Hehe PiP, so then it is on personality ;)

James~ I'm sorry buddy, you don't know what you are talking about. If an older guy with a few thousand hours is looking at coming to Maun then it is generally a lifestyle choice.
Most companies would welcome him aboard if he fits the mold as they generally aren't in a hurry to leave to the big shiny jet.


I don't know why you keep arguing that you were well liked when people who are in country that knew you, or knew of you, are telling you that you don't know jack.
You have had your time in Africa. It wasn't for you.
I suggest that if you don't have any constructive advice to give in helping people get that elusive first job, that you then leave this forum.

@Magicmick, I wouldn't put too much faith in what Sue Smart had to say on a TV show, or the wilderness lady... memory failing me... Penelope?
A lot of that was for the cameras.

What you mean 'reality tv' is pre scripted and contrived.......my illusions have been shattered!

Make the trip..your illusions will be clarified...good bunch...keep a donor liver in the fridge, lock the door safely, because there is something about this land that is so strangely appealing, and you may stay longer than anticipated, and welcome to Africa.

I had to sell my liver (and my soul) to pay for the CPL and MEIR training. I would love to experience flying in your beautiful continent, however I have a wife and a son who would provide a compelling argument for not going. Have a great day and enjoy the flying.

Well in all honesty..and pilots will shoot me down for this..I wanted to experience the country I grew up in again, and I used to be a motswana, Botswana citizen, but they make choose your nationality at 21, dual is illegal, I opted for good reason British. So I started my flight training, not out of love of flying, but an option to get me back to Botswana..I do love flying now!!

Then would that be just another British ex patriate looking to take the crust of opportunity from one of the aspiring Batswana pilots? The means justifies the end of course.
Still, as old Seretse said, back in 1966:
"Botswana is a poor country and at present is unable to stand on its own feet and develop its resources without assistance from its friends."
Course, I'll bet he thought that people were the country's greatest resource but then, that's Khama for you.

I was with an aspiring Motswana pilot, trained at Babcock got his own 172 to do as he wishes, I was only hoping for one thing, get the machine down safely...but yes cant argue with the mentality of Batswana, if you look at its neighbours, at least the whole knowledge is power has filtered to somebody.

So I can bury my dream. I have 4700 odd hours flown jets, turbo props, piston singles, helicopters but have a yearning to fly a 206 in the bush...... Purely a life style decision. However would not like to displace an up an coming pilot.... Seems I would be met with suspicion and mistrust..... and I am old....

The gentleman that was killed in the Caravan accident in 2011 had recently come to Maun. He had a few thousand hours and was a Brit.
He was "older" as well.

When I started with my company, there was two silver foxes flying the line there.

The more established companies will look at you.

Just wear a dog collar and tell the selection board that your previous employment has left you uniquely qualified for flying in Africa.
Change your Christian name to Clint.

Mr C Cheetah sounds like someone you know?

Hello again!

I'm looking for some visa help.

There seem to be two paths that I can go by. I can either get a Tourist visa or a Visitor visa. They are different in that the Visitor visa requires a letter from of sponsorship from a host, and the Tourist visa requires a detailed holiday itinerary. In either case, I'll be withholding information from the Botswana Govt regarding my purpose of visit and I'm nervous if I'll get one for 90 days, assuming i get one at all. Therefore to increase my chances, I thought it would be prudent to ask you guys for advice on how you had/have satisfied the Botswana Govt's visa requirements (seeing as how all of us at one time or another travelled to Maun to look for jobs under the guise of being a tourist). I understand that most of you are from visa exempt countries, however, as an Indian citizen, I require a visa unfortunately.
Just brainstorming, I came up with a few questions:

1.) Would you suggest I make a booking at a hotel (Sedia or another campsite) for 90 days as proof of stay? Would they be cool with it if I paid on arrival per-week or per-month?

2.) Has the Botswana Govt caught onto the fact that people head up to Maun to find flying work? If so, how does one allay their suspicions?

3.) Would you recommend booking a safari tour to satisfy their requirement?(they cost a pretty penny, so i'll have to save up if this turns out to be the best way)

4.) How does the Botswana Govt. feel about backpackers and hitch-hikers, arriving in their great nation without a real game plan? (India doesn't seem to care about this...Goa and my town are filled with poor dirty travellers)

If any of you on this thread have needed a visa, I would like to message you regarding the method in which you went about getting one. My fear is that I will either NOT get a visa or I will get one only for a week or two.

Any assistance will be invaluable.

Thanks!

Arrive in a wheelchair with a white stick and a guide dog :E

Sorry, not very helpful but couldn't help saying it.

Good luck.

One way to allay possible suspicions that you're a pilot would be to turn up with some bird who looks as though she's worth a night stop. Pilots in Maun seem always to be complaining about three things; no work, nothing with whom to pass the long nights and a hangover, something consequent no doubt upon the previous sad condition. Arrive with something scrumptious and no one will think for a single second that you might be a flight hazard.

Just stating facts, facts which others have agreed with.

Going to a low time pilot place with high time pilot hours is asking for a pain in the arse, and goes against the mold.

I just see some dude in more or less the same position I was in and offered some advice.

Loose some hours, play it down and he will have a much easier time getting a job, the low time pilots will take to him much easier, life will be smoother, just what I saw first hand when I was in the position he is thinking about putting himself in.

"keep arguing that you were well liked" lol. Where did we meet, and how on earth do you know where and with whom I spent my time?

Seems as though what Maun really needs is for the companies to wise up to the joys of employing a stable work force. Maun could tout itself as the last resort, the final watering hole, the place where old pilots, who probably started their careers in the bush decades ago, come to fly before they die.
No one with less than ten thousand hours need apply and if you can't navigate by Doppler or Loran, you're no use either. Not that the aircraft have those kits anyway but it's a measure of the man.
That way, there'd be no low time hour pilots in Maun at all, only Captains and Commanders, just like Bristows Do 328 operation in Nigeria and the grand piano in the compound.

If I can untagle what corvoting said,,perhaps the CAAB should take a step back, and realise the fruitless point of making pilots apply sometimes 3 times to get a work permit..is all for show..to keep the powers that be happy that a local could not fill that position....knowing fully well how many locals have been trained!! And a local trained should not garuantee a seat either, if they are incompetent they are, but companies are probably throwing money down the drain to bring some of them up to speed

I grew up in Botswana and cant fault it soo much, but there is culture of lack lustre, like go to one of the lodges and hotels, they are standing around discusssing sht, you have to ask for the menu, and then after most of sunday your food will come...this needs to be addressed...of course go into the delta...but if we could provide a decent service in town...that is worth something!!

LB It's called 'managment'. In the Delta it is usually top notch, in town it is not. I despair of places like Maun Lodge or Riley's. The new Tandeuri is an exception, when the owner is there at least.

I once asked for cheese and biscuits at Maun Lodge and got processed cheese triangles and tea time assortment incuding jammy dodgers. :D That was after three requests and 45 mins. :ugh:

And, the number of times I've asked for a Savanna with ice and lemon and just had the bottle placed on the bar in front of me not even a glass.

We are used to it and choose to live there. However we are all trying to promote tourism in Botswana. Whenever we get bad service we complain. If we get great service we compliment. I would encourage others to do the same. I know, 'Get me the manager' in a hundred languages.

Your/Our clients are paying mega dosh to be there. They should get better if they have to stay in town.

(And, the number of times I've asked for a Savanna with ice and lemon and just had the bottle placed on the bar in front of me not even a glass.)

Could it be that the bar men in Botswana know a thing or two about the proper serving of beer that is lost upon the Greeks, a nation which, while clinging to the civilization of Europe behave more and more like the mad mullahs of the Turkish bazaars in Constantinople?