Namibia, Bots, Tanzania Q/A's 2010/11
 

So I am going to make the jump and go to Southern Africa come around mid-november 2010 with FAA CPL IR SEL + MEL w/ 260 hrs and I have a few questions.

1. When is the hiring season for these countries.
2. What is on the conversion exam? Does it focus on any specific areas?
3. Are you guys camping or staying in hostels during the interim while searching?
4. Interview attire?
5. What is the pay per year ( rough idea ) and living costs for an apt ( again rough guess ) ?
6. Any companies to stay away from inparticular?
7. How does it work with VISA's ( tourist ) and renewing that Visa while looking for jobs :suspect:

* To the forum please just repsond to the questions. I know that there are these answers lying around but they are buried in all of the forum posts so I just wanted to start something new clear and concise.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

1.
Maun, Botswana is over for this year.
Namibia should pick up nowadays.
Forget Malawi, there are 2 companies, Nyassa Air Taxi and Bush and Lake. Both want some 500 hours guys. Jobs mainly by word of mouth, And they are already full for this year...

2.
Never mind, the exams are usually no fuss and easy. Some air law, some places radiotelephony.

3.
Camp, it is cheap.

4.
Interview? I think only Sefofane does interviews...

5.
Around 10 000 usd for start. In Maun you might estimate from 100 to 300 hundred usd per month. In Namibia is not that cheap.

6.
You wanna fly or stay away? No idea on that one.

Namibia
 

Coming to Nam in November would be a waste of time, since business winds down as from December. Time to show your face here is now - July.
You will need a C210 conversion on your FAA licence. That means, log a few 210 hours as dual. Here you need a conversion for each and every a/c you want to fly, unlike in the US and Europe. Since you will only get a validation at first, all a/c have to be on your FAA licence (or in your logbook before you rock up here). For more detail contact Windhoek Flight Training Centre (google).
As far as I know, DCA Namibia just made it a bit more difficult to validate FAA licenses. You might have to write 4-5 exams. You can find out from DCA Namibia (google).
Companies work on very different pay schemes, some pay per hour or NM, some pay a basic salary + S&T. Don't expect more than N$3500.- (=ZAR 3500 = U$ 400-500) monthly initially, rather less. Forget about 10k.
No company around, that is really not recommendable. Sefofane Namibia & Westair the best ones, doesn't mean you would have an easy life though. You will fly your butt off (Sefo) and eat a lot of **** (Westair) but hours are good (Sefo) and Westair got very good SOPs. A/C are workhorses but in ok condition.
Expect to pay N$ 2500 for rent in Windhoek, a little less in Swakopmund. Sharing with other guys is the best option. Initially stay at the backpackers Cardboard Box in Windhoek. They will recommend accommodation in Swakopmund. Don't miss out on going to Swakopmund, as there is a high turn over of pilots, since those companies only operate C210.
Forget about going to RSA, since they already export pilots to neighbouring countries.
Work permit in Nam: find a job, company will sign and stamp the necessary papers and then find an agent, who will process the applications for you. Most companies have somebody they work together with. Be prepared to carry all the costs, although the law says otherwise. Don't know how much it could add up to.

DaFly: yepp, thanks for the clarification.

In Swakop I'd recomend Villa Wiese, pretty decent place with breakfast and wifi use included in the price. That is 115 nam dollars. But when I stayed there for more then one month I was able to get a bargain: 85 nam dolls. Even cheaper you can go to the hostel should be 20-40 bux per night depending on room.

The guys there are nice and helpful. If you fit in you'll quickly find yourserf going to braai's, playing soccer on Sundays and so on... Pretty much a place to love.

lilflyboy: let them guys keep on being curious :)

Only if your around long enough to keep answering the questions ;):}

Oh, don't worry, if I have enough of it then I'lll just ignore the questions. But now that the wifi is back at FBMN and I have quite some time it is not a big thing. Everyone needs to start somewhere.

Hey Guys
 

Hey guys,
I have read your posts and also the "Jobs in Africa 2" forum, I am an Indian national with 200 hours and an FAA PPL +IR , I am planning to go to the USA in a few months time to get my CPL with ME rating.
My question is along with the C 210s, do they also operate the C310s ? As the school I might go to has a C310, so if I get around 25 hrs on it, will that be good for me in Africa ? Can you please tell me if any companies operate C310s ?
Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Rahul Pereira

@ rahul
yes, in Namibia 1 or 2 companies do operate C310. Botswana not, as far as I know. South Africa, a few, but not very common, I think.
If you are looking into flying here, why don't you want to get your licence in South Africa?
It is much easier to convert an ICAO (RSA) licence into an FAA one then what it takes to convert an FAA licence into an ICAO licence.
Price difference wont be much to your disadvantage either. If you look at the job market, you will see that quite a few of the more advanced jobs require ICAO licences or JAA ones, rather than FAA licenses.

