Flying south of the border

I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced flying a light aircraft south
of the Rio Grande or in the Caribbean/Bahamas.

Generally, what are the expenses of landing, parking and fuel compared to
flying in the US?

How does this work with airports that don't have a 24-hour staff? Should
one expect corrupt officials trying to rip you off at every opportunity? Do
the medium to smaller airports have fences or do you run the risk of having
your avionics disappear overnight?

Does one need to obtain a Visa prior to the trip to pass through one country
on the way to another?


Dallas

Suggest that you get the trip guides from the AOPA
www.aopa.org If you aren't yet a member, join.

Fuel is cheaper in Mexico, tipping is encouraged. At
unattended airports, hire a local guard to watch your
airplane otherwise you can have problems.

Don't leave it unlocked and check it carefully for any extra
"cargo" that somebody may install before you come back to US
Customs. Some marker painted on inspection covers and
screwheads will help you find any illegal imports that might
be placed on the airplane.

Talk to your insurance company and be sure to have the
proper riders, Mexico has stiff insurance liability
requirements, including jail, airplane or car.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


"Dallas" wrote in message
ink.net...
| I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced flying a
light aircraft south
| of the Rio Grande or in the Caribbean/Bahamas.
|
| Generally, what are the expenses of landing, parking and
fