Opportunity to fly light aircraft in South America

[sonofaeagle]

I didn't mean to make my question sound esoteric. I was just hoping to get a feel from other people's flying exp in south america. I have only flown in the U.S.
I'm young and looking to get some flying time under my belt. Everyone says use connections whenever you can. Its all about who you know. It would be fun to just pick up and go fly in alaska or something.

My sister is an HR rep for SAIC. She works with a lot of retired military, CIA. One expressed interest in me when she said I loved to fly. She gave me his card and said to give him a call.

After speaking with him it sounds like a friendly arangement. He'd take care of my expenses and I'd get a little spending cash, (get to log some bonanza time). He kept it real casual. He does consultant work and maintains business contacts in Colombia. He said his business can send him all over the continent.

Maybe I should have titled this alaska or south america. Ice or bandito's.

 

[flint4xx]

After speaking with him it sounds like a friendly arangement. He'd take care of my expenses and I'd get a little spending cash, (get to log some bonanza time). He kept it real casual. He does consultant work and maintains business contacts in Colombia. He said his business can send him all over the continent.

So, you are a new young pilot, and someone offers an oppotunity to fly around in the Colombian neighborhood, for his business contacts?

This smells bad to me, not to mention that the weather will probabaly get you before the FARC does. Sounds like you might be flying cocaine. Not a place for you, newby. High elevation airports and weather, or low elevation airports and insurgents. Either way, being an American in Colombia, outside Bogota or Cartagena, is dangerous enough.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/colombia_warning.html

 

[cezzna]

I agree with the former opinions. This is no place for a newbe. If you are fluent in portugese and spanish it could help. Flying to and from all of these different countries is difficult enough if you have your own dispatcher or if you work with Universal. Permits to overfly this and land at that is a daunting task. A Bonanza is not a very capable cross South America airplane, good luck crossing the andes. I have some experience down there and wouldn't touch this job. Like the other guys said, it just sounds too fishy. There are very few pilots in the U.S. who would be qualified and experienced enough with this sort of thing to do it. You aren't one of them.

 

[sonofaeagle]

My father gave me similar sentiments. He told me a story about a retired AF buddy of his that flew charter in his own aircraft. He took a job that paid way too much for what it was. Once he did it they had him. They threatened if he wouldn't fly for them anymore they would go after his family. Ended up in the witness protection program.

Ya, maybe it was silly of me to consider this. It may or may not be credible but I think I don't have enough experience both in flying and in street smarts. Granted there is only one way to get both and thats to go and do it. Still the gain probably wouldn't be worth the risk if its as dangerous to fly, and to be an American as you guys suggest.

 

[satpak77]

dude

put the Tom Clancy books away and take Bourne Supremacy back to Blockbuster

you aint getting hired by any legit companies/outfits in South America with your time and not to mention the lack of commercial certificate

Dyncorp/others want spanish speakers and/or military experience and/or extensive ag pilot experience, etc. I know for a confirmed fact that Dyncorp has a few ex-Peru and ex-Bolivia Air Force dudes flying for them.

Overflight clearances, flight plans, getting fuel, security measures, etc, is a specialty all by itself. This is not flying a King Air from El Paso to Hobby and having to divert to Austin or meeting your plane at the gate and having dispatch hold your hand for the flight from DFW to Memphis.

sorry but thats the truth. Don't get your ego inflated or hopes up because some guy gave you his business card and said "call me"

later

 

[sonofaeagle]

Well if no one wants to talk about flying in SA.....


Are there any other threads I can read about it?

No ego dude. Just asking questions.

 

[bobbysamd]

South American flying

Enjoy your employment with the "company."

Ernest Gann devoted several pages to South American flying in Fate Is The Hunter. He wrote about ferrying Lockheeds to Brazil in the late '30s. He came home with malaria at least once. It's a great read.

 

[flint4xx]

Plan on filing an ICAO flight plan for every flight, whether you are vfr or not. Positive control wherever ATC exists. You will need to wear a uniform, speak the language, and carry lots of cash. Into and out of the airport through security and ATC offices for filing and paying fees takes effort, and that was before 9/11. There won't be a state police, coast guard, military, or even a boy scout looking for you if you go down. Plan on having your aircraft inspected by every soldier with a rifle. Lock the prop every night, and don't spend the night at all at many airports if you ever want to see the airplane again. Can the Bonanza handle 22,000ft MEA's? I think not. Are you ready to deal with maintenance unlike what you expect here in the US? Forget proper signoffs, or proper maintenance either for that matter. How are you at NDB appraoches in mountainous terrain to minimums with no radar control, or weather radar?And I haven't even touched what it's like to live there, nor will I bother. You need to stop dreaming and go be a flight instructor like everybody else before you kill somebody.

 

[sonofaeagle]

Thanks for the info and advice. Sorry if I wasted your time.

I bet you have some stories.

 

[flint4xx]

No waste of time if I helped you from killing yourself. It may sound harsh, but it is no place for a non-latino with 200 flight hours.

And there are many stories...heck just look at American Airlines and what happened to them going into Cali. No help from ATC...

good luck...