Nick Mahon
2nd Oct 2001, 16:37
Dunno if this is the right forum but here goes...
I've just completed a ppl and am thinking of flying light aircraft for one of the agencies working around in Africa. Would anybody be able to provide information about such type of work, are they shouting out for pilots? etc...
Any help guys would be great
NM
pulse1
2nd Oct 2001, 16:58
Many years ago, as a naive PPL, I wrote to several aid agencies. They all appear to have very high standards and preferred ex military pilots with lots of relevant experience. At the very least you would need a CPL. I remember one charity was not keen on high hour airline pilots as they don't get a lot of experience in taking 182's into dirt strips perched on the side of a hill.
Nick, great idea, but you'll need to be a hardened stick-and-rudder-supremo-bush pilot before you can do that sort of stuff. Wacky stuff including getting into and out of impossible strips with wildebeest standing about on them whilst at loading/CofG limits, temperature nine zillion degrees, running the engine on lighter fuel mixed with gin etc etc. NB no personal experience here, but have talked to some blokes who've been there and done that. See some of the discussions, and refs to bush flying websites and books, in Aircrew Notices and the Africa fora up above. Long term plan might perhaps start with getting some commercial qualifications and trying to work in Canada or Alaska to build up back country experience? A noble aspiration, but unlikely, I suspect, to be achieved rapidly.