Places for good info on US-Canada flights?

[Colin W Kingsbury]

Hi all,

Thinking about taking the 172 from Boston to Montreal because it just isn't
cold enough here in New England. I love Montreal but the 6+ hour drive is
just a little too much for a weekend trip and it looks like the Skyhawk
could meet the airlines on price for 2 people and probably beat them on time
if I figure it door-to-door. With airways routing it looks like about
200-220NM. Can you really do it in two hours, wheels up?

I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice, concise,
"Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?
How do I file the flight plan (I'm assuming it's simpler to just go IFR)? Do
I need a radio license? Am I better off flying straight to my destination or
should I land and clear customs near the border?

Ideally I'd love to hear a narrative of this trip done within the past
couple years by somebody else, but I'll take whatever I can get.

TIA,
-cwk.

[Matt Barrow]

"Colin W Kingsbury" > wrote in message
nk.net...
> Hi all,
>
> Thinking about taking the 172 from Boston to Montreal because it just
isn't
> cold enough here in New England. I love Montreal but the 6+ hour drive is
> just a little too much for a weekend trip and it looks like the Skyhawk
> could meet the airlines on price for 2 people and probably beat them on
time
> if I figure it door-to-door. With airways routing it looks like about
> 200-220NM. Can you really do it in two hours, wheels up?
>
> I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice,
concise,
> "Here's how it's done" guide.
http://www.navcanada.ca/navcanada.asp
http://www.flightplanning.navcanada.ca/
> What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?
> How do I file the flight plan (I'm assuming it's simpler to just go IFR)?
Do
> I need a radio license? Am I better off flying straight to my destination
or
> should I land and clear customs near the border?
>
> Ideally I'd love to hear a narrative of this trip done within the past
> couple years by somebody else, but I'll take whatever I can get.

Went to Calgary a few years ago for the "Calgary Stampede" (sorry, it was
pre-9/11 -- things may be different now). It was just like flying in the
west except going through Customs (and they were MUCH nicer than US Customs
coming back). I recall of tiny bit of difference handing off from US to
Canadian controllers, but nothing significant.

It just took a bit getting used to ending transmissions in "Eh", rather than
"Roger".

Some others you might find useful.

http://worldaerodata.com/countries/Canada.html
http://www.tc.gc.ca/pacific/air/airport/menu.htm
http://www.bestaero.com/invoices/GetPrice.asp

--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

[Peter R.]

Colin W Kingsbury ) wrote:

> I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice, concise,
> "Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?
> How do I file the flight plan (I'm assuming it's simpler to just go IFR)? Do
> I need a radio license? Am I better off flying straight to my destination or
> should I land and clear customs near the border?

If you are an AOPA member and have a login to their member site, here is
your nice, concise, "Here's how it's done guide" :

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/guides/canadabrief.html

I flew to Toronto from the States last October. Basically, the steps I
took were:

Flight planned the trip.

Called CANPASS within the 48 hours before takeoff and answered all of
their questions, including providing a really good estimate time of
arrival.

Called CANPASS twice more as the trip got closer to update my arrival
time.

Filed an IFR flight plan as I normally do through the normal US
channels. I recommend filing an IFR flight plan in your case, too.

Documents I took with me: AROW (as per normal), birth certificate, NY
driver's license, and a signed letter from the FBO stating that they are
an official lessee (my aircraft was down for engine work at the time) of
the rental aircraft I was using.

I received several different answers about the radio license (depending
who I asked) and in the end I did not get one for the trip.

I don't know the answer about where to land, but I suspect that you
should be able to fly straight to your destination as long as the
airport has customs available (by phone or in person). THe same is
true for the return flight. I was instructed that if my local customs
could not meet me or I expected to arrive well past my estimated time, I
was required to land at the first airport of entry along my route.

AOPA's telephone support has a International/Canada flight menu choice
where someone pretty knowledgeable will be able to answer this question.

In my case, the trip couldn't have been easier. When I landed at City
Centre, Toronto, I remained in my aircraft and called CANPASS as they
instructed me to do. The agent cleared me right over the phone, gave me
an important clearance number to keep with me (in the event I was
stopped at the airport), and I was on my way. Never had to show any
documents.

