Hi Descjocky!

Thank you very much for sharing all this info with me. It gives me a hell of a lot more confidence to know that there are other guys out there also sticking to their guns and doing what they want to do.

Thanks for the pro and cons. It is a huge help. I think my plan at this moment is to go all the way, and do it in one go. I have enough to do my PPL and this is covered. Now I just need to get the rest of the 150K. But the idea is that I will save and sell, so in a year or so, I think I can manage it. I also have the idea that I would like to do it all in one go. I have had experience of part time study, and like you say, hitting the books at 7 till 10 in the evening after a day of work is a bit daunting. (but not impossible!)

This is where I have no idea. I have no pilot friends, and have no idea what 'good' salaries are. I mean, after a year, would 20K a month be out of the question? I know it all depends on where and with whom, and to be totally honest, I would not like to work for peanuts in SA. I know in the beginning it is more feasable, but I would like to make enough so that my (potential) family would be taken care of. But I am sure I can find out on the forum (in the future) who the good employees are.

I actually thought about that too. But after living in the UK for 6 years, I dunno. I miss SA dearly, but like you said, I can do Europe as well, and working in a place like Spain, well, at least they have beaches there! I am allready looking into it!

This is a heck of a good thing you told me. I will definately take this to heart. This is good advice.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences!

:ok:

Saffa.

no worries at all mate- go for it!

Cheap Accommodations in Namibia?
 

Hi everyone.
I’m currently in Pretoria, South Africa Visiting family, but looking to take a road trip to Namibia on a job hunt. I will be flying into Windhoek on Sunday and leaving 2 weeks afterwards. I’m looking into going to Swakopmund also, and am in need of any advice as to where I can arrange or find some cheap lodgings. Any further suggestions about the trip would be great and appreciated.

Go to www.natron.net It will give you most of the acommodations in Namibia from lodges to hotels and B&B's. That's how I did my planning

Hi Pedsims,
If you want to save your money, try backpakers; There is a lot in Namibia.
I went to one (long time ago) but I can't remenber the name.
Good luck for job hunting (go to Eros there is a lot of good company)
Soft landing

yeah mate, there are a few backpackers in town - I recommend "The Cardboard box" - it has a good swimming pool and bar. Plus lots of Norwegian nurses stay there throughout the year! ;)

ask me nicely and you can stay in my flat
easy as that ,I was also in that position many years ago,and I have helped many pruners thus far.
greetings
vaninnam

Ahhh, the Cardboard Box, i have many good memories of that place. The bar was always the highlight after a long days job search.. yeah there were many good looking lasses staying out there. All in all, a good place to stay while hunting for that job!!

Hey Fran, hope you are well matey. When you in Pta again, you must come and visit, had Hellmon there the other day and it was a real blast from the past!

Good luck in the job search!

Safe flying BD:ok:

Vaninnam, you don't have Norwegian nurses staying with you. But if the price is right, why not????? Vlieg jy nog vir Air Nam?

Botswana Travel tips.
 

Hi there.
Was hoping to get some suggestions/tips on how the best way to travel around Botswana for a job hunt.
Also what is the most efficient way to get to Maun from JHB.
Thanks in advance

Kenya Jobs / Work Permits
 

Slightly off Bots as a subject , but an earlier enquiry about Kenya Work permits persuades me to throw in my 2c worth.
Just been in Nairobi for a few days and a few nights in the Aero Club. Things are booming at Wilson , especially as the Southern Sudan gears up for big things ( civil wars permitting ) and a lot of operators are desperate for drivers. However , there definitely is a big squeeze on permits at the mo , as usual the timimg is eerie , but thats Africa. If any of you are passing through Kenya , do try Wilson with your CVs ,and buy some beer at 1800 onwards in the Aero Club. Supply and demand takes a little time to work its way through the system , but demand will always have the final say.
KEEP trying guys and girls.

Gabs to Maun.
Cheaply you can take a public bus or thumb it.
Air Bots is very expensive.
Dont rely on hitching a flight...

