Flight Schools in Botswana
 

Hi everybody,

I am thinking about going to Maun end of the year to get my first job. I already have a JAR CPL but unfortunately only 150 hours. So first I want to build some hours.
My plan is to combine getting hours and looking for a job, thats why I am looking for flight schools in Maun. I could only find Kalahari Flying School? Is there more flight schools?
What are the costs for a flight hour on a C172 and what about the 200 series? Do I have to fly with an instructor without a Botswana CPL? How much do I have to pay for an instructor?

Well, hope you can give me some information.

I think the flying school is the only place. There will be another one starting up soon.
None of the instructing is on 200 series aircraft. It is all on 172's.

A conversion to a botswana licence is not too hard. An air law exam, a type technical, 5 hours training and then a flight test.
Then you can take the plane out for yourself.

A good grasp of the english language is essential, as well as knowing how to use VOR radials for seperation from inbound IFR aircraft. (Yes, even though you are VFR)
Training here can be interesting. During summer months we have huge thunderstorms that pass through often. In the winter, there are usually big bush fires burning and smoke and haze get trapped below inversion layers.
Its not uncommon to have up to 8 aircraft inbound at the same time. Specially around 1pm.
Combine that with outbound traffic, very poor visibility, a difficult african accent from ATC and hour building can be pretty intense.
In terms of aircraft movements, during the busy season, Maun is one of, if not the busiest airport in Africa.

If your plan is to do cross countries into the delta, then I suggest taking someone with you until you have a firm grip on where everything is. There are very few reference points as the land is completely flat for about 150nm in each direction. So flat that you can see the curvature of the earth.
There are something like 28 camps all within 30 minutes flying from Maun.
You can quite easily get in the way of the other aircraft flying between camps or annoy camps by buzzing low level above them.
You wouldn't be the first to have an angry hunter fire a few rounds at you.

To be honest. I wouldn't really bother building hours. If you are going to get hired, you will be hired. Chances are, there will be people turning up with 400hrs+ anyway.
The companies will take care of your licence once they hire you.

Thank you for your answer, lilflyboy!! It's really helpful. Do you know if there's a minimum flight hours for the license conversion? That was my concern that it couldn't be possible with only 150 hours!
My point in hour building is also that if I should end up with no job than I have at least better chances in finding a job in Germany.
Do you (or anybody else) have an idea about the costs for a C172?

No hour requirements. A guy from Holland came here and managed to find work with a 150hr CPL. Had the licence converted with no problem.

Flight schools
 

Hi , I was wondering if anybody has heard anything about doing the PPL-H , CPL-H in Botswana, I heard through the grape vine that its quite cheap there at the moment, does anyone know it there is any truth in that? as I am finding it very hard to contact the flight schools there.

Oh yes, there are tons of helicopter flight schools around botswana! I can't believe you can't find any of them!

I don't know of a single helicopter flight school at all.

Oh yes, there are tons of helicopter flight schools around botswana! I can't believe you can't find any of them!

I don't know of a single helicopter flight school at all.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha :ugh: Yes I do believe it would be hard to contact them! It is incredibly cheap at the moment though...ha ha ha that made my day lilflyboy!

Kalahari Flying Club
Address:
SSK airport
Gaborone?

Web www.kalahari-flying-club.org/start.htm

Cheers:ok:

Those details are for the one based in Gabs.
Im not too sure about the details for the one in Maun.

@Lilflyboy do you have any idea that kalahari flying club have cessna 206?
if they have then i will be looking forward to build some hrs on it.

Read my first post in this thread.

best of luck for your trip to maun:ok:
I will be joining you guys by next month

hie guys does anyone know the website or links for flight schools in botswana