The Bush & Mountain Flying Course is led by Bush Air owner "CC" Pocock who is a highly experienced and professional bush pilot with thousands of hours of extreme bush and mountain flying. CC is one of the most experienced bush pilots in the world today and Southern Africa's most knowlegable and experienced bush flying instructor. CC personally conducts all training himself and has trained hundreds of pilots from 40 hours to over 10 000 hours, PPL to ATP, civilian and military.

There are others that claim to offer similar "advanced" or "intense" courses however there is realy only one truely genuine " Bush Pilot Course" in Africa and this is it!

Courses are run every week Mondays to Wednesdays.

During this course you will learn the advanced skills and techniques required to be a professional bush pilot.

You will learn how to obtain maximum performance from your aircraft, master extreme short and soft field techniques, landing in unimproved areas and sloped one way in and out mountain strips and flying in confined mountainous areas. You will discover areas within the airplanes performance envelope you never thought possible.

Even if you do not intend to fly in the remote bush or mountains, the skills and techniques you will learn during this course will definitely make you a much safer, more proficient and confident pilot!

PLEASE NOTE! This is NOT a money making tourist gimmick! This is a very serious and genuine "no frills" advanced flying course! Conducted in a real bush and mountain environment with real scenarios flying a real bushplane!

Introduction to Bush Flying, Bush Pilots & Bush Planes.

Most people do not know the real meaning of the terms "Bush Pilot" or "Bush Flying" and too many pilots believe that they are "bush pilots" just because they have flown a few hours around Southern Africa and landed on a few dirt or grass strips.

A bush pilot is not a person who simply fly's an airplane in a "bush" environment or who can land on nice long and hard and reasonably well prepared dirt or grass strips. Just because you can fly into "bush" strips at game lodges or over remote and unpopulated areas does not necessarily make you a bush pilot! There is a LOT more to bush flying than you think!

A bush pilot is a person who is able to fly a light to medium size aircraft safely in and out of places that would normally be regarded by most other pilots as "marginal", "too dangerous" or "impossible". Generally these are area's that are inaccessible to most aircraft and other means of transportation. Furthermore, a bush pilot should be able to maintain and repair the aircraft and survive in the bush.

Bush flying is a term for aircraft operations carried out in remote and inhospitable regions of the world. Bush flying involves operations into unimproved and rough terrain, frequently necessitating bush planes be 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, or all too frequently, just to stay alive.

Bush flying originated in Canada and Alaska providing supplies to isolated communities and eventually further South into the African bush and Australian outback.

Bush pilots must fend for themselves because they are so far from help. Critical skills range from survival skills to mechanical and electrical skills for airplane repair to hunting, trapping and shelter building and survival. ("Jack of all trades").

The life and death nature of bush flying also means that bush pilots frequently resort to untested methods for accomplishing the job, the result is that many common practices are pioneered in bush flying.

Bush pilots need to know how to deal with common engine, airframe, electrical and avionics problems that can, do and will occur from time to time including important maintenance issues. When operating out in remote parts of the bush it may not be possible to get a qualified aircraft mechanic to assist you. During the Bush Pilot Course you will learn how the aircraft engine and electrical system works as well as how to diagnose and fix some of the most common engine, electrical and avionics problems.

A bush plane needs to be properly equipped for operating out in remote and rough areas.

Such an aircraft should fitted with strong landing gear and oversize high floatation tires and the pilot should always be ready for any eventuality and carry all the necessary tools and survival gear. Taildraggers are generally preffered for bush flying however a tricycle gear airplane can go anywere a taildrager can provide its correctly loaded and equipped with the correct landing gear.

A bush pilot should have a thorough knowledge of the hazards of bush and mountain flying and be skilled in the techniques required to safely fly in these area's.

Bush Flying is a highly skilled art!

Operations include landing and take off's out of short bush and mountain strips nestled amongst obstacles and at high elevations. Landing in unimproved area's, mountain flying, survival and repairs .

Learn basic engine and avionics fault diagnostics & how to maintain and repair a light aircraft in the remote bush. Learn the techniques to be a confident and safe Bush Pilot in Africa.

The course is conducted from our base at the Barberton airfield as well as some very challenging bush and mountain strips within a 10nm radius around us.

The Bush Pilots Course includes the following:

How the aircraft engine works, oil and filter replacement, air filter maintanance, tire & oleo repair, wire locking, re-fueling, airframe repairs, propeller repairs, basic engine, electrical and avionics fault diagnostics and repairs. Tools and survival equipment. Survival, communication and ground navigation.

Short field, soft field, unimproved surface and obstacle, take off's and landing's. Emergency and precautionary landings. Emergency manuevers. Hot and high ops. Low and slow flying. Mountain flying. IMC and night emergencies. Night bush flying.

The practical part of the course starts with the basics first demonstrated and practiced at the Barberton Airfield .

Once you've learned the basics of the various techniques you will be introduced to some very real scenarios when we actually go fly into some very challenging bush and mountain strips within a 10nm radius from our airfield. By the time you have completed the course you will be able to land and take off from 300 meter strips.

A certificate is issued after completion of the course.

The course is held over two to three days. Please allow for three full days to complete the course. Flying can be done using our aircraft or you can bring your own provided it's suitable and fully insured for bush and mountain flying.

Accomodation is available on the airfield.

We also offer guided bush flying expeditions and adventures. "CC" Pocock, a professional bush and mountain pilot, will fly with you as your guide / safety pilot and your tour will become a valuable extension to the Bush Pilot Course where you will be able to practice your bush and mountain flying skills learned during the course back at base as well as camping and survival skills.

You will be landing out in the wild in unimproved areas and camping under the wing of the plane!

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