US or South Africa

[Dave SA]

So here we go, I am mid 40s, 62 230lb guy looking to start the journey of becoming commercial pilot. Not wealthy but travel to South Africa often for work. It seems more reasonable to start the journey there. Not knowing the difference between countries (pilot License). Also Cape Town can have some really high winds. Has anyone have any experience in flight time and or training between countrys. Thanks for the help.

[Wally]

When I was instructing, 35 years ago, I had students from South/Central America, Europe, New Zealand and South Africa who were training tn the US for cost reasons- all rated airplane drivers, ab initio requires more careful, extended calculation.

 

The Kiwi said that he could get his commercial helicopter and have a vacation afterwards for what it would have cost to get only his commercial 'down under'. I remember him as returning to PNG (to his employer) retiring after a very successful career

 

The South African had purchased and ferried airplanes back to SA and was planning on buying a helo in the US to take home with him. He was also a 'big guy' in every sense of the word, forceful personality, intelligent and accomplished, generous and BIG- over 6 1/2 foot tall and 250-ish pounds. Putting him into a Hughes 269/300 was a real challenge- but I digress, they all did it for cost.

 

Don't know if it's still true, but Lufthansa, other airlines that do/did ab initio to working pilot do/did it in this country for the same reason.

 

Cautionary statement: Your training is forever, whether forever is until you crash or for 50, 60 years of a non-eventful flying career. Find the best instruction you can afford.