Kenya.
Work permits are tight as a ducks arse.
Kenyan licensing is an obstacle. It can be done but its expensive either way you chose.
Loki in NW Kenya is a way around some of the mess in NBO but its not the place to just pitch up and look for work. If you are an idiot then drive up.

For low timers I suggest Namibia and Botswana. After a year or 2 try East Africa. It has a bit more weather and some serious terrain.
And when youve finished with Africa go and write a book.
Lastly, take photos

Good luck to all.

Exactly whats involved with the kenya licencing and visas for a UK citizen with jar f-atpl?
Fortunate to have a contact there as regards a job but cant find anything on searches etc about whats involved with permits/conversions.
Help/advice would be great!

206 jobs Botswana
 

Hi

Im looking for a 206 job in Botswana.How is Botswana?I was planing to go on March,is March a good moment?
I have 900 hours TT including 380 hours Bush Flying in a C-182

Thanks a lot

Hi Mon,

Thank you very much for your information,I apreciate that.
Take care

EC-BBL

most of the companies are busy training new guys - some positions *might* be opening in march - but nobody can tell.. only way to know is to come here, have a few beers and make some friends, then wait and see!

cheap acommidations in Maun?
 

Can anyone shed some advice on where to find cheap accomidations in Maun, Botswana.
Thanks in advance

Any pilots in bots? help pls
 

Hello all,
I am planning on heading over to Africa very shortly, namely botswana. I've heard Maun is a good place to start hunting for jobs.
Would really appreciate any one that's over there at the moment to share some advice on available jobs etc.. just anything that would be useful for a scotsman heading over the equator.
Thanks very much.

Hi CF

I did not work in Bots but flew in and out of the Delta quite often. I worked in Namibia for quite some time and here are some tips before you go into the wide world of job hunting.

If you do plan to go to Bots get youreself a C206 rating. Some companies like it if you have that rating on your licence already. That means they dont have to spend too much money on you to get through your licence to get your Bots Validation. The whole of Maun is primarly C206 and C208's. A few C210's and a couple of Airvans, but 99% of the aeroplanes there is C206.

If you plan to go there send you CV off first a couple of weeks in advance and notify those companies that you are planning to go to Bots and then give them dates of when you are going to be there.

Bots is a very hard place to get into but if you are willing to spend some time there you are bound to find a job. The best time to go look for jobs is round about now because the season starts in about 2months and then they start training their pilots now.

Companies you can try is: Mack Air, Sefofane Air Charters, Moremi Air Charters, Safari Air, Delta Air...those companies should be adequate for now. When you do go, interviews are not required, just show up in your khaki shorts and maybe a collared shirt...they hate it if somebody arrive in white pilot shirt and blue pants...Remember Bots is the bush..they are looking for a bush pilot and not a corporate pilot. So if you show up dressed like that they can see if you will be some sort of bush pilot or not. Just go into their offices and ask to speak to the Chief Pilot of each company. If they are not their dont leave your CV with someone, I can guarentee you that CV will go into "Bin number 101" never to be seen again. Trust me I was in Bots when that happened and I did see it a few times. Keep going back and back everyday until somebody will see you. They actually like it if you go back continously..They might not need a pilot today but tomorrow is another day and then the first person that walks through that door they will hire...Bots changes daily and always in need of pilots. You just need to be patient and stay some time in your tent.

Here is some tips to stay for free for weeks on end....There is a camp called: SEDIA lodge...It is a lodge some 2-3kms from the airport (all tar from the airport) Very nice lodge with camping site behind the lodge...When you go there the first time, dont go to reception to look for campsite space...they will then charge. Keep to your left past the reception on the dirt road that takes you around the lodge and walk or drive like you own the place and then find youreself some spot on the campsite...you can stay there for weeks on end and nobody ever checks if you have paid or not...al provided you stay in the tents and not in the lodge...you can even go swim in the pool and they wouldnt even know you stay there or not....I stayed there for 2weeks and did not pay a single cent....LOL


That was Bots, now another place called Namibia, Windhoek...thats another 8hours drive to the west of Bots (2h55m flying in a C210) if you can get that oppurtunity..sometimes there is flights going back to Nam...just keep on asking because 80% of the flights are empty back to Namibia, maybe you can catch a ride for free...or just buy the pilot a beer on the other side and he will be happy or ask him to take you to Joe's Beerhouse in Windhoek...Cool place that.

