Float Plane Opportunities in Africa??? Are there any??
 

Canadian headed to Bots in a month to search for a flying gig. Also wondering if there are any float opportunties anywhere in Africa that people may know about?

perfect employee
 

Well, there you have it. lilflyboy is exactly the caliber of employee sefofane prefers and attracts. No sense of professionalism, or self respect. Too desperate to stand up for themselves. And no interest in the place or the job other than as a means of building time. In short, cheap and easy to push around. No wonder Sefo pilots end up the butt of so many jokes in Maun. Good luck man. I have no doubt you will find what you are looking for.

Well said,

Its true that Sefo do have the odd good bloke but the majority are a bunch of freaks who didn't manage to get in with the other companies.

They used to take anyone with the correct license and it shows, there office is like the bar scene from Star Wars.

Kind of taking offence to that Caufield.
Very few pilots that are flying in the scenics are there for life. They are there to build their hours, and then move on.
Unless there is a gross misjustice going on with the company, and you are not being paid at all, and having unreasonable demands placed upon you (overweight aircraft, unmaintained etc etc) then suck it up and soldier on. You are not going to be there forever.

As for my professionalism? How can you possibly judge that?
In and around the aircraft, it is the job at hand that comes first. Nothing else. I've always seen it that way.

Gwidery, I've just got the basic vaccinations, I'm taking a few tablets with me, but thats just more for when Im up around Tanzania, not Botswana.
I'm taking a tent with me, there is a camp ground that I can't recall off of the top of my head, meant to be cheap.

Can anyone suggest modes of transport around Southern Africa? How safe are the buses in regards to personal safety? (dont care about comfort!)
Any Taxi services to avoid? Places to avoid around Maun?
Any help with that sort of information would be greatly appreciated.

Where on earth did you get that information from?

Absolutely k@k!
:confused::confused::confused::ugh::ugh::ugh:


Maun is relatively safe, dont have camera's, ipod's, laptop's, headsets, etc visibily around you or leave it in the car for everybody to see, it WILL get stolen. Just take care and trust no one.

Geez..That was a bit too much Mr.Bla bla bla...:=

Im in two minds about the malaria tablets.
I have heard 2 different stories.

1) They arent good because they mask the symptoms of malaria. If you do contract it, by the time you realise you have it, it can be too late

or

2) It is good to take them because it lowers the risk of getting it substantially...

It sounds like a case of prevention vs cure.
What do you suggest?

Regarding anti-malarials, you can only take them for a set period (typically 3 months max), otherwise you will do yourself more harm than good - damaging your kydneys as referred to above. The treatment is also a strong dose of the same drugs used for prevention and repeated treatments can again cause damage. For long stays then it's a case of covering up at dawn and dusk, though essentially you are going to get bitten whether the bite shows or not is a different issue. If you contract malaria, then regardless of how it's treated you can have a relapse in the future. You should all understand the risks.

Unless you are not being paid at all? You can't really set the bar much lower than that... And if you have a problem with flying overweight aircraft then Maun may not be the place for you. Overloaded aircraft and high density altitudes are daily realities at all of the companies in Maun.

You obviously think it is unimportant for an employer to treat you as a professional so why should I consider you any differently? It takes a lot of training, time and commitment to become a commercial pilot not to mention money, and many of us take some pride in our work as a result. In return we expect the people we work for to treat us with a measure of respect, and I don't think that is too much to ask. I have never planned on flying in Maun "for life" as you put it, but why should that matter? I don't really plan to work for any 1 company "for life", but that isn't an excuse for them to not treat me professionally.

When people like you show up and make it obvious that you are willing to put up with anything to build hours, and see your job as nothing more than a stepping stone to some other, better job somewhere else you make every pilot in Maun look bad. You also encourage the worst of the operators to continue abusing their employees which makes life uglier for everyone.

These are entry level flying jobs, and that means relatively low pay for long hours, but you are still PIC of an aircraft carrying paying passengers and I think that should count for something. Obviously you disagree. But if you want the respect of any of the pilots already working in Maun I would keep your opinions to yourself when you get to town.

