The scenery she flies over every day, as well as resting up at some of the world’s finest lodges, are some of the fringe benefits of the occupation. Kirsty Henderson (pictured) carries tourists to the remote corners of Africa as a bush pilot. “A few months later, I was lucky enough to find a job as a Grade 3 Instructor at Lanseria Flight Centre at Grand Central Airport in Midrand, where I worked for two and a half years and also gained my Grade 2 Instructor rating.”Īfter doing some flight instruction, she was hired as a bush pilot by Wilderness Air in August 2016, starting out by flying the GippsAero GA8 Airvan, eventually upgrading to the Cessna C208B Caravan.
#Low time pilot jobs in africa license
“I went to 43 Air School in Port Alfred, where I completed my Commercial Pilot License with a Multi-Engine Instrument Rating, Grade 3 Instructor rating and ATPL subjects,” said Henderson. After the aviation bug had bitten, she decided to make a career out of being a pilot. Originally from Cape Town, she completed her private pilot’s license at Stellenbosch Flying Club. She “completely fell in love by how beautiful it is.” The company today is operating over 26 aircraft and employing over 40 pilots, flying to Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.įor Henderson, flying over the bush is a return of sorts, as she did a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta with her family as a child. Wilderness Air began in 1991 with one aircraft based in Botswana servicing two camps in the delta. She flies for the company partnered with noted safari company Wilderness Safaris, which has a variety of camps in Botswana around the Okavango Delta. Kirsty Henderson, 27, is a pilot for Wilderness Air Botswana.
They are an essential part of getting tourists to safari camps, serving as the connective tissue from major airports into the wilds of Africa. These aircraft are used to provide both planned and unscheduled passenger services to remote areas, touching down on shorter and sometimes dirt runways.
People fly into main hubs, but the most time-efficient way to get around is hopping on to small bush planes. As much as people like to rag on the sight its how I found my current gig (and the previous 4 jobs I've had over the last 7 years).The vastness of Africa requires all kinds of transportation. The future looks slightly less dim than it did when I came here so at least thats something. But its what I had to do to get my foot in the door and start making contacts. I've been here 4 months, have a local ATPL and work at the lowest paying commercial operator in the country. The humanitarian gigs are pretty much in the hands of places like MAF, ASF and the like. Look for UN contractors and safari/tourism operators. 90% of the airplanes I come across are TCAS equipped and everybody pretty much has a 430 or a 530. But the good news is that the American military has decided to build some long term bases in Africa which will open up plenty of high paying contract gigs and lots of ISR flying (as we are fighting several proxy wars in central and east Africa at the moment-wonder why thats not making headlines?).īush flying is not the wild west cowboy show. Operators are picky right now because they have the pick of the crop. That being said theres a lot of money to be made here if you can get your foot in the door. Aviation in Africa is as screwed up as Africa is. Lots of South Afrikaans and Kenyans looking for work. Most operators want significant flight time unless you have an in. The downside is that you're getting paid $900/month. Upside is that it's all tourist crap and you get to stay in some super nice, expensive lodges. You can get a job in Tanzania flying a 206 getting paid about $900/month.
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