MK Airlines Questions - Pilots primarily from Zimbabwe?

[LVL CHG]

I am very interested in MK Airlines (I have freight experience in my background). I understand that operationally it is based out of Manston in the UK and that it operates 747-200s and DC-8s (I have seen the website too).

A couple of questions:

1. I have heard (not confirmed) that a large percentage of MK pilots are from Zimbabwe - is that true? Can anyone estimate the country mix for pilots (e.g., 60% Zimbabwe, 20% UK, etc.)?

2. What are some of the more frequent destinations in Africa? I have spent a lot of time in South Africa and I love Africa in general.

3. Besides Manston and Luxumbourg, are there any other pilot bases (any in Africa)?

4. Lastly, would you (or your friends) recommend flying for MK Airlines and why?


I appreciate any information and opinions.

[Flying Bean]

First. You must use the PPrune search engine for "MK"
There are a number of Threads, some controversial, on MK.

As a Southern African Operator, these are my personal views, but I do not have any specific inside info.

1. YES/No. Used to be quite a Zim closed shop, but with their expansion it is a lot more open. However the crew do seem to be predominately Southern African.
2. In Africa they fly to Harare,Lusaka, Luanda,Entebbe, Cairo, Port Harcourt/Lagos
3.Most of the Pilots on the Africa routes seem to be based in South Africa. I don't think they have other permanent Pilot Bases in Africa.
4. Seems a professional operation. I have flown with them a number of times (we move a lot of freight with them) and always saw a Professional Flight deck, but check the other Threads

I think they are also flying to the Far East and North America but not sure about this.

Good Hunting

[The Fly]

MK's Recruiting guide.

Preferably you should be a Zimbabwean, trained in the Rhodesian Airforce, having flown helicopters on one of the two helicopter squadrons. If you are an unemployed Zimbabwean farmer who flew in the Rhodesian Airforce, you have a better chance at the moment.

Failing the above, the next best is if you trained at Pegasus Flight training at Charles Prince Airport in Harare. If you don't qualify for these two requirements, it is very difficult to get past the first interveiw, especially if you don't know Mike Kruger personally. If you have ever crossed anybody senior in the airline, you won't get past the first interveiw.

MK has almost sucked Zimbabwe dry of pilots. This is now creating openings for crew from elsewhere and their prefered flavour seems to be South African.

The recruiting proccess is as follows. You submit your application on line through the MK website. There are three to four courses a year, depending on crew requirements. The recruiting officer selects the most desireable of the applicants with the above foremost in mind. Interveiws are generally held in JoBurg and Harare and numbers are chosen to ensure that the interveiws last about five days. Choices are definately made prior to the interveiws, which seem to be a show of fairness to all. If you are invited to be interveiwed, and you do not quailfy to the above, then you are probably just making up the numbers.

If your first interveiw is successful and you qualify for the second interveiw in the UK, you are 99% through. Part of the second interveiw is a session on the Simulator at Landhurst. You really have to mess it up to fail. Very few people have made it to the second interveiw and then been washed out.

If you make it through the recruiting process, you are joining a professional outfit. The training is good and the crews on the line are professional. As with any airline, you do get the odd Captain with attitude, but generally they are all a good bunch.

The DC 8's generally fly the African Routes, and Africa to Europe and back. One DC 8 is based in Miami, flying to South America daily. Another flys the US - Ireland route. The 747's generally do the long haul legs and are often "fed" by the DC 8's.

Hope this gives a better insight into the airline and answers some of the many questions that keep appearing on this site.

[Cardinal Puff]

Got a bunch of Zimbo mates, some of whom fly for MK so have used their names as references. Hope to get an interview some time soon. Good gen on yer post and as a boertjie possibly have an advantage if no suitable whenwe can be found.

Vasbyt...

[josephshankes]

The Fly

You post is interesting but not surprising.