Hmmm I could quite easily get into a slinging match with you over this, but you are obviously past the point of disgruntled and taking everything that is said to the extreme.
Im more than aware of what goes on and we obviously have differing opinions.

But please remember this. You are in the enviable position that when you get up in the morning, your job is flying.

Then there is us. The unlucky portion that have been chasing that first job globally, for years. Forgive us if we are sick of waking up and going to some job that is just there to pay for our next ticket to another world destination to try and find work that we love doing. It tends to make people... desperit.
This has NOTHING to do with professionalism. I have a love of flying, and provided I was being given enough to live, I am fine with that.

If you want to discuss this more, feel free to PM me, I dont want to drag this helpful thread down into mudslinging. Otherwise lets bury the hatchet and I will be more than willing to buy you a beer when I get in. :ok:

Well...there's not much to say there I'm afraid...
if you let your desperation carry you to such extremes, where you compromise the situation of the collective- in whichever part of the world you are -then you can be a clear danger to the group and easily shoved into the "persona non grata" pile I'm affraid...
In my opinion, the point is that at the end of the day it's not only affecting you, but a whole bunch of people who just want some dignity in exchange to what they are doing, and that is not something to ignore, if you expect to survive in such a small circle.
I think everyone should care about this detail, no matter if you are planing to be 2months or 2years, and extend it to wherever you go. I know everyone has their personal circumstances but it's the only way to prevent this job into turning into the gutter that we are already seing in many places.
Soooo, No squatting over the table!:=

LESBer

Hmm valid point.
I guess it all comes down to what your into flying for. Either the reward or the lifestyle.

Just to make it clear. I wouldnt be someone who is a strike breaker and fly for the companies why other people are on strike. Just nor am I going to be a drumbeater for the betterment of other pilots pay packets.

You know what you sign up for with your contract. And its up to you and your fellow co-workers to enforce that. If not, dont sign the contract?

-trying to change the subject here...

When you say overloaded does that mean just heavy or over gross? cause flying over gross at high density altitudes sounds kinda sketchy. do these companies put you in situations where they pressure you to fly outside the planes', or your personal limits?

Robofos,

It means flying over gross, you are not put under direct pressure to do it but everyone else is doing it, you know what I mean. And if you work there at some time you will do it what ever you think now. It can get quite exciting at times just trying to get and overweight out of CG 206 out of the white ark.

I think that Sefo are the best on this and as far as I know they even tie the cargo down so it does not kill you on impact.

The freight runs in Maun are normally just loaded in the aircraft loose behind the pilot and in the pod so when you make that forced landing you will probably get a slab of Hansa through your skull.:ok:

Hi guys

I was wondering what (historically as well as guesses for this year!) the period over Christmas is like? Do any of the pilots, or management at the charter companies leave Maun over Christmas/ New Year for a break, to return in early to mid Jan?

Or does the flying increase a bit so that all hands are requried on deck?

Thanks

GWidgery

Some companies have it in their contracts that no person is allowed to take leave over Christmas and New Year as the flying normally increases over this period. So normally the flying does increase over this period, but we will see this year with the recession whats going to happen.

Some people go on holiday but most stay over this period and then go on leave early January.

See you guys soon! :ok:

Don't waste your time getting vaccinations and malaria pills if you're going to Botswana. I know people who have lived in Maun for thirty years and have never got malaria.

Now if you're going up to Zambia or Zimbabwe, definitely pick that garbage up. Just don't wreck your immune system for crap that you don't need...

My opinion on the malaria pills. Have some treatment with you (quinine) and ONLY if you get the symptoms then start the treatment. You dont know for how long you are going to be here and taking these aggresive tablets for three months non-stop or longer....EISH.... your liver and kidneys are stuffed for life!

I used to work in the tropics of Mozambique on the Zambezi river and nobody in our area took malaria pills. Only started the treatment once we got the symptoms.

Anyway, just my opion, It's up to you what you want to do!

Look you are worrying about Malaria, in Maun you are most likely to end up with Liver disease!

Have fun and say hello to that blond pilot hating :mad: who runs River Lodge for me.:ok: