Africa

[Jonahproject]

Any expats hired to fly in Africa?

 

[jafo20]

I was there. What do you want to know?

 

[Jonahproject]

Oh I guess I'm kinda curious what the lifestyle is like. Are there any good jobs out there. I've heard numerous things about Africa but most of it seems to be second hand. Maybe you can enlighten me.

 

[NAAPilot]

I know that Arik Airlines in Lagos, Nigeria is hiring expats. Pretty good money to fly a CRJ700. Lagos is a horrible place though. Not sure who else is hiring expats out there.

 

[jafo20]

Arik, Aero and Virgin Nigeria pick up expats, like NAA said. You have to be careful about who's paying you, where you're staying, etc. Nigeria isn't a bad place to be, but the city of Lagos is pretty miserable. I remember seeing, like six or seven 747s sitting in Kano that are used almost exclusively for Hajj runs. Perhaps you could swing something like that, get a taste of African stuff, and decide if you want to pursue a longer contract on the continent?

Again, you can make some decent coin over there. I think a lot of guys get African gigs using those crew-staffing websites. NAA can tell you more about it.

 

[Jonahproject]

Can't seem to find any kind of payscales for these airlines. What kind of coin are we talking about. Also, what is life like in say Lagos. Would I be better of looking for work out of Joburg. Thanks for all the input so far.

 

[jafo20]

I'll start with the bad stuff.

Lagos has really bad traffic, especially after 5 or 6, when the traffic cops (guys in orange shirts) go home. Sometimes it takes, like, three hours to hitch a ride to the Sheraton or Planet One (a couple miles, if that) from the airport. Crime is kinda bad. There are places for expats to go hang out, etc, but I wouldn't recommend walking around alone to see the sights. You kinda stick to your own turf, it that makes sense.

That said, if your housing is decent, and you have good people taking care of you, you can totally get by in Lagos. There are numerous South African and American pilots based there. Once the initial culture shock wears off, you'll get used to the whole thing.

I guess it's like Detroit on steroids. There are certain places you just don't go, and there are certain situations you want to avoid, but you can function there.

When I left Nigeria, one of those airlines was talking about basing guys in Abuja. If you can live in Abuja, you're all set.

 

[ContractFlyer]

WAL Gambia will be hiring ex pats BUT...one of the owners is the main guy who stuck World for a couple million $$'s in that Rite Time Travel deal. Am guessing that you won't get paid....

 

[414Flyer]

three hours to hitch a ride to the Sheraton or Planet One (a couple miles, if that) from the airport.

I would never ever ever recommend hitching a ride in Lagos.

 

[coastinout]

Talked to a training instructor for Arik air a few months ago in Lagos while on an overnight. He said they were paying $10,000US/month for Captains on the crj-900, and B-737-3.
He said the schedule was 8 weeks on/4 weeks off. But they were trying to go to 6 weeks on/6 weeks off I believe.
Lagos is definitely screwed up, but if you stay in the hotel, make some friends, find some people you trust(especially some other expats), you could probably get by).
I would definitely find out about your security, I.E., are you escorted back and forth to the airport? We are escorted by 2 trucks, both with 4 guys, with their own AK-47. Nobody has F*&^%$ with us yet!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Coastinout

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

You have more chance of being murdered in Johburg than in Baghdad. No kidding. S Africa has horriffic murder, rape, carjacking and theft rates...and it's getting worse.

 

[JTrain]

Air Serv, an American humanitarian aviation organization, is usually looking for pilots.

I'm currently working for them in the Congo. We also have operations in Mozambique, Uganda, and Chad. Additionally, we're always needing people for our Afghanistan operation.

The work is hard but rewarding, the pay is marginal, but I'm not here for the $.

PM me if you have any q's.

jt

 

[JohnnyP]

........

You have more chance of being murdered in Johburg than in Baghdad. No kidding. S Africa has horriffic murder, rape, carjacking and theft rates...and it's getting worse.

Ill second that.....I got lost off the M1 (?), ended up in Hillbrough, yikes.....according to the guys I was living with, I am lucky to still be here today.....

 

[JohnnyP]

......

Air Serv, an American humanitarian aviation organization, is usually looking for pilots.

I'm currently working for them in the Congo. We also have operations in Mozambique, Uganda, and Chad. Additionally, we're always needing people for our Afghanistan operation.

The work is hard but rewarding, the pay is marginal, but I'm not here for the $.

PM me if you have any q's.

jt

Dont listen to JTrain, the malaria has creeped into his head .......j/k.............

I can also be of assistance, as I worked in the Afghanistan operation until recently. PM me with any questions about that side of the operation.

And no, we were not CIA or Air America, they were in the hangar next to mine

 

[JTrain]

Dont listen to JTrain, the malaria has creeped into his head .......j/k.............

Hey, I'm 100% malaria-free and have been since stepping foot on the African continent!

Enjoy your time in DXB (shouldn't you be doing things other than posting on FI) and then your week at the beach. I'll think of you while I'm schelpin' my therapeutic milk and vaccinations around the DRC.....

jt

 

[JohnnyP]

........

Enjoy your time in DXB (shouldn't you be doing things other than posting on FI) and then your week at the beach. I'll think of you while I'm schelpin' my therapeutic milk and vaccinations around the DRC.....

jt

What can I say, posting here is just part of my morning/breakfast/newspaper routine. Its a disease. FI is evil.

 

[woutlaw]

I'll think of you while I'm schelpin' my therapeutic milk and vaccinations around the DRC.....

jt

That sounds like the perfect job for me. Caravan, the odd dirt strip, low pay, Africa, doing some good along the way.

Only 800 more hours to get to AirServ's SE captain mins. Sigh.

 

[JohnnyP]

.......

That sounds like the perfect job for me. Caravan, the odd dirt strip

JTrain, correct me if im wrong, but arent most of the strips you guys hit dirt strips?

Side note-----I saw some of DC's pics of the places they were taking the BE20 into, and even they looked fairly "muddy" and unimproved for a KingAir.

 

[JTrain]

That sounds like the perfect job for me. Caravan, the odd dirt strip, low pay, Africa, doing some good along the way.

Only 800 more hours to get to AirServ's SE captain mins. Sigh.

Hey, it ain't that bad.

Both myself and the recently-retired JohnnyP were way over the Air Serv hour requirements when we were brought aboard, but the important thing to note is that we are here because we WANT to be here, helping out in the humanitarian air links that Air Serv provides.

Don't come to Air Serv if you're just a timebuilder, there are far easier ways to get yours hours, god knows the regional minimums have fallen to rock bottom numbers.

I flew for almost 6yrs for a regional, this job is much more demanding, but rewarding in ways you can barely imagine until you experience it.

If Air Serv is a place you want to be, get ahold of the pilot recruiting folks at the home office. They are really nice people and if this is a place you want to be, show them that, and I'm sure they'll slot you in for an interview.

Just make sure this is the kind of place you want to be - read up on the Air Serv website about what the company does, what it stands for, the demands and stresses that will be placed upon you.

If you have any more q's about Air Serv, feel free to PM me.

jt

 

[JTrain]

JTrain, correct me if im wrong, but arent most of the strips you guys hit dirt strips?

Side note-----I saw some of DC's pics of the places they were taking the BE20 into, and even they looked fairly "muddy" and unimproved for a KingAir.

Yes - they do take the King Airs into a lot of dirt fields in the DRC. I only got about 50hrs flying it around here, but I've seen pictures of it caked in mud.....

But, I returned to my senses and came back to the Caravan. King Air flying is boring in the Congo - punch up to FL250, and cruise for 3hrs. The Caravan, with lots of legs, short, challenging, rough field landing strips, lots of loading/unloading, and of course lots of MSF hotties to be hauled around, is my kind of airplane

jt