low time pilot seeking advice
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low time pilot seeking advice
Hello everybody,
I've been thinking for the last 6 months of going to Africa to look for a job,I haven't been sure what to do but now I think I made up my mind.From reading the rumours I realized that I wouldn't have many chances in Europe with only 750 total and 50 multi ,in Africa I might be more lucky plus I want to live all these wonderful experiences that I heard other people lived there.
Would someone who has been there please advice me where to start from?In which country would I have more chances and what kind of planes I could be flying?
All comments and suggestions are wellcome.
I've been thinking for the last 6 months of going to Africa to look for a job,I haven't been sure what to do but now I think I made up my mind.From reading the rumours I realized that I wouldn't have many chances in Europe with only 750 total and 50 multi ,in Africa I might be more lucky plus I want to live all these wonderful experiences that I heard other people lived there.
Would someone who has been there please advice me where to start from?In which country would I have more chances and what kind of planes I could be flying?
All comments and suggestions are wellcome.
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I tried to do a search on pilot jobs in Africa and all I realized is that nobody wants to share any information,most of what came out was just gossip.A few countries that seem to be promising are Botsuana,Tanzania and Kenya but I think it's a risk what some people say 'go there and show yourself',there must be a way of contacting some companies before going there,I guess I have to start from their embassies.
Thanks for your reply Herc Jerk
Thanks for your reply Herc Jerk
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I have been working in Tanzania for 6 years and have been A Chief pilot as well.
No one will hire you from oversea, they want to see your face and your motivation as it is expensive to hire an expat.
Take a plane ticket to Dar Es Salaam and enough money to survive for a month. You should be able to find a job if you have over a 1000 hours. If not you have tried and saw a nice country.
Remenber you will need to convert your licence.
Good luck.
No one will hire you from oversea, they want to see your face and your motivation as it is expensive to hire an expat.
Take a plane ticket to Dar Es Salaam and enough money to survive for a month. You should be able to find a job if you have over a 1000 hours. If not you have tried and saw a nice country.
Remenber you will need to convert your licence.
Good luck.
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For a low time pilot there is very little chance to get hired by just sending a CV. Actually this not only true in Africa but even here in the UK people who land jobs on smallish aircrafts, they are usually guys who have been showing their faces and motivation at every opportunity.
As for Bots and places like that you will have to take the risk (as you put it). Indeed if you don't you will join the millions who talked about it but never did it. If you do turn up then you will be up against a much reduced competition and in only a matter of time (can't tell you how long, you understand of course that it varies), you too should be flying commercially (I.e Dosh!!).
Ringing Embassies is a start but not sure it will be very useful.
Most countries will tell you that jobs are to go to nationals first.
If you apply for a visa and mention your intention then it is very likely that you will find your application rejected.
Also should you find a job from home, most employers will ask you to turn up as a tourist as applying for work permit, residency and licences is much easier once in the country.
My gut feeling is that amongts all the low timers who got jobs in Africa, a good 90% found an opportunity once on the spot rather than from home. If you want do it, I think you will have to go for it but quite rightly so, keep on digging infos as it isn't necessarily step to make but a certainly very rewarding one once you got what you wanted.
Good luck
As for Bots and places like that you will have to take the risk (as you put it). Indeed if you don't you will join the millions who talked about it but never did it. If you do turn up then you will be up against a much reduced competition and in only a matter of time (can't tell you how long, you understand of course that it varies), you too should be flying commercially (I.e Dosh!!).
Ringing Embassies is a start but not sure it will be very useful.
Most countries will tell you that jobs are to go to nationals first.
If you apply for a visa and mention your intention then it is very likely that you will find your application rejected.
Also should you find a job from home, most employers will ask you to turn up as a tourist as applying for work permit, residency and licences is much easier once in the country.
My gut feeling is that amongts all the low timers who got jobs in Africa, a good 90% found an opportunity once on the spot rather than from home. If you want do it, I think you will have to go for it but quite rightly so, keep on digging infos as it isn't necessarily step to make but a certainly very rewarding one once you got what you wanted.
Good luck
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At the time (96), I got a job with 500 TT, 50 Multi so.....
Really the hardest thing is to make that step as even with much less time in your log book people have been able to get jobs.
Once you have made your move the next test on your character will be how persitant you are.
Now you will hear about people getting jobs within days of their arrival and others within months which, I think, is down to timing and a not so negligeable factor, Luck !
Now even if we are talking months about getting that elusive job, isn't it much better than sitting home, watching depressing news about the industry and hoping to get a call from one of the hundred companies you have just sent your latest, most up to date and prettiest CV ???
Actually looser my post isn't only directed at you because I have no doubt there are a lots of people wondering about doing what you are now think of doing.
As a matter of fact, I actually regret it took me so long to get off my bum before buying that ticket and giving Africa a good go.
Really, I have been dumb (some will argue that I still am
).
Like the man said.
Really the hardest thing is to make that step as even with much less time in your log book people have been able to get jobs.
Once you have made your move the next test on your character will be how persitant you are.
Now you will hear about people getting jobs within days of their arrival and others within months which, I think, is down to timing and a not so negligeable factor, Luck !
Now even if we are talking months about getting that elusive job, isn't it much better than sitting home, watching depressing news about the industry and hoping to get a call from one of the hundred companies you have just sent your latest, most up to date and prettiest CV ???
Actually looser my post isn't only directed at you because I have no doubt there are a lots of people wondering about doing what you are now think of doing.
As a matter of fact, I actually regret it took me so long to get off my bum before buying that ticket and giving Africa a good go.
Really, I have been dumb (some will argue that I still am
).
...If not you have tried and saw a nice country.
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looser
In this industry, more than in any other, who you know is more important than what you know.
Find out where the companies are based, find out the names of the chief pilots, and go out to meet them in person. Be prepared to hang around for a while (could be 1 week could be 6 months). Sooner or later a job comes up and you will get it because you happen to be the last person that bugged the chief pilot that morning! Your chances of getting a job offer without showing your face are pretty much zero.
With your hours you should be able to find something, although you might not have much choice in what you get! I know guys who have gone straight onto turbine aircraft with 200 hours total time and I also know of guys with 1000s of hours who battle to find a job...... It is all about being in the right place at the right time.
Go for it, you have nothing to lose!
To start with, consider Botswana, Maun. Lot of operators there serve the tourist industry in the Okavango Delta. Mack Air, Swamp Air, Sefofane, Moremi, to name but a few. Also speak to Ross Air, Balmoral and King Air Services in South Africa. They operate contracts in various African countries.
Good luck!
CM
PS why don't you change your name from looser to winner
In this industry, more than in any other, who you know is more important than what you know.
Find out where the companies are based, find out the names of the chief pilots, and go out to meet them in person. Be prepared to hang around for a while (could be 1 week could be 6 months). Sooner or later a job comes up and you will get it because you happen to be the last person that bugged the chief pilot that morning! Your chances of getting a job offer without showing your face are pretty much zero.
With your hours you should be able to find something, although you might not have much choice in what you get! I know guys who have gone straight onto turbine aircraft with 200 hours total time and I also know of guys with 1000s of hours who battle to find a job...... It is all about being in the right place at the right time.
Go for it, you have nothing to lose!
To start with, consider Botswana, Maun. Lot of operators there serve the tourist industry in the Okavango Delta. Mack Air, Swamp Air, Sefofane, Moremi, to name but a few. Also speak to Ross Air, Balmoral and King Air Services in South Africa. They operate contracts in various African countries.
Good luck!
CM
PS why don't you change your name from looser to winner
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Thanks for your replies guys,now I'm persuaded that I don't get a job by sitting on the computer,I have to go down there and try my luck.I'm gonna wait another 2-3 months to save some money and then I'm off to Botswana,I think I'll start from there.Anybody knows what is the cheapest way to travel from country to country in Africa?(e.g from Botswana to S.Africa or from Botswana to Tanzania...)
Clogmaster I'm gonna change my name from 'looser' to 'winner' if I go down there and be lucky,not before then because I like that name,I think it's got a nice sense of humour.
Clogmaster I'm gonna change my name from 'looser' to 'winner' if I go down there and be lucky,not before then because I like that name,I think it's got a nice sense of humour.
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Please correct me if I'm wrong as I do not want to post misleading information for looser, but from what I have found, Kenya sounds like a good place to start. Seems like most of the a/c in country are either two crew (good for a co-pilot position) or in a category that a low timer would be qualified.
As for a source of information, you should really try and get your hands on a copy of JP Airline-Fleets. The best $100 I ever spend. Has tons of info on tons of companies. Trust me, if you have never seen one, take my word for it, buy it, you can thank me later.
Hope it helps!! All the best.
P.S Do you have any float experience?
As for a source of information, you should really try and get your hands on a copy of JP Airline-Fleets. The best $100 I ever spend. Has tons of info on tons of companies. Trust me, if you have never seen one, take my word for it, buy it, you can thank me later.
Hope it helps!! All the best.
P.S Do you have any float experience?
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Hey looser,
I found the link to where I bought my copy of JP Fleets, so here it is.
http://www.buchair.ch/
I found the link to where I bought my copy of JP Fleets, so here it is.
http://www.buchair.ch/
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Hi JoeCo,
You said "Have you any float experience?"
Is it usefull to have some to find a job in Africa, I'm an exception cause I will have spent less money than expected once I finish my CPL-IR-multi. So I will have a little money left, and I was wondering what to do with : Hour building in a multi, aerobatic course (can be fun), seaplane rating...
fly safe
You said "Have you any float experience?"
Is it usefull to have some to find a job in Africa, I'm an exception cause I will have spent less money than expected once I finish my CPL-IR-multi. So I will have a little money left, and I was wondering what to do with : Hour building in a multi, aerobatic course (can be fun), seaplane rating...
fly safe
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Joe Co,thanks for your interest on this,no,I don't have any float experience,is it really necessary?
Would the companies there give me some training if I was hired in order to get a float rating?
Would the companies there give me some training if I was hired in order to get a float rating?
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As for float operators in Africa, I'm sure there must be a few, but which ones, I have no idea. Actually, if anyone does know about float operators in Africa, I would like to know!!
Is it necessary, probably not as there must be far more wheeled a/c in Africa than float equiped a/c's. The only reason I asked was that I would have had a suggestion or two. They weren't in Africa, but, maybe you folks would have been interested?? Who knows!?? Usually folks looking for there first jobs don't really care where it is.
Is it necessary, probably not as there must be far more wheeled a/c in Africa than float equiped a/c's. The only reason I asked was that I would have had a suggestion or two. They weren't in Africa, but, maybe you folks would have been interested?? Who knows!?? Usually folks looking for there first jobs don't really care where it is.
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Joe Co if you have any suggestions I'd be very interested to know,I don't really care where it is as long as ithe temperature is not under 30 Celcious below zero.
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I'm not trying to mislead you, but what I've found out about jobs in africa as a low time pilot is not to go to Kenya (got a referee down there who spent about 6 months there before he got himself a job. It looks like everybody is born there allong with a CPL and 6000000 hrs TT. As some pilots mentioned, in the pprune-archives, it looks better to go to Botswana...
I'm planning a trip myself in a few months, was going to fly to Afrique about a year ago but some financial probs made me to stay here a bit longer.
Cheers, MM
JOECO you've got my attentino here: Floatrated stuff, I've got a float rating... Always looking for some excitement!!!!!! MM
I'm planning a trip myself in a few months, was going to fly to Afrique about a year ago but some financial probs made me to stay here a bit longer.
Cheers, MM
JOECO you've got my attentino here: Floatrated stuff, I've got a float rating... Always looking for some excitement!!!!!! MM
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loser: HAHAHAHA -30c, AND YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED???? HAHAHA Well there go all my ideas!! AHH just kidding!! Seriously though, this might not be a new idea, but it's one just the same, what about the Maldives?? When I was there, their where about 25% Ausy lads driving. However one does need to at least have a float rating.
My other idea was a company over in Fiji. Now i can't seem to come up with the damb name of the company, sorry about that, but they had a mixed bag of ships, some floated and others rolled, but that might be another place to have a look see at.
As for Kenya, well, like i said, it was just a though. However there was one chap that I was talking to that flew right seat in a Twin Otter for an outfit that had about 6 TO's and some C-402's if i recall correctly. Again, can't think of the name of the company but it was something like....Air Safaris???
Sorry about the lack of company names, maybe I had too many coffees this morn, overloaded the mind, but if I track them down I'll post them for ya.
Have a good one!!
AHH just kidding!! Seriously though, this might not be a new idea, but it's one just the same, what about the Maldives?? When I was there, their where about 25% Ausy lads driving. However one does need to at least have a float rating.My other idea was a company over in Fiji. Now i can't seem to come up with the damb name of the company, sorry about that, but they had a mixed bag of ships, some floated and others rolled, but that might be another place to have a look see at.
As for Kenya, well, like i said, it was just a though. However there was one chap that I was talking to that flew right seat in a Twin Otter for an outfit that had about 6 TO's and some C-402's if i recall correctly. Again, can't think of the name of the company but it was something like....Air Safaris???
Sorry about the lack of company names, maybe I had too many coffees this morn, overloaded the mind, but if I track them down I'll post them for ya.
Have a good one!!