Welcome to the Kalahari Flying Club
Getting a Private Pilot's License in Botswana
The world-wide average to obtain a PPL is about 88 hours of flight time. Similarly, in parallel with the flight (in an airplane) time there is usually about twice those hours of ground school.Thus, over a period of - - let's say - - eighteen months, a flight student will average about 15 hours per month (or about 3.5 hours per week) in aviation training.
As a first step, it is imperative that shortly before you begin your aviation training, you obtain a "Flight Medical Examination". Specifically designated Doctors can conduct that examination in a few hours time. (The examination cost is around P300) Assuming that you pass the examination (frequently the biggest stumbling block is colour blindness) the Doctor will issue a Medical Certificate that is valid for 24 months (if you are less than 40 years of age, only 12 months if you are over 40 years of age.) In Botswana, that certificate also functions as the first step of your training and is your Student Pilot License (SPL).
Your next step would be to join the Kalahari Flying Club. Cost for a full year membership, for one individual, is P350, (01 October thru 30 September each year) plus a one-time registration fee of P150. A Family membership is P450 per year plus the one-time registration fee.
At about that time you will have an opportunity to meet the available flight instructors and after discussing you life style and availability for training, select the one that best fits your situation. At that point you make an agreement with that individual for his or her remuneration. In most cases, the student pays into an account with the individual instructor and all training fees are charged against that positive balance.
After several hours of Ground School - - perhaps as many as 10 or 12, your instructor will take you to the airport and introduce you to a variety of aircraft - - which demonstrate, in hardware form, what you have been learning in Ground training. Sometimes these airport sessions take as long as three hours and are usually great fun. Near the end of that session you would most likely be introduced to THE airplane you will be training in. More often than not, you will be too mentally saturated to even consider your first training flight - - until your next - and fresh - trip to the airport.
As you approach the beginning of FLIGHT (vs Ground) training it will be necessary for you to provide documentation that will cover the “Excess" (or Deductible) portion of the aircraft insurance policy - - in the unlikely event of an incident or accident. That amount is P20,000. Most of us simply purchase a Pilot's Buy-Down insurance policy that is applicable to any aircraft you train in, or are a crew member of - - such as when you fly SOLO, or after you get your license and are talking family or friends with you to also enjoy the immense pleasure and enjoyment of flight.
Once the Buy-Down policy (or other suitable evidence of cover) is in place you will make a Flight Deposit with the Kalahari Flying Club. Similar to your training deposit, the charges for use of the training aircraft will be deducted from that positive balance with the Club.
As the positive balances near zero, your instructor will advise you on the need for a top-up of either of booth accounts.
After some hours of Flight Training, that is in direct parallel with the Ground Training, your knowledge and skill will be sufficient that your instructor will authorise to make your First Solo flight. I don't think that there is any pilot, anywhere in the world, who can’t tell you the date, day and hour of that momentous event in their life.
Now you have a ball park outline of what steps lay ahead of you, should you decide to proceed toward getting a Private Pilot License. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact Bill Scott (Author of this article) at +267 - 72 100 240 or Heike Schweigert at +267 - 72 86 84 48 or any other flight instructor.
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Contact
Kalahari Flying Club (Gaborone)Private Bag SK2
Sir Seretse Khama Airport
Gaborone, Botswana
Phone: +267 31 21 68 0
Fax: +267 31 21 66 7
Mail: kfc-gaborone@kalahari-flying-club.org
Kalahari Flying Club (Maun)
P.O. Box 20976
Boseja, Maun, Botswana
Phone: +267 72 86 84 48
Mail: kfc-maun@kalahari-flying-club.org