DaFly
 

Hey Thanks a lot for your reply and also for your suggestion, but can I then convert my FAA PPL + IR easily to ICAO (RSA) license first and then proceed for the CPL ?
If that is possible without any hassles then its not a bad idea at all.......

Also if you know about the companies in Namibia that operate C310s, can you tell me if they're good to work with and also do you have an idea of the pay there , as I also have a loan to repay here ?

Another thing I would like to ask you ( even though it is too early ) , if I can gain some experience flying in Namibia , what about the airlines in Africa ? would it be possible to get into those airlines or do I have to look elsewhere ?

Thanks once again.....
Regards

Pay is peanuts! Dont expect to repay a loan with the salary that they give you..:} I used to be broke by the 20th of every month when I worked there. I would say that namibia is kinda expensive for a third world country.

Also, the insurance minimums for a C 310 at all the companies in namibia were 700-1000 hours total time. Not sure if its lower now. So dont expect to start flying a C 310 when you get there.

Consider yourself lucky if you get to fly a C 210 with 200 odd hours.:}

Arabian Mustang
 

Hey thanks for your reply, well I wasn't expecting to repay the loan with only my salary but I thought it would certainly help a little if i sent it home......

Also since you've experienced it , can you give me an idea of how much would it cost approx for living and eating at a cheap place as I am aiming to just gain the hours and have a mattress underneath to spend the night and a roof , that's all......

Also thanks for the information on the C310, but can I upgrade after a while after having gained some experience on the C210 ?

Yeah its going to be difficult , but not impossible ,so will definitely try it out next year when the jobhunting season starts.......

Appreciate any tips you have based on your experiences......

Regards

Just out of curiosity, what´s the hourly pay in Namibia these days on a C-210? As far as I know, it used to be around N$ 120 in the mid nineties. Long time ago, I know.

@rahulpereira: Check PM!

@Wondering: Hasnt changed much since you left unless doing survey work on C210. Year 2008 figures are from N$150 to N$ 250.:}

Csanad007 said:

What bulldust! Each and every company that I know here in Maun does interviews, full and proper interviews!

Knob!

nyathi: sorry for that one!

I wasn't interviewed.
They don't do formal interviews, its more of a informal one.

Who do you work for then?

I worked for sefofane and never had any formal interview. Some bull**** written quiz that I was asked to write after I was offered the job and which no one ever looked at. No flight review, and no one even asked to see my log book. A real tight ship they run. I'm sure some of the other companies are more thorough but I didn't know anyone who had much of a "proper" interview.

Since information is being twisted and leaked into the papers, I prefer not to say.
But I can say that the only company that conducts formal interviews is Sefofane.
The rest of the companies are looking more at the individuals rather than the qualifications, as like what was said in the papers, apparently everyone who holds a CPL can do the job. So once they select a pilot who is most likely to fit the company profile and the image that they are going for, then they will conduct a flight check to make sure they can fly, and then be hired.

rahulpereira
 

If you care to scroll up a bit, you see my recent post about salaries.
As to 'converting' your PPL: it's easier and faster to redo your PPL in NAM or RSA. You do have all the necessary hours, the exams are peanuts. You will just have to do a flight or two to settle down to the standards and then do the test. It's not possible to convert a PPL. You could validate it (which is the same process as above) but then you still don't have anything to build up onto.

Hi,do you need to know german to get a job in Namibia?,thanks..

Nope, except for Bush Bird, but then even Andy will hire non German speakers if he is in need! I have a Spanish friend flying for him.
And maybe Wings Over will ask for German as well. But the others are okay with Ingles...

Whatever happened to the grand yet somewhat underwhelming plans for the Sefofane flight training school? I know it got swept away by the recession but as we're now in recovery mode are there any plans for a resurrection?

The recession had nothing to do with it. The school was set up in order to get a contract to train government sponsored students. The Sefofane management dropped the ball during negotiations and the Botswana government decided to send their students to train in SA instead. Last I herd the school has 1 "chief" flight instructor, three empty classrooms and no students. Apparently they still aren't certified to train students past the private pilot level.

Equipment To Bring?
 

OK all new set of questions for this thread.

I would like to know what others have brought in terms of gear and any tips.

What I am looking at bringing so far.

I am currently looking at around a 50 Liter backpack ( 3100 cubic inches ) that should haul around 50lbs max and fits in the overhead.
Latching on a sleeping bag and air mattress
2 X White Pilot shirts
1 X tent
1 X DC 10.13.4's Headset


For those in the field already:
What are you wearing on your feet?
Type of sleeping bag ( heat component )
Heaviest piece of clothing? Do I need to bring a heavier jacket?

Thanks.

btw saw a picture of Csand loaded down with 2 backpacks and a plastic bag and got scared.

haha
 

Well, a tent, sleeping bag, matress are quite big. Then in Namibia the nights tend to be cooler, so a pullover or a medium jacket comes handy. Take comfortable shoes.
It is a good idea to bring your laptop. So that would require some alternate carrying (I mean other then your big backpack for the stuff)...
But the things you saw on me are kinda basic. But carried them only once in a month when traveling from Bots to Nam and back. So have no fear.

When you guys pack up your tent in the morning are you "checking" your gear somewhere during the day or just bringing it with you wherever you go. I guess the laptop probably goes with you at all times.

Most camps are well protected, but valuables (laptop, camera, money, passport and stuff) are always with you. Or should

Soaking, Namibia and Botswana are not in the bush anymore (well, you guys know what I mean).
They do have houses with doors that can be locked...
Bring whatever you want to bring with you and what you feel comfortable carrying around with you, just as you would if you were holidaying anywhere else in the world.
Keep all valuables such as laptops, passports, logbooks and licences on you at all times unless you can lock them away somewhere. But most places are pretty safe and you will realise this after a while.

And a big tip to stop you getting hassled from the locals. DO NOT LOOK LIKE A TOURIST.

How can you look like a local if you have on you at all times, laptops, licences, logbooks, passports and so on. Also, you need a tan and some grit around the eyes and a decent slouch in a pair of veldtschoens-which I don't think you'll find in Maun.
Try the Indian market in Randburg for those. Oh yeah..don't wear Ray Bans-they're a dead give away. Also, don't try to speak Tswana unless you're very good at it. It's not a difficult language but stick to Jambo...or do I mean Tsala tsentle? Just don't say Ciao.

thanks!!,i was in doubt,i thought it was a must

No,

Viva Zapata with a wave of the hand goes down well.
I usually pretend to be from the Argentine and mutter to myself in Spanish. Do not point. It is a bad habit South Africans have got in to. It is part of their 'my/me' culture - if culture is the word to describe the massive acquisitive vulgarity of the majority of the people one bumps in to as one sidles past Swarovksi trying to pretend that one does not, in fact, know the chandelier addicted sexy enough nit wit who owns the company.
Oh, yes where was I?-back to pointing- do not forget that in Argentina, where so many of the good Nazis ended up after WWII, we wave our hand in the direction of that which we wish to emphasis or acquire, in an empirical fashion.

Never even think of pretending to be an Italian. The reality is too dreadful although humming opera is permissible.

Medical Questions
 

So to continue with this I am getting my HEP A,B, Tetanus, Polio, Meningitis, Rabis and Yellow Fever shots done now. How do companies take care of their pilots medical wise? How is insurance if any provided by your employer? Also do companies generally take care of our provide information for doctors ?

Going south by the end of this year
 

Im planning on flying down ther to llok for a job by october this year, what has me worried is being a bad time of the year to find a job down there, is it realy that bad or should I take a chance anyways? Im not going now because I have a job for the summer here in Spain and I shuold have around 600 hours by the end of Summer. Thanks

October
 

Should be just the right time to arrive to Maun, if you are willing to stick it there for two months. The patience could land you in a position there...

Csanad, you ever find anything in Namib?

Just got hired by Bush Bird :cool:

Best time for Maun is from January till April every year.

nyathi: hiring goes between those two dates, but as far as I've seen the best time to arrive is November-December. You guys like to keep wannabes there for a couple of weeks before hiring. So you know that he/she will not flee in the middle of the training. Or am I wrong?

Conclusions...
 

So from what everyone says, best time to go down there to try to be on the safe side, if there is one on going to Africa to find a job..lol Is from the begining of next year in advance till the summer and with money to stay for sometime.. Just wish i could just go in September and get the job strait away (not being very realistic am I?) lol

This are my conclusions thank you all i´ll keep you update when I travel south.