To return, I first called the 800 NAV Canada number for a flight
briefing and to file an IFR flight plan. I then called (during business
hours) the US customs at my local airport to notify them of my expected
time of arrival. US Customs was also painless, although I was met in
person by an agent when I arrived. Again, I didn't have to any
documents except my license.

Thanks to a few people from this group, I was able to get excellent
airport recommendations and a few approach plates for my arrival
airport.

Have a great trip.


--
Peter

[Morgans]

Not to be mean, or rude, but...

Google is your friend. This has been beat to death, so many times....
--
Jim in NC

[Colin W Kingsbury]

Not to be mean or rude, but did you actually read my message? I specifically
stated that I had "googled" around so I suppose you could say that I was
looking for another beating.

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
> Not to be mean, or rude, but...
>
> Google is your friend. This has been beat to death, so many times....
> --
> Jim in NC
>
>

[Morgans]

"Colin W Kingsbury" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Not to be mean or rude, but did you actually read my message? I
specifically
> stated that I had "googled" around so I suppose you could say that I was
> looking for another beating.

I guess my eyes glazed over.

chuckle. And you think you will get a more concise reply this time?
Usenet, man! Nothing concise about it. <g>
--
Jim in NC

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, "Colin W Kingsbury" > said:
>I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice, concise,
>"Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?

http://www.rochesterflyingclub.com/flying_to_canada.shtml

(Oh, and 3" N-Numbers are ok unless you plan on flying way out to sea
through an ADIZ on the way. One of our club planes used to have them
until we repainted.)

--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
Speed is life, altitude is life insurance. No one has ever collided with
the sky.

[ZikZak]

On 1/20/05 4:24 AM, in article , "Paul
Tomblin" > wrote:

> In a previous article, "Colin W Kingsbury" > said:
>> I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice, concise,
>> "Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?
>
> http://www.rochesterflyingclub.com/flying_to_canada.shtml
>
> (Oh, and 3" N-Numbers are ok unless you plan on flying way out to sea
> through an ADIZ on the way. One of our club planes used to have them
> until we repainted.)

You don't have to fly way out to sea to get into Canada's ADIZ. I regularly
fly through it when I fly the coastal route from Seattle to Ketchikan. Many
of Canada's coastal land areas are within their ADIZ.

[Paul Tomblin]

In a previous article, ZikZak > said:
>On 1/20/05 4:24 AM, in article , "Paul
>Tomblin" > wrote:
>> In a previous article, "Colin W Kingsbury" > said:
>>> I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice, concise,
>>> "Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers OK?
>>
>> http://www.rochesterflyingclub.com/flying_to_canada.shtml
>>
>> (Oh, and 3" N-Numbers are ok unless you plan on flying way out to sea
>> through an ADIZ on the way. One of our club planes used to have them
>> until we repainted.)
>
>You don't have to fly way out to sea to get into Canada's ADIZ. I regularly
>fly through it when I fly the coastal route from Seattle to Ketchikan. Many
>of Canada's coastal land areas are within their ADIZ.

He was asking about flying from Boston to Montreal. You'd have to go
pretty far off the best route to go through a Canadian ADIZ.


--
Paul Tomblin > http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
So Linus, what are we doing tonight?
The same thing we do every night Tux. Try to take over the world!

[ZikZak]

On 1/26/05 11:35 AM, in article , "Paul
Tomblin" > wrote:

> In a previous article, ZikZak > said:
>> On 1/20/05 4:24 AM, in article , "Paul
>> Tomblin" > wrote:
>>> In a previous article, "Colin W Kingsbury" > said:
>>>> I've looked at AOPA and googled around but nothing provides a nice,
>>>> concise,
>>>> "Here's how it's done" guide. What documents do I need? Are 3" N-Numbers
>>>> OK?
>>>
>>> http://www.rochesterflyingclub.com/flying_to_canada.shtml
>>>
>>> (Oh, and 3" N-Numbers are ok unless you plan on flying way out to sea
>>> through an ADIZ on the way. One of our club planes used to have them
>>> until we repainted.)
>>
>> You don't have to fly way out to sea to get into Canada's ADIZ. I regularly
>> fly through it when I fly the coastal route from Seattle to Ketchikan. Many
>> of Canada's coastal land areas are within their ADIZ.
>
> He was asking about flying from Boston to Montreal. You'd have to go
> pretty far off the best route to go through a Canadian ADIZ.
>

I know that. I was just pointing out for interest's sake that....

Oh, never mind.