Only 1 company has ME turbine in Maun, Major Blue, all other companies have SE

Mackair and Wilderness will put people straight onto the caravan, and you will only fly the caravan.
Safari Air were looking for direct entry caravan pilots recently - I'm not sure if they would expect you to fly the airvan too.

This thread is called "Maun, Botswana..." so I thought that you were looking to find a position here...

My observations from the apron:
Wilderness do not seem to be flying their piston aircraft at all right now.
Mack Air caravan pilots are only flying caravans except for extraordinary circumstances (ie. training captains for the piston fleet).
I heard that Safari Air require all pilots to fly a little bit of time on the airvan first before flying the caravan. I don't know how accurate that is. Their caravan pilots seem to do an airvan day here and there- presumably for currency as well as scheduling requirements. Surely not a deal breaker for most pilots though.

I've read the last 4 years of this thread. I know it's a "Botswana" thread, officially BUT: I'm curious to chat about African opps in general.

From what I gather, the current "reqs" are something like
Bots: 500+
Nam: CPL +
Zambia: 1000+

What about opps outside of this triangle?
Tanzania?
SA?
Madagascar?
S Sudan?
Uganda?
Other?

I have 1000TT+ with over >300 in 207 and >300 in 208. Hoping for something straight into SE turbine with potential in the company or nearby for ME turbine

Think you will find it is more a Maun thread than a Bots thread.

That triangle seems one sided + Nam for reasonable life jobs, the third a better option for an expat than your second list.

Have you tried KASAC in Gaborone , don't think they have SE turbine but multi piston and it was fast progression to the B200 & Gabs is very livable.

Thanks Bend. Looking into KASAC - they are Kalahari now ...? Looks like they move from 210 -> B200; quite the progression. I will reach out. I'm flexible on location; looking to explore what and where best opportunities may exist (suitable to my CV) before I make the trip over.


Tangent: is it completely crazy to make this Africa move in the face of similar (& better paying) opportunities here in Alaska? I'm 28, never married, with no dependents and no debt. In some ways this is a perfect window of opportunity to embark on this adventure. I guess I'm just grasping the internet for reassurance/encouragement.

Related/background: I've lived as an expat in the past for 2+ years (Vietnam). I love the lifestyle and adventure. Africa has been on my list ever since but I haven't yet even visited. For the people who make the best of it and enjoy their time there: what is it that they say keeps them "hooked"/infatuated?

Yes it is Kalahari Air Services (And Charter).

I spent around 8 years mostly in Botswana doing maintenance not as a pilot. Africa is a great place to visit/live and work, but can have some risk involved.

Botswana is what I would call safe, a fair chance of getting your wallet or phone pinched or stuff taken from your house. But no real violent stuff, more opportunity crime. Very good gun control, basically if your caught with a handgun your straight to jail.

I think you will find being an expat in Africa vastly different to Vietnam (I have only visited a few times). A different mentality.

A quick look today and it seems they are after crew for PC12's but I am not sure if that's a current ad. I also saw Noel's (the owner) daughter is looking after the hire of pilots but Human Resources Officer, Masego Sentle is listed as contact on one of the ads. Masego is a very nice lady and I think you could call her and ask if she has time for a quick chat about possible employment or if it is worth going over for a visit.

I have been back in Australia since 2004, but been back to Botswana 3 times for visiting friends.

As long as the country is politically stable and predominantly non-violent then I am happy (and excited) to find work and live there.

Their PCC site lists 1500+ as time required for pilot applicants as well as 2000+ for PC-12 applicants. I suppose I better get in touch with Masego to chat more about my experience and whether they would entertain an interview with me. No response on my call just now; will try again. Thanks for the tips!

akfly, for the Kasac position you must be PC12 rated with time on type, with your hours in C208 a good bet would be Mack Air and Wilderness Air in Maun or Coastal in Tanzania or Scenic Air in Namibia. Forget SA, you must be SA citizen to get a job, unless you have B1900 hours and then they will send you to fly contract somewhere else in Africa

Yes, in fact I got ahold of Jacqueline at KASAC who confirmed what abezzi said about PC12 rating and time on type; as well their minimum is 1500 for all their pilots for insurance purposes.

Also chatted with Wilderness who just hired a pilot group and estimates the next class to be in June/July 19

Mack Air, Coastal, and Scenic all seem promising but none of their CPs were available to chat this AM.

Making phone calls to these organizations sure helps take much uncertainty away. Much cheaper to buy Skype credit than pay 1000$ for a ticket to Windhoek/Maun.

Is that a current position with KASAC abezzi?

That is not an aircraft Fitz will buy unless under written - He is very tight on $'s but very high on maintenance.

He also does not meet the minimums for that job - more so it is not a bad place to work and progress generally fast.

Mac air was and expect is a great company but the poster was looking to go ME turbine.

My main "thing" on the reply is Masego is a very very nice helpful lady, I guess Patricia put in some guidance there.

Her English is excellent and she has a caring sole (wont just say come and we will see).

As far as I know yes is a current position with them, they provide pilots for 2 or 3 private PC12 that are based in Gaborone, so the aircraft do not belong to them

If I understood well akfly12 dosen't have ME turbine time and he hopes to join a company with SE turbine and then proceed with ME, unfortunately in Botswana the only company with ME turbine, Air Botswana aside, is KASAC and because they are looking for a rated PC12 pilot this is the end of the story!

If my contacts are correct they most probably already found the pilot were looking for, but I would always send an email to them to see what is going on, you never know!

Did the other that had a King Air or two and Dada's citation/s run by Les fold?

Great info there akfly, does anyone know the latest on Mack air? Their 16 new EX's must need some drivers.....

I don't know who is currently at either the Maun or Gaborone CAAB offices - but it can depend a lot on who you deal with, as to the level of compliance ("interpretation") is required.

Noels first love is not pilots, I doubt asking his daughter Jacqueline (a nice girl as I remember) would be the best place to get handy hints for employment - but it seems she got an "A" for the low cost pilots to employ "do it in Maun then see us"

abezzi I think is correct (well it was the way) Botswana operates on validations of foreign licences, you don't get a Botswana Licence. That said they gave me one when my O/S licence could no longer be renewed due to time not on my countries aircraft rego. There was nothing to it they just gave me what I said I had a licence on.