Self fly in Zambia

[AfricanEagle]

Hoping to be in Zambia mid 2007 for 2/3 weeks.
Can anyone tell me what is needed to validate my ICAO PPL: do I need to sit written exams, or is a check flight sufficient. And how long will it take for the paperwork?
Also, where can I hire a SEP for week's flying around the country?
Thanks.
(The first aeroplane I handled the controls of was 9J-RDN - a Cherokee Six - a longtime ago )

[Irishwingz]

I think...not sure..but I checked this some years back and there is possibly a C172 you can hire in Vic Falls.

Do a search on this forum you might find my thread, needless to say I didnt end up pursuing it in the end.

Other option could be to rent in Jo burg, Pretoria or Lanseria and take her up from there!

Good luck:ok:

[Baron Von Mildred]

When I was there about 7/8 years ago you could fly 9J with a validation for a limited period (6mths?) assuming your ICAO license was valid. I had a cpl but I think the rules are the same for PPL. There was a C172 for hire at Chingola flying club (copperbelt). Don't know if its still there. All the other flying clubs were defunct.

[wulf190a]

I wish you the best of luck I worked at Vic Falls (Livingstnone) for 10 years, and the DCA were extremely unhelpfull, you will most probably need air law, Zambian medical and check flight. Aircraft can be availiable at Lusaka

[Baron Von Mildred]

wulf190a

Are you sure you are not confusing the rules for license conversion? Thats more or less what I had to do after the validation to get an actual Zambian license. I found the DCA helpful & friendly in the late 90's. I gather the chap I dealt with, Samson Namadula, has since died, so can't comment on how things are now.

[Dusty_B]

Getting a validation is very easy - but as with all things in Africa, it will cost you. My CPL validation was $100 for three months. Within that time you're expected to get a full local CPL. Similar thing for PPLs, except you'll be home by the time it expires.

Top tip for flying out here:
Bring your own charts. A new jeppesen/aerad low level IFR chart combined with an ONC airfields chart should give you enough to go on. Flying is really done ALL on GPS out here, so if you want land relief, a Garmin 960C is a great choice. The GPS data is more up to date than any offical charts - the last aviation chart was published 20 years ago, and doesn't have relief on it.

[Baron Von Mildred]

Sorry if this is out of date info, but back in the late 90's it was easy to get VFR charts for the whole of Zambia (4 sheets) from the government maps office near the DCA. Yes they were old, but the terrain doesn't change much, some airstrips had been & gone, new ones had appeared etc. but I think they were quite cheap. DR Congo is another story, however. My VFR charts came from the London map shop courtesy of the US DoD. They weren't up to date either and contained areas marked 'topographical data unreliable' or words to that effect.