WRONG, he will gain FAR more and stand out from the crowd with Africa experince.

I heard 500 is the magic number, maybe as a instructor it might all wash out.

500tt with instructors is the magic number in Bots to fast track into a job in bots. In TZ, the rating also comes in handy because it's technically required for someone to be a training captain... that or an ATPL. However, from what i've seen, it's better to hire a 206 driver from bots with 1000tt rather than an instructor with +3000tt.... most just dont have the "hands&feet"... some do real well tho... bush flying isnt rocket science.

got my ga8 and almost at 500
 

hey guys thanks for the suggestion. ill be coming there in jan first week with my cfii experience of 150 dual given. total time 500 and a ga 8 endorsement. lets see how it goes.

Happy and safe aviating for 2014 to all here in Maun.

Requesting for advices.
 

Hi, my name is Roberto and i all ready read all the posts on this forum, i perfectly understand that go to Africa is like throw a coin into the air. You may have luck finding a job to reach experience or may be you dont. But as we say in Mexico :mad: lets take a chance an fly away.
My question to the bloggers on this forum is: does anybody in here can Help me to find a job in Namibia or Botswana?? I ask this because is a really long trip from Mexico City to Africa and of course is gonna be to expensive I can affort the round trip and I can survive for a few weeks. I know my money problems are not your problems, In fact I can Imagine that a lot of people in here had or has their own problems to arrive to Africa from all over the world. Just wondering if anybody in here can give me a little chance or and advice.
Thank you very much and greetings from Mexico. :) :rolleyes:

so are you in maun now...

bobby AM - bad news from what ive heard. most operators want you to survive in africa and meet them before hiring. they do not tend to hire someone who still has to travel, when they may already have guys on their doorstep ready for immediate start

BOBBY, there's lots of great info here... the rest is up to you. If you are in fact serious about finding your first flying job... then just pack up and go! No one is going to hold your hand and help you find a job in bots/namib... newbies are busy looking for their own job in a highly competitive environment... and recruiters won't take you seriously until you are there. This has been said a kajillion times. Good luck!

Greetings! I am an out of work helicopter CFII thinking about doing a commercial fixed wing addon and trying my luck in Maun. I understand that the hiring minimums are around 500hrs, but I am curious if they would consider my helicopter hours as experience. My cheapest option would be to tack on my commercial addon, about 50hrs airplane, leaving me at just over 500TT. I am worried that with only 50 hrs of airplane and nothing but a SEL rating I would not be competitive. I do however have a couple hundred hrs of instruction given in helicopters, and even a little turbine helicopter time. I am contemplating whether spending the extra money for an instrument rating or cfi is worth it.

Any helpful info would be greatly appreciated!

Hi, I am looking for person who is flying in Bots or Nam, or was flying there and who would like to give me 30 minutes of his life to talk on skype (or some another czat). I would be greatfull for PM!

Hi,, I am interested in the rookie pilot jobs in Bots. and Namb.
I am gonna go to Bots 14th Feb this year. the date is almost there.
I have more than 300TT a little bit. and C-210 rating
But I've heard C-210rating is not advantages in Bots. I feel very sorry about this,, -);;
Anybody is here in Bots. and Namb. now???
I want to know situation of our evironments now a days.
Could anybody tell me about that? about recruiments of Bots. and Namb.

There is significantly fewer pilots looking for work in Maun this year than in previous years.

To be able to fly in Maun you must have Cessna 206 or GA8 Airvan ratings. Pilots who have arrived in Maun without these ratings have all left as it is not possible for them to work here.

The C210 is more common in Namibia.

OTOH a conversion from C210 to C206 should be cheap and easy, the 206 is almost identical to the 210 but without the retractable gear.
It was a long time ago but I did C182 to C206 in 2 hours and another 4 hours for C206 to C210 because it is retractable..

Hey All,

Quick question, can anyone give me an idea of current pay rates and conditions within the companies based in Maun? Feel free to PM me if you'd prefer. My contract is coming up towards the end of this year so I'm looking at options, thanks!

Hi, I it true about requirement in Wilderness Air and Mack Air? Beacause Wilderness on they webside write 800TT and Mack 1000TT. It seems that it is hard to find a job with 500h TT now.

Has anyone here gotten a job in Maun recently? How are the prospects for new hires?

A few got hired in the last couple of months. Problem is that people are leaving at random times now, and not in groups like they used to. So they hire to replace as they see fit.

do you think that operators there would count any rotorcraft flying experience? I have about 550 hours, 200 instruction given in helicopters, and a commercial ASEL with about 70 hrs airplane. Im gonna be adding my instrument rating as well. What do you think my chances are?

