Stop hiring non African pilots if they feel they can no longer trust them to honour their commitments?

That would be a good thing.
There should be something like 'Aviation Employment Agreement' between southern African states. An agreement of protection nature to keep jobs within local natioanlitys as much as possible.
So - Sefofane look for a Chief Pilot and Operations Manager - why no South Africans up there in those positions.? How has Maun changed in five years?

DDMOW,

Thanks for that encouragement. I will give them a try!

Johnno

What a pleasure to read this thread, brings back good memories....

I did in 1997 what everybody told me would be dum and stupid. I gave up a single engine job in europe( yeah single engine, but someone else paid me to fly an airplane and the hours were counting up), bought a one -way ticket to Maun, had about 100 usd in my pocket and came to Maun in the 'worst' period, high season, all jobs filled....

no where to sleep, met a nice kiwi who offered his caravan for a few weeks, met a half dutch/canadian chap who took me on a 'ride' over the okavango, met the wife of the chiefpilot of his company who invited me for dinner(fantastic hospitality of the afrikaners), got drunk at their party, the family of the chiefpilot told him I appeared to be a nice guy and he should give me a job. He answered he allready had a few guys in mind but decided to give me a chance for a test flight next morning 7 am sharp. I decided it was best to leave for a few hours of sleep, but was told it was an insult to leave while the bottle was still half empty.....got to bed around 4, woke up 2 hrs later rather groggy and thought what the heck I give it a try...met the chiefpilot who looked better than I felt, probably more used to tequila then me, flew a couple of circuits and , wonder why still, great landings and was told: hired, start tomorrow morning 7 for training.........

and what a great few years I have had, everyday safari(I stayed a lot in the camps)...it was still real bushflying allthough some strips were getting calcrete layers and being made longer. At the time I left, the real bushflying started to change..longer and longer strips, king air 's flying in etc...maun changed a lot as well in those two years, I am glad I saw some real bushflying and will recommend it to any one. Was I rich? no. Did I lose some valuable 'career' years? Oh yes, but I would not have done it otherwise today! Good luck for anybody trying, if you do not try you cannot fail..

Jeez, you young guys....always in such a hurry to get onto the big jets. I remember when..... But seriously, what's a couple of years in the big scheme of things? As previously mentioned, if you don't do it when you're first starting out, you'll never get around to it and will then be envious when flying with the guys who did. In the present climate, there are only a few jobs out there and they come with the dreaded previous experience required. It's all cyclical so will come around again when you're in demand, so why not spend the time enjoying the sights and smells of Africa? The time goes so quickly that you'll have to literally drag yourself away - I know I did.

Well Bought My ticket, going to be in J-burg on january 3rd, then I suppose up to maun shortly after, it's nice having set dates now. Hopefully i'll find a job, and if not I'll consider it a much needed vacation.. albiet a rather long vacation. Thanks to everybody on this forum for the advice given, and hopefully i will be seeing some of you shortly down in Botswana. Oh a few quick questions for the vets, I noticed (the last time I checked), that air botswana does not yet offer online bookings, if I show up and want to fly out the same day, is it going to cost me an arm and a leg? Right now My logbook is completely Digital, will this be a problem? I can transfer it to a book, but i'd much prefer to print off a copy as I do in Canada when people need to see it. Finally, over the summer I was flying a 206 in the canadian arctic, but my contract ended in august and havnt flown much since (a couple hours), will this be a detrement to employment? (I've got just over 300 hours, 60 of which are on a 206) Cheers, Eli

Sofofane Botswana
 

Hey guys
Sefofane's invited me down to Maun for an interview.I'd appreciate any help about what they ask and if anyone can give me any feedback about the company or the place,i'd be thankful!
thanks!

Good luck mate, pilots are leaving in droves at Sefos at the moment.

thanks chunks
any reason why?

elipasquali:

"air botswana does not yet offer online bookings, if I show up and want to fly out the same day, is it going to cost me an arm and a leg?"

The website hasn't worked for 3 years now... don't think it will work in the near future either. This is Botswana. It will cost a lot because km for km Air Bots is one of the worlds most expensive carriers. They have a monopoly on the route. Expect to pay. I don't know the exact price - sorry. approx $450 return.

"Right now My logbook is completely Digital, will this be a problem? I can transfer it to a book, but i'd much prefer to print off a copy as I do in Canada when people need to see it"

I stand to be corrected but it won't be a bad idea to put it your hours into a logbook. This is Africa and the Bots DCA may not accept a computerised printout. Its too advanced!! :E
If you do put hours into a logbook, it will be a good idea to get some photocopies of the last 3 pages of it and get them stamped by police to say they are true copies of the original. (or notorised as you may say in Canada). This may be a handy thing to do with all your docs - passport, licence etc

Dont worry about the currency on the 206 too much. You have the hours on type and thats what counts.

bharatraghuvanshi:

You say you have been invited to an interview. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but anyone that is interested in working in Maun will be told by the operators to come for an interview. They will not hire you unless you have been there face to face. The things they will ask you at Sefo are typical airline q's in terms of personal and they also give you a multiple choice tech exam to do. They will mark them and go through them with you in an interview, but by that stage they have a pretty good idea if they like you or not.

Pilots leaving Sefo (and other operators) are part of the mass exodus thats happens towards the end of every year. Its a natural movement.

wayback
i know the invitation for the interview is a formality and thats what a couple of other pilots said, that no one will offer you a job without you being present there.
as for the written, i think you just have to get down to the books for a while and brush up!

Cheers Wayback

I wanna go now!
 

Just stumbled upon this video about flying around Okavango that has just been uploaded to youtube - well put together: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=682bnpq75bM&fmt=18. (I warn you now that if you haven't made up your mind whether to go or not, this will sway you). Thankyou to Mr 206Blackbird for that vid.

Just had a busy day: served trout, then got my police clearance letter thingy (a whole 20 days early! My faith in bureaucracy is restored...) and finished off by making my arms ache with the freshly injected gift of hepititis, rabies, polio, and typhoid.

It's all coming together slowly!

Can anyone tell me what the companies require in order to fly the caravans??? The flying looks great out there, cheers for the video link, but I've had enough of flying SEP and want to get my teeth into something with a little more bite!! Cheers :-)

omarsheriff: The normal requirement to fly the van is 1000hrs TT - though you can often do your training a little earlier, but you won't go on-line on it until you have the grand. Keep in mind that any van driver in bots will also fly pistons - so don't expect to escape SEPs completely!

waiterpilot: his video is pretty good - there are many more maun vids that will never be on youtube ;) I was very proud that he used one or two of my pics/clips in it :E When are you heading over?

Chunks: you sound like you've finally lost that passion LOL. see you soon boet.

It's got nothing to do with Sefos regards to movements, just that a lot of pilots are coming to the end of their contracts and are looking for greener pastures. If you keen apply for Sefos I think they are about 7 -10 pilots short.

Folks, for the record training bonds are not the norm in Botswana and I would think long and hard about what I was signing when you get here.

Just my opinion thats all.

Good luck

African Economic Crisis
 

Hello everyone..
I was just wondering if anyone in Namibia/Botswana at the moment or just recently returned can tell me if the economic crisis is affecting employment there? I am keen to arrive end of January and look for employment but am worried that with all the tourists being cash-strapped from other countries it will be harder to find a job..
by the way, I'm posting on a friends name... me, I'm South African woman- 24... only have 240 hours (will be about 270 by the time I go) but do have an IR. What would be the possibility of landing a job at what is probably nearing the end of hiring season? Any help much appreciated!!

Thanks...
anyone heading down same time maybe pm me on this account, would be great to chat and maybe arrange some cost share options!

Hi I'm willing to do so as japanese...but
 

Hi, Dear all
very attractive way of linving , Is there any sort of racism around botswana and southafrica?
If able , I would like to persue aviation carreir as Foreign pilot at Moun, but I had never met someone who originally born at asia , and could get decent pilot job or work permit at african continent . so I have to have some concern about after graduateing flight trainig at africa.
And previously Japanese was designated as neally PDP
( previously disadvantaged persons )was't they?
my primary concern is whether I will be able to get employment as
foreign pilot at african continent or not
please let me clarify my self,
I belongs military sector as technical sergeant expetizing air traffic
controll skill. certification I have which deemed as aviation related is,
aviation English proficiency certification as ATC, Domestic aviation
radio telefony licence,Aerodrome ATC certification,(score895)TOEIC designated as way to evaluate one,s English level at Asia and
Euro that,s all. I am 28 old alsol.
Considering current Economic circumustance,I guess that it is nearly
impossible for me to get work permit at SA after graduate flight training,
But I heard here about Botswana,Tanzania,Namibia,at Those country,
foreigner is able to gain work visa not getting many dificulity
So please introduce certain path way If you, guys regard it as
achivebal for me

sincerely

Dai

I agree, you are to be much in demand but please do not wear a yellow bandana.

On average how long does it usually take for a fresh comm pilot to work his way up the ranks and onto a twin in Maun?

"On average how long does it usually take for a fresh comm pilot to work his way up the ranks and onto a twin in Maun?"

A very longtime seeing as you can now count the number of twins in Maun on about three fingers :ok:. Caravan's have replaced just about all of the Islander's. Most of the companies have no twins anymore. Only a handful of pilot's that go to Maun get any twin time there, most move on to other places for the lure of twin time.