Namibia is harder to get into. There you need a C210 on your licence to get anywhere. Companies you can try is: Sefofane Air Charters...Go speak to Ray Rothlisberger...very nice guy and very approachable too. There you need to arrange interview. Dress code is slightly different. Khaki Longs and Collared shirt should do...again no pilot shirt and pants wont do. Another company is Scenic Air...they also have an office in Swakopmund. Desert Air and Bay Air is more options....Whatever you do stay far and I mean very FAR away from Wings Over Africa...those are bunch of Sharks swimming on dry land...like you have never seen before...worst mistake of you life if you do ever find a job there.....

Wow lot of typing going on....but if you need more info I can send you a PM and tell you some more on both countries...

Good luck
:ok:

Excellent
 

Nice one mate, great article just what I was looking for!

Thanks very much Icarus208:ok:

great post icarus208
What about flight instructing jobs in africa? is there any places you would recommend beside south africa?

Hey CF..No problem.. Hope you come right with Bots...great place to fly and remember to take a new liver along.... a lot of drinking going on there..just be carefull not to fall into that kinda routine otherwise it will become very expensive place to live in...

Gilliam..Im a instructor in Namibia and South Africa...only instructed in those two countries... Not really great knowledge about other African Countries though..What I really can see about those two is that there will always be work for instructors in those countries. Try Namiba, they are ALWAYS short of instructors there. SA is whole different ball game. Lots of jobs there too. You just have to keep on emailing the Flying Schools. If they dont reply now...try again next month. SA is a place if they need pilots they will take the first CV that is on top of Pile. If youre CV is there then you have the job. Same with Namibia, but Nam you have to be there because they like sort of informal interviews.

Any other African country is not worth it because there is no money for anybody to start their training. Go look for development countries like SA, Nam and Kenya...lots of flying there too...

Hope this help guys.

Need more help...just shout:ok:

thanks icarus
 

thanks a lot icarus
do you know if FAA CFI can instruct in Africa? or i need to convert my license?
where are you working now? (you seem quite expert of round and about Africa)

My liver still hurts
 

Hey mate,

The best thing to do is get the old 206 on the licence, some companies will only hire guys with a 206 on the licence. Some don’t really mind. But rather have it than not.

Make sure you have all your original documents with you, i.e. birth cert, licence, all that kind of jazz as they need all that for the work permit.

With the smaller companies its all about how you are going to fit in with the other boys and girls working in the company, don’t suck up to the chief pilots but be friendly to them. When I was hiring guys it was mostly the guys and girls that got on with the rest of us in the pub and could have a laugh with that got hired. One thing you have to remember about Maun is basically you live in each others pockets in and out of work so don’t be a pest!!! hehaha

The best thing to do is ask to go on as many rides as possible, when there are empty legs the CP usually lets a new guy go along for the ride its a great experience, generally because most of the pilots out there are really good at what they do, so its a learning experience and its pretty fun too!!! Remember things change really often so don’t get bummed out or angry if you get bumped off a ride.

If you get chucked out of sedia got to Audi, they give pirates a good deal, and usually there are quite a few unemployed people to hang with and drink with!!!

Have fun while you are there, and remember things change in maun daily so don’t write off a company because they "aren’t hiring" go in and make yourself known to the CP or ops manager. Usually companies not hiring are the best ones to get some "free rides" with.

Enjoy, I know I sure did

sorry if I'm being thick?
 

Guys your talking about putting the c-206 onto my cpl. Now is there a type rating or something for this a/c. I thought it was a 5 place Single Engine Piston??

Do you mean have it in your logbook that you have flown this a/c ?? like a check ride of competency??

Again cheers for the posts guys, good to see pilots spreading the joy:ok:

That's about it. Unlike the UK and US where a class up to a certain weight is allowed on a PPL or CPL, in these parts you need to have each type noted and signed off by an instructor in your logbook, turbines and those above 5700kg will be endorsed on your licence.