I'd imagine you are just as qualified as any 250tt fixed wing.... as long as you have your fixed wing CPL ifr

How is that movement? Botswana / Namibia
 

So I'm assuming the government restrictions on ex pat pilot hours largely flow in waves, until such time as there are few locally trained pilots to fill positions.

Given the cost, time to train locals and the volume of companies in a place like Maun for example, surely the need for pilots will resume?

With Wilderness Air requiring 800TT for CPL pilots, I expect only a steady supply of pilots in that experience bracket, along with a healthy number of locally trained pilots could keep those pilot seats warm?

Any forecast on the likelihood of those hourly requirements returning to the levels seen 3 years ago? I suppose there is a precedent for this...

Really enjoy reading this thread. Any thoughts would be great :ok:

Hello to all.

Thanks for waste your time on me

This is the point I planned to arrived in NAM in April for try to get a job there.
Now I hace 620 hours TT, CFI and C206 rating and there I will do the C210 rating.

How is the expectative there for this year?

thansk and sorry.

I sent my CV before I came. Only one of the companies acknowledged my email. However, when I got here and did the rounds to hand out the hard copy, most chief pilots said that they remembered seeing it. Did it make any difference? In my opinion, no.

No one else that I've spoken to sent theirs before arriving so I wouldn't stress about it.

Can't hurt sending it in ahead of time now can it?
Spamming them with multiple ones however might.

You need a C206 rating. There are far more operators here running the C206 and no retirement in sight. There is (hopefully) an Advisory Circular coming out soon to make the C206, C207, and C210 similar type ratings. Should help some guys out here.

Suggest you send Wilderness a 'thank you' letter for being kind enough to reply to you.Explain to them that it's an unusual courtesy on their part to even take the time in replying to your application. It will impress them that anyone bothers to point out how polite they have been in contacting you. It will also give you an opportunity to update your hours and let them know that, for them, you are instantly available because you'd so much like to work for a company that has such an excellent workforce ethos.
You could also send a copy of your short note translated into German, perhaps in your case, into English, just to remind them that you're at least bilingual. Native English speakers usually are monolingual, if not to say by educative process, monosyllabic.

The suggested answer to your question though, from a quick read through of the past umpteen years of posts, sounds like 500 hours?

The C206 is a 'type rating' with the CAAB in Botswana. I got my FAA cert validated by the CAAB with a C206 type rating. I had about 20 hours in the aircraft in the US, but they wanted to see a instructor's sign off/aircraft checkout for me flying that type of aircraft, which I had. I don't have a sign off for a C207, and the CAAB won't let me do a Certificate of Training to get my C207 type rating. Once I have 500 hours flying in country, then I can apply for an actual CAAB CPL, and then add on the new type, unless that new provision comes through for similar type aircraft. Main point: get your 'ratings' aka AIRCRAFT CHECKOUT with a CFI SIGNOFF before you come to Botswana.

Also, new news: you cannot be a pilot and a mechanic at the same time. Might not apply to many people out there, but that was a new decision by the powers that be a few weeks ago (might not stay this way). Since you now might not be able to use an engineer cert to your advantage in getting a job, make sure you have your ducks in a row with your pilot certificate/rating/etc...

jobs for 250tt
 

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I am an Indian national who have recently done CPL/ME/IR with a 250tt. Looking at the first page of this thread i was very excited about Botswana and thought they would consider 250tt for bush flying in maun. however i checked few more websites and some posts below that suggest 250tt wouldnt stand a chance to get a job there. now am not sure to even try and go there or would it just be waste of time and more money. any suggestions on how to get a job anywhere in world with low time like mine would be highly appreciated.

Clearly haven't read the whole thread, have you?

Why? Far easier to just be spoon fed right? :ugh:

Maun Jobs 2013+
 

Hello all,


So as you can see this thread is about jobs in Botswana, Maun. What I'm going to do is give NEW information regarding the possibilities of getting a job here in Maun.


In the previous Jobs in Maun post it stated that you need 200 hrs TT, now it's not the case anymore unfortunately, it really suck. It's pretty much because the Immigration Department are trying to force the Foreign Pilots out. The ability to get a work permit in Maun is VERY difficult for pilots with less than 300 - 350 hrs TT.


There are 8 Charter/Scenic Companies:


Wilderness Air,
This company has C206 (Not sure how many) and 5x C208 Caravans, their minimum requirement for foreign pilots is 800+ hrs BUT they will consider pilots with 500+ hrs and obviously preferably a C206 rating & an instructors rating. Their pay is good, you night stop in the bush 4 - 6 times during the week between your off days so there is pretty much no need to have your own place in Maun.


Safari Air,
These guys have 1x C206 (Which they are selling) and 3x GA8 Airvans, their minimum requirement for foreign pilots is 300 hrs with a GA8 rating. I don't know what the pay is like but I know that you night stop in camp sites between 2 & 4 times between off days.


Delta Air,
They have C172s, C206s and GA8 airvans if I'm not mistaken, this company is not as "out there" as the rest of them so I don't particularly know what they do or how they are. Although the minimum requirements of the company are 300+ hrs they have hired a few people quite recently in the past with LESS THAN 300 hrs.


Moremi Air,
This company has 1 x C172, 1 x C206, 1 x C210, 1 or 2 x GA8 Airvan and a PAC 750. They are not a bad company, although once you do get hired you will only get paid 1000 Botswana Pula per month as a retainer until you finish your training and go online (equivalent to 112.90 USD) once you go online you do get paid more. The minimum requirements of the company are 500+ hrs with at least a C172 &/or C206 rating. They are a good company I have a few friends working there, their main concern is the retainer pay check because it's impossible to rent a one bedroom place for less than 2000 Botswana Pula per month. There are people that need house sitters to look after their house when they are away so that's pretty much what the new pilots do until they are online.


Kavango Air,
These guys have 2 x C172, 2/3 x C206, 2 x GA8 Airvan, the boss is currently looking to get a C208 Caravan. Their minimum requirements are 300+ hrs with a C172 & C206 Rating, they are thinking of raising the hrs requirement to 500+ hrs, but I will keep you updated.


Air Shakawe,
These guys are very small, they only have 2 x C207s, their minimum requirements are 300+ hrs with a C207 rating, I have no idea where one would get that rating.


Major Blue Air,
The company is pretty good, they have 2 x 172s, 4 x C206, 3 x GA8 Airvan and 1 x C208 Caravan, their minimum requirements are 500+ hrs but will consider 300+.


Mack Air,
These guys have the largest fleet currently in Maun, 6 x C206, 1 x C210, 5 x GA8 Airvan and 5 x C208 Caravan. Their minimum requirements are 500+ hrs but will consider 300+ hrs.


Guys and Ladies, those of you who want to work in the Delta I recommend getting either a C206 or GA8 Airvan rating, if not both, with 300+ hrs. One more thing DON'T SEND YOUR CV TO THE COMPANIES VIA EMAIL, you must come to Maun and physically hand it to the Chief Pilots, if you send it via email the chances of you getting hired are NONE, it happened once, a company hired someone and he/she resigned within a day so now the companies won't risk it anymore. So please come to Maun even if you are not looking for a job, it's really a beautiful place. If your are coming to look for a job, when you go through the border control, for your own sake DO NOT SAY YOU COMING TO LOOK FOR A JOB, say you visiting the country, the maximum that they can give you on your visa per year is 90 days so ask for 90 days if they don't give it to you then you can always extend it at the immigration department in Maun, ask any of the pilots here and they will give you directions. Its a very small a chilled place, very beautiful hardly any crime...just look after your belongings regardless. The only crime that happens is across the river away from Maun Airport.


Ok so once you get employed the company will organise a waver for your passport which last for 6 months if I'm not mistaken, then they organise a temporary Botswana Licence for you to fly a Botswana registered aircraft (Alpha 2 - Foxtrot Tango Whiskey for example) and in those 6 months you will need to do an airlaw exam and approximately 50 hrs of line training depending on the company and then do 500 hrs PIC in the delta, once that's completed you can get your Botswana CPL and therefore it will be a bit easier to get your Botswana work permit, bare in mind the Immigration Office likes taking the piss out of work permit applications, they take forever and sometimes get rejected up to 3 times before being accepted.


Good luck to all you job hunters!! :ok:

Thanks for the update!

Capt

Good work and well done. It does explain a lot.

You might want to double check some of your information, particularly regarding fleet...



Wilderness has 1x C172 as well.

Safari Air also operates caravans and a Kodiak (which is for sale/ sold- not 100% sure of the current status).

Major Blue has 2x C172, 1x C206, 2x GA8 (with 2 soon to be delivered), and 1x C208.

The rumour of a caravan at Kavango is just that, a rumour. I'll believe it once I see it.

Moremi's PAC is also listed for sale. I don't think it's been flown since the previous chief pilot left almost 2 months ago.




You mention the low retainer at Moremi- but many of the company's don't even pay that. P1000/ month would be hugely appreciated by some of the pilots in training.



Air Law has to be written in order to get the licence validation. This is required before any kind of immigration waiver is applied for. The licence validation lasts for as long as your licence from home. So if you apply with only three months remaining, you will only get three months. It's best to arrive with as much time on your licence and medical as possible.



I've been thinking of editing the original guide for a while now, the information there is invaluable, I might just do that...

So you got a seat when the music stopped PilotInPink? Good work!

Capt! Houdet,

I do not understand why you need a new thread for this. What is wrong with the other excellent one.

Also, speaking as an aviation consultant, I disagree with the bias you give to certain companies. I can't comment further as most people know who I am. PM me if you wish.

I can see if PPrune can help me out with getting access back to my old account. I have no idea what happened to that one. It just wouldn't let me sign in one day and just kept loading.

Also, I thought you MUST have a rating now for the licence validation? So turning up with the rating is not just ideal for getting hired, but a must have?

Interesting about the retainer... Everyone used to pay a retainer with the exception of Delta.

Safari Air's Kodiak is for sale already?! I had a look inside it in October and it still had the new plane smell!
I could be wrong here, but from memory the insurance requirements for the airvan is 400hrs. So once the C206 has gone, the mins would probably increase to 400. Of course thats if the insurance mins haven't changed.
Their night stops must have increased a heck of a lot too... I was lucky if I did one a week!

As for Kavango's Caravan... Never understood why they got rid of both of theirs to begin with....

Does Moremi, Mack and Delta no longer have their C210s?

Hi to all.

I arrive in Maun next october 25... I'm current flying in my country as PIC of C208 but before this I've flown a C172,182 and 206 and I've flown also a GA8
I have 778 Total Time includes 110 hours ME as PIC.

How are my chance to get a job there in Maun?.

I'm rated and current in C206 and C208 and Im thinking to do some hours in ZA in the GA8 to get current again.

I think Mack Air does.

It seems as though there are a few people around who are prepared to contribute useful information. It's very good and most sporting of them to do so. It would also appear that there are some who show limited initiative in terms of doing any deep research and others who show a woeful lack of gumption altogether. These are those who perhaps should be encouraged to find alternative forms of transport as a means of earning a living. As an example, water tanker truck driver opportunities are plentiful in certain rural areas of the world especially when employed in the role of dust dampers.
But if you want a new thread now might be an appropriate time to attempt to set one up. The Botswana tax year ends on June 30th. That surely is a most auspicious date on which someone could start a new thread for 2k14/2k15 and from which all new information and input could be measured. If that date were manipulatively changed each June by interested parties the thread could stay current. Newcomers could reasonably be encouraged to do their own research and by means of copying and pasting to ascertain whether such a piece of information or other were still valid. One would hope this would defuse the more ridiculous merry go round aspect of what I think was most generously started as a thread to help pilots who wanted to live and work in Maun.

I have no problems if someone wants to start a new thread on Maun.

The problem with the last thread was that it was not written in a clear concise way with any real information to the thread other than hiring hours and the company fleets (Which was also inaccurate)
Also telling someone that they don't need a house for 3yrs is ludicrous.

The core information that you can find on the first page of this thread is never going to change.

Hiring months: Between October-March.
Outside of this, companies are too busy during the busy season (Funnily enough!) to be hiring and training pilots. Sure, it does happen now and then when they really need someone, but those spots are usually filled by people who were there last hiring season and made a good impression, OR, and more likely, they know someone inside the company.

Payscales: Give or take a few thousand pula between each company.
7000 During first 3 months
9000 for next 9 months
12000 for next 12 months
The next 12 months is something new that I don't know about, but roughly 15000 is some figures that I have heard floated about.
Some companies will pay extra for Safety officer etc.

The not paying a retainer is an interesting twist. That may be something new. As said before, nearly all the companies out there used to pay a 1000 pula retainer. At least the major three, Wilderness, Mack and Safari did.

The big and all important question that keeps getting asked.
Flight hours.

300+ seems to be the number now. In saying that, I do know of guys with less than that being given jobs.
Some companies want more, 400 or even 500.


This information gets repeated enough times throughout all the pages the the newbie that doesn't want to take the time to research a life altering period of his life, but just get spoon fed the basics, can still just read the first page, and then the last few, and get the information required.