Bush Pilot

What is a Bush Pilot?

A career as a Bush Pilot requires intricate flying skills and a sense of adventure!
A Bush Pilot is a person who is able to fly small airplanes to and from areas usually inaccessible to larger aircraft or other means of transportation. 

Bush Pilots also need know how to fix the aircraft and survive in the bush.

Bush flying is carried out in remote and inhospitable regions of the world. It involves operations into rough terrain.  Bush planes are therefore usually equipped with abnormally large tires, floats or skis.

This type of flying, combined with unpredictable weather and distance from help, means that Bush Pilots have to be very resourceful to be successful, just to stay alive.  It can be dangerous.

Bush Pilots are often used to fly in supplies to remote lodges, hospitals or food aid to famine-starved communities.  They may also fly passengers into lodges, take photographers on aerial shoots, help with wildlife darting and herd counting etc.

What does a Bush Pilot do?

• maintaining and servicing aircraft
• packing aircraft with supplies
• flying to remote destinations
• unpacking supplies
• keeping records

Are you … ?

• adventurous?
• a person who loves working in wide open spaces?
• passionate about flying?
• able to work on your own?
• responsible?
• safety conscious?

How do I become a Bush Pilot?

The Aviation Industry is currently facing a pilot shortage like never before.

Minimum requirements:

English higher grade is essential, as English is the language of the aviation. Future pilots who do not have a good command of English may be barred from entering the airspace of first world countries.

Mathematics standard or higher grade will greatly assist with the understanding of mathematical formulas in the three-dimensional world of flight.

Physical Science is an important subject that assists the student pilot in his or her understanding of the physical properties of the environment in which we live Geography as a matric subject will assist the aspirant pilot to understand weather patterns, cloud formations, land masses, effects of oceans as well as wind and air masses.

You can start you flying career at 16.  You could get your Student Pilot’s Licence.

You need to get a Commercial Pilot’s Licence which will take you about 18-24 months.  It is very expensive to study to become a Pilot so you should be passionate about flying.

• BUSH AIR:

Offers an Advanced Bush & Mountain Flying Course
http://www.bushair.co.za/school.htm

• BUSH PILOT ADVENTURES:

Offers Bush Pilot training.
http://www.bushpilot.co.za/training.htm

There are many flying schools all over South Africa.  If you go the route of a regular pilot’s license – you may have to skill yourself up with some ‘bush’ training as well to get  the skills of flying and landing in rough terrain, as they are completely different.

• PRETORIA FLYING SCHOOL:

http://www.pfs.co.za/courses.html

• EAGLE AIR:

http://www.eagleaviation.co.za/?page_id=197
They also offer mentorships.

• PROGRESS FLIGHT ACADEMY:

http://www.flightacademy.co.za/flight_training.html

• SA EXPRESS CADET PILOT TRAINING PROGRAMME:

http://www.flyexpress.aero/sa-express-cadet-pilot-training-programme.html
Minimum requirements:

• Grade 12 (with Mathematics, Physical Science and English)
• South African Citizen up to 25 years of age
• Height 1.60 minimum
• Medically fit

Is becoming a Bush Pilot the right career choice for me?

See below for more details.