m sure that this might make it easier to volunteer your services.

Good luck, and thank you.

[4runner]

There’s a fantastic book written by someone who worked for flying doctors in kenya. He brought his own aircraft from Canadia. It’s a great read on Africa, aviation and travel. It’s called “My Heart is Africa”.