It's a bit nanny state but probably the only way to prevent people getting into an aircraft without ever having seen the flight manual or being aware of unusual characteristics.

Best you get a few hours on C206 before heading out to Bots, in other words.

yes
 

The Botswana DCA require 5 hours on type for a type rating...

Although it is really expensive to buy 5 hours yourself. So if you can get it signed off in less time than that do it!!! your company will do some circut bashing and your flight test can be "made" to equal 5 hours if you know what I mean!

Hey Guys..

SRT.. you are on the monyey with that comment. I think the way we do it and do some conversions before we ever go "solo" in our small pisscats is probably a lot safer than some other countries.

pyote..thanks for the input...forgot about the actual paperwork side of things which is probably the most important part of getting the job.

Then onto the FAA instructors licence... SA is very sticky on FAA licence just being converted. If you want to get your SA licence unfortunately you have to write on your commercial exams and instructors exams..just like any other Comm pilot out there. Then do your test after that after done some "patter" with an instructor...Long run, gona cost you a whole lot of cash before getting started...then there is still no job for you guarenteed.

Namibia on the other hand is a lot easier. Just a practical flight test on a C152 on C172 and with an easy Airlaw test...which incidently cost you U$1...what a joke to ask for money anyway. Then on your way to get a job. There is only a few flight schools in Namibia and a lot of students with lots of money there. Pay is pretty crap though.

Good luck;)

thanks a lot Icarus
well pay is crap everywhere for an instructor:}
Icarus i tried to pm you but this function is disabled...can you please pm me with more info about jobs in bots namibia and etc.
thanks a lot mate
more than a beer for you when we will meet:ok:

cheers Icarus208
So you are working as a flight instructor in namibia that must be something,nice weather and nice scenery as I can imagine.

Great Thread
 

Awesome, good to see ppl spreading the love instead of bitching for once!

Can I take the thread up a level asking about getting Multi time in Bots for someone with a few hundred 206 hours under their belt? I imagine there would be some sort of seniorority system like most places. But is it time spent in the company or time spent in the air ie. Total time?

I'm looking at africa or PNG with 1100tot and just shy of 500hours in a 206 with 60 in a BN2. Can you guys steer me in the right direction?

much appreciated

PJ

what an awesome place
 

I think people should be asking. "Hey, I'm looking for a sweet place to meet some great people and sink some bevvies for the next couple of years...oh yeah and since I'll probably have to get a job any room for an extra pilot?":}

Twin Time
 

In Bots, it was definatly a seniority thing. I would advise you to look somewhere other than Bots if you want twin time. Tanzania is a good place to start looking!

Given the opportunity to choose...
 

...which country in Africa would you pick to relocate to in order to get a flying job?

Reason i ask is that my better half will be working at an embassy (don't know which one, but we get to make a list of where we want to go) and we are trying to figure out where to go. I want to be able to fly where ever it is that we do end up. Which country in Africa (or anywhere for that matter) has the most opportunities? I like the idea of doing some bush flying.

By the time we get there i am looking to have around 300 hours with PPL, Comm, Instrument and maybe some multi time. Before i go i'll get some time in C206 or the like also, from what i have read on here.

Thanks:}

Africa
 

I don't know much about the rest of Africa but in Southern Africa, with your experience level, Botswana is the only place. There are lots of threads about Botswana/Maun so do a search. The only problem is the Embassy is in Gaborone (South Botswana) and the flying jobs are in Maun on the edge of the Okavango Delta (way up north).

Haha...that's an idea too. Seems smarter to me.

Maybe i just need to convince my wife to let me buy my own plane:hmm:

Uganda... yip...I wont mind flying out of Entebbe and living on the lake.

Was in Entebbe recently...

Had 2 500ml beers (great) and a full fish dinner, only cost me $9

Entebbe by the lake!
 

Aah yes Entebbe, living by the lake, just the lake flies and bilharzia to contend with - bliss!

Lovely place Uganda. Great flying, huge thunderstorms. Bugger all ATC to mess you about. Just make sure you take your own generator. :bored: