Er...no...it's like asking whether it would be frowned upon to include it in your total time for a work permit. Or more to the point, weather to just include it when submitting the work permit paperwork and not bother making a distinction.

Why not? Worst they can do is not use it in your total. Besides, a lot of glider types go to Nam in the summer so you may be a bit more marketable than someone with no clue when it comes to flying them around or if there's a call for tug pilots. Your met know how is probably a bit better than the average as well. Can't hurt and it's all aviation experience.

Hi Desert Goat.

Not to sound disheartening, but glider experience doesn't get you anywhere when it comes to permits. At least that's what I heard at every company I visited, about two weeks ago. Motorgliders - that might be a different ballpark, but pure gliders unfortunately no.

And from what I learned when I asked around for tug pilot possibilities in Nam it's a no-go as well, because the vast majority of what's flown here are self launch. Can't blame them either, having travelled a bit around I wouldn't be happy to make a forced landing in this country... could be a looooong time for the retrieve team to come and fetch you :)

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback- I might go and get the IR knocked over, should be over the 300 hour mark by the time it's finished.
Cheers all!

Hi guys,

do you know if the companies there hire pilots who wear spectacles?

Why wouldn't they? :8

I wear a monocle when i fly so what's the big deal?

If you're talking about not having the hour minimums and being marketable as a pilot... do go get your IR knocked off. Just so you know, from an air operators standpoint, your IR is worth 1,000,000 gliding hours.

JAR/EASA- license
 

hey everybody, I just discovered this forum with the option of flying maun. does anybody know whether it is possible to fly with an EASA-license (PPL with SEP rating, CPL/IR with MEP-rating) or is it necessary to convert both licenses into an ICAO license? thanks a lot in advance for your help!

Well I just spent days of my life reading the threads on maun since 2008... Only to get to the end and find its much harder than it looked to get a job with low hours now

There has reportedly been a legal change in Botswana.

You must now have 500 hours.

You must now ALREADY have a rating on the plane you are going to fly (C206 mostly).

That change is being discussed at the CAAB headquarters in Gaberone today.

Has there been any further development as a result of the meeting in Gaborone yesterday?
I also heard a rumour about pilots having to travel back home to renew their expired class 1 medicals before a conversion can take place, even though you must do a Botswana class 1 as part of the conversion, any truth in that? Thank you in advance for all helpful replies.

The companies are already gearing up for this change.

Rumor has it, in addition to the 500 hours TT, you will only get a validation of your licence until you have 500 hours flying IN Botswana before you can have your licence converted. Assuming this is why you already having to have the types on your licence. (Note conversion VS validation) That is coming from the Chief Pilot of one of the companies.

The government have been trying different things for many years now. This will probably fall away. They always make a huge noise for a few months then realize it's not really sustainable (or too much effort to keep fighting the companies). They have yet to get it right so let's see how long this attempt lasts.

Really Low Timers in Africa
 

Hi,

Im new to the forum and am interested in flying in Africa. I am working toward my commercial (at about 125 TT) and am starting to think of what I want to do with it. I would love to fly in Africa and have been reading some stuff on the forum. It seems like a few years ago you could go over to Maun or Windhoek with 200 TT and a fresh CPL and find something. Ive been reading about 300 TT being realistic in Namibia and people talking about 300 TT for paperwork in Botswana and rumours about 500 TT minimums. So basically I am wondering what the current situation is for people with fresh CPLs and just over 200 TT. Are there places that will take you or is 300 TT really required for a reasonable shot at a job? If so what have you guys done to get the 300? Do most expats instruct for a bit before heading over or what other options are there? Any info would be great.

First, I'd suggest you contact no one until you have the commercial. I found, in a previuos life, no one is interested in what you will have, but what you do have. Then contact everybody- air taxis, instucting companies (only if you have CFI), comuuters, regionals, missionary "companies."
and good luck with that.

Latest Nagami Times:

With all the discussion about minimum hours why is this Maun charter company asking for just 250?

I have many pilots asking me about the situation so I just like to stay informed.

Window dressing? If they can't get a local to bite with those hours, they'll claim they've tried and employ an expat, using the advert as proof of having given the locals a fair shake.


Have to say, the Bots CPL students I've come across at schools in SA didn't strike me as the type willing to do the hard yards in the bush (not that Maun is serious bush work). I think a direct entry into the cushy airline career on big shiny turboprops was minimum start option among many of those I spoke with.

Copied SRT many thanks.

You certainly know how to make friends and influence people ;)

Try PNG, Northern Canada, Alaska, Congo, Sudan and so on. Maun is a bit of a steep learning curve to start with, but all the strips used are pretty even, no real obstacles and they're on a fairly routine run. Pax are generally tourists, freight is household goods for the camps. No real surprises there, and the weather isn't a major factor most of the time.


That said, it's a great place to learn your trade. Exciting without being too dangerous.

So then, would it be true to say that Maun is a teething ground for sissies in shorts and socks?

Got to start somewhere...:ok:

So and in that case, might one be excused sometimes for feeling that Maun, in the minds of some starter pilots, is a dumping ground for those who cannot hack the hocus pocus in their country of aeronautical origin?

Now look what I have started. They don't wear flying boots down there (currently in Greece) but at least they don't dress like this.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-and-socks.jpg

For the record I have done a lot of right hand seat with these guys and it may not be dangerous but it is very challenging and jolly hard work. I usually only do half a day and then need a beer at Bon Arrivee whilst they do yet another sortie.

No way would I qualify, the initiation ceremony at the Sports Bar is worse than most in the military. I prefer my eggs cooked!

Definitely not a picture from Maun, there is no comb tucked in the socks.
:rolleyes:

Fact is that each company have slightly different requirements, clearly look at the Company websites and only apply if you have the correct requirements. If not dont send your CV and dont expect an answer back.

500 hrs with the relevant ratings is needed, + Instructors rating is also and added bonus.

I know Mack Air, Safari Air and Wilderness Air are not hiring at all for the rest of the season.

Good Luck!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...-and-socks.jpg


I was about to identify the wearer as a Pomgolian, but the hide doesn't match the pale hue of the socks. Perhaps a lederhosen clad Bavarian?

Highly unlikely as the socks are white without tassels and are of an unequal height and too short. Also, the sandals fasten from left to right whereas German sandals fasten from right to left.

Ah, but notice one stipulated Bavarian rather than German, Mr Cheetah. Those carefree lackadaisical scamps are much less hidebound than their cousins. Must be the climate or something in the water...


To be honest, the most frightening fun I've had was with a crowd of Bavarians after a few jars. They go from staid citizens to lunatics with sparks coming out of their ears in about 20 minutes.

To be fair, Mr. Twotter, one must admit that they can drink about three times the amount of beer in 20 minutes as anybody else. :}

Proper Bavarian socks (and shoes - one has yet to meet a Bavarian in sandals...), usually not be found amongst Maun pilots:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...psaa0f431b.jpg

Bavarians of my acquaintance have different tastes.

Ah, but their choice of music is sublime, Mr Hopper. This has got to be the catchiest ditty one has heard in years. Of course, the tall brunette at 02:08 is guilty of blowing one's socks right into orbit....


A Bavarian flashmob in Munich. [VIDEO]

Yes, some things ARE better in Munich than in Maun... ;)

Can't beat that, even with a big stick...:ok:

multi time
 

Is there any way to get multi time on the BN2 if you have over 50 hours multi engine logged but not a valid instrument rating?

Going to africa soon will i able to get job
 

I have Bdca ICAO license i have tt 540 hours and on c-208B i have 320 hrs will i be able to get job if i go der in maun. i dont have c-208 rating on my license becoz belize(BDCA) dosen't need rating to fly single engines which is below 5600 kgs will this be problem for me in maun wen i apply please help me out thanks...

That company sounds awfully like Wilderness VC10

Anyway. If anyone in interested in the day in the life of a Botswana pilot...

Sorry if you are trying to watch it on a Ipad or Iphone. Youtube got a little s**** about me using some songs with the video.

Out of interest lilflyboy, can you remember what sort of strip lengths you were operating out of around Botswana and such? From what I've seen most of them have pretty clear areas off the ends of them, not many one way strips or tall trees sitting at the ends, would that be correct?

There is a few that have tall trees, one of them is in this vid. Whether it is one way or not is entirely up to the pilot I guess.
The strips on average are 1000m long. Usually lose quite a bit to the floods.
Some are 800m and a rare few are 600m.
Landing length is not the issue. Its the performance on take off out of them that eats up the runway. You can see with the grass runway that I am barely clearing the end.
I think that was filmed around April/May so warm temps.
All of the runways have "escape" paths out of them, usually following a river or some such.

Video of life in a day flying in Maun
 

Quite a thrilling view...though gave me the bends a little! :ok:

What is the average sector altitude? Have there been any incidents of scraping vegetation on some of these short strip approaches?

Are D-VORs and NDBs sufficiently reliable if GPS fails or is it dead reckoning?

How difficult is flying close to dusk?Am sure no nighties!

I notice engine idling during transits even when pilot leaves his office (to take a leak in the bush perhaps?:p

Nice work mate! It looks not as picturesque as I thought it might...may be due to the dry season.

Any encounters with hungry pack of Lions on landing? How do you tackle that?:E

Kudos for a commendable effort lilflyboy:D

lilflyboy: This is my first post on here but I have been following your thread for over a year, you're the man. Thank you.

I have read this thread from top to bottom at least 3 times now, so it's not out of laziness that I'm asking this:

I know a year or two ago I would have had a decent chance of landing a job with only a CPL (canadian) and 300 TT, but in light of the rumours in the last few pages of this thread, would that still be enough to give me a realistic chance if I went down in November? I know some people have been saying 500 TT is the new minimum, but I was wondering if anybody could give an update on this issue.

My second question: If it is still possible to get a job with only 300 TT, how much of a difference would having an instrument rating make? and what would be better, an instrument rating, or an instructors, and by how much? I am asking because I still have 3 months that I could spend getting one of the two, and want to know if it is worth it.

Thanks again.