Done a fair bit of research and still dont have the answers im looking for. Wondering if anyone has ever brought their wife and kids along to Maun. Kids are young. The wife has spent a fair bit of time in africa before. We are ready for an adventure. Any advice would be appreciated.

You are a long way from Maun. Best thing is that you visit there. But.....
Why do you not Google Maun and have a look at the thrilling dustbowl. The delta begins north of the town. The town itself is not green and water filled with fountains and broad boulevards full of exotic animals.
On weekends you can go into the next desert and watch your blade of grass grow?
Also maybe these days it is not needed that you take your own food into the hospital? I do not know. It was that way.
Schools - must be some?
Maun is a very long way from any where else. The flying may be adventurous. I do not think that the adventure of living in Maun will be greater than the boredom of doing so.

Do operators typically ever hire straight into the caravan, or is the only path into turbine equipment through seniority? I'll have about 1500 hours when I get there. I'm certainly not against flying anything smaller, but it would be great to get some turbine right off the bat.

Excellent thread guys!

I got a reply from one of the charter companies and they say i would need a C206 rating endorsed in my logbook, as one's permitted to fly just one type of aircraft. I have flown the 152,172,182 and not the 206.
So my question is will the company help me get a C206 endorsement or i'll have to get it myself by flying elsewhere outside Botswana or Maun. To add to the delight there is noway i can get a C206 rating in India, and I've burnt a huge hole in my pocket rather my dad's for my CPL/Multi-IR. Any help would be great. Thank you!

Waiterpilot - The video really swayed me man.

hey there no you dont need a C206 rating to get a job out here, the company will invest in you, but it does help

Cheers

Gavin

Hi NBV4

Yeah you will go straight to C208, min req in maun for most companies is 1000 hours, i know a few guys who came here and went to the caravan, but it also helps to have a rating and 5 hours on a caravan also

Hi Low Burner

Yeah, i know of a few people have young kids out here, there is a good private school, and i see kids going doing activities out here alot, its quite a safe place. though it is africa

Thanks GavinStorky looks like its time to get my ass in gear and buy my ticket over. Ill buy you a cold one if i catch up with ya.

Glad your getting your A into G
its a great place to fly and good people. Also maun is very safe place. Just watch out for the animals on the roads and hope the electricity stays on when needing a cold one ;)

cheers

Gavin

Thought I'd share a quick thought, Maun is quite literally a God forsaken place for all those intending to come...........

Quiz night at the local pub (I do miss 'The Buck'). 40 people spread across various teams. Question comes up, "What are the first three words of The Bible*?" Do you think a single team got the answer right? Nope.

Good times!

*"In the Beginning," stuck like glue now :ok:

maun sounds great
 

i've read all the stuff here and it is amazing, it convinced me that it is the place i'd wanna fly.

but the question is:
I'm a late starter (33 years and presntly only 100+ TT with fCPL), living in Hungary, tipical Eastern European guy, not on the big bux.
what are the minimums of getting a job in Maun? 200? do i need an IFR or NVFR? I'd even fly for food :)

i'll try to contact a few operators there, but would love to hear this from u too.

THX in advance

G'day Fellas,Anyone from Aus done a stint in Maun? Is there much bullsh1t to go through converting licences / work permits etc?Looking for a sea-change, and its either Darwin/Kunners or Maun - I think some time in Africa sounds awesome

Maun is crawling with Kiwis so you should have no difficulty getting in there as long as you bloody soft Wallabies can keep up....:E

Oh God, didn't think of that - Aussies and Kiwis banded together in Africa of all places. I'll bet you could cut the air with a knife come tri-nations time

re. the insurance: I took out a policy with International SOS when I started contract flying back in 2002 - might want to contact them to find out what they have on offer. I seem to remember it wasn't particularly cheap.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 2005 - Members Website

nb. read the fineprint - most insurance policies exclude aircrew. The SOS policy has a clause about needing to inform them if you are engaged in a hazardous activity so make sure that they have that in writing before taking out a policy.

Dont underestimate the importance of a good policy - people have died in the past as a result of having no or inadequate cover ( the Van crash in Vilancoulos springs to mind).

im i am planning on headoing out there end of decemeber or 1st week of january. trouble is theres no Botswana embassy in Pakistan and i cant find anyone representing them :hmm:. maybe im just dumb :\ . iread somewhere on the internet that the British High Commision does represent Botswana but i couldnt find anything on their website

im checking with the travell agents but was wondering wheather it is possible to get the visa at the airport in Maun? or any suggestions welcomed

you turn up at maun airport and your a tourist, they stamp your passport with 30, 60 or 90 days, thats your visa :)

arrival-length of stay in Bots
 

When you arrive at Maun airport with no return ticket for J-burg, How long do you say you'll stay there? What is the max time (legally) you can spend in Maun without a job?

Thank you