Recovery
 

Hello Maun Pilots.. SITREP please.. Any signs of recovery yet? Is flying picking up or still too calm? :confused:

Just read the post before your...no chance for expat right now!

Anyone in the know please advise on the current situation in Nam/Bots. Any other countries in Southern Africa that may offer anything these days? Thanks.

It's 2022! The world seems to be getting a move on from this pandemic. Can anyone in the know enlighten me on the state of aviation in Maun right now(for a hopeful prospect)?Are things starting to pick up or is still dead?

Hi, some bad news, unfortunately Botswana does not give out work permits for expat pilots anymore. They have trained up their own pilots who has been filling jobs over the past 10 years. The only expats still around are those on work permits which will run out soon.

This is correct but I believe temporary - as the airlines around the world are now struggling for crews, the recruitment drive will start sucking up those from the bottom again which will result in shortages and then they'll need to recruit from overseas again. Its a cyclical thing....

The thing is, these guys don't have FAA or EASA licences, nor the means to convert their ICAO licenses. It is not super difficult to get an FAA license, or that expensive, but it is hard to get a work permit/green card. On the other hand, it is really expensive to get a EASA license, and then work permits is also an issue. For most airlines you also need a degree, none of these guys have a degree. It is not impossible, but it is super challenging to get a job in the airlines if you are from this neck of the woods. I think there is a bout 20-25 expats left (if that many) there is about 100 Botswana pilots in school at the moment, so i don't think this will change.

New Botswana regulations for foreign license holders
 

I got some new information regarding the experience requirements for foreign license holders. This was sent to me when applying for work online. I don't know any more than this.

The new Botswana Civil Aviation Regulations will now only convert a foreign CPL to a Botswana CPL once the holder has 500 hours flying Botswana registered aircraft. Until then, a pilot will fly with a validation which allows the pilot to fly in Botswana with their foreign licence. These first 500 hours will be flown on your foreign licence which is why it needs to be current and valid along with the associated rating and medical. If any of it expires it needs to be renewed/revalidated before a new validation will be issued, this usually involves a trip back to the country of licence issue.

A Botswana Air Law exam is required before a validation will be issued which is based on the Civil Aviation Regulations.

This is not new, it has been in place for years.

There is a pilot shortage in Maun, like anywhere else, EXPATS ARE NOT GETTING WORK PERMITS. Period.

Wilderness Air Botswana is advertising 9 positions for C208B. No citizenship requirement mentioned so wouldn't hurt to try for those interested. Based in Maun.
jobsbotswana .info/jobs/commercial-pilot-c208b-x9-positions-wilderness-air-botswana/

Minimum of 900h TT
C208 rated preferred
Instructors rating and experience an advantage

I just dropped an email to Mack Air to enquire about expat pilot jobs, here's the answer.

"Unfortunately, due to the current work/residence permit situation in Botswana we are only considering candidates with :

CPL with Instructor rating
C208 type rating
1200hrs total time
500hrs instruction time"

Hey all, does anyone have salary data for Mack Air cadet first officers and junior captains, either current or in the last few years? Considering approaching them and need to decide if it's something I could live considering on considering my responsibilities.

Important update about flying in maun/africa
 

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

THIS IS THE SITUATION FOR LOW-HOUR FOREIGN PILOTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO FLY IN *ANY* AFRICAN NATION.

The naked truth as of January 2024

For longest time, new foreign pilots saw African nations as an easy target for employment. The continent has changed a lot, and local interests are now prioritised via a pro-African workforce. In the same way a Botswanan pilot cannot turn up to the US and Australia to fly a Caravan, you as a New Zealander or Australian no longer have a free-pass. Operators’ company cultures have also shifted to favour local supply (of which there is plenty) and to build solid pilot teams that will stay for a long time.

Most importantly, the popular African operators are now bound by government restrictions which protect the local pilots by restricting how and when you will be allowed to fly in your chosen country as a foreign pilot. It is no longer walk-in, but based on your number of hours. In countries like South Africa, they simply won't give you a visa at all.

Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, Namibia and Tanzania all now enforce stipulated hours you must have before the civil aviation authority of that country will convert your license to their own. It is between 500 to 1500 depending on the country, (you can look up the hours on the CAA websites). As a new pilot, you'll have to get these hours elsewhere before coming here. The result of this is that when operators do hire outside their country, it now comes with very high hour requirements in order to get over government minimums.

And, when they do hire foreigners, the are now prioritising those from within the African region. E.g. Tanzanian operator Coastal Air last year really needed pilots, and so their latest cohort came from surrounding Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe etc.

In summary, working here will take in excess of 1500 hours, with the absence of local supply, and mostly for experienced crew e.g. Training Captain on the Caravan or King Air.

Alot of you seem confused, frustrated and keep wondering (via this forum) why or when operators will start hiring again. Asking when Wilderness in Botswana will open up, or where else you can try your luck. It’s important to understand that things have changed permanently on the continent. You now need a new strategy to end up here if that is what you want, meaning: you’ll have to do the initial hard work in your country of origin FIRST before you become an option for the operators here.

Good luck.

For what it´s worth and not for pilots just out of flight school:

https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/view/id/2528.html
https://www.latestpilotjobs.com/jobs/view/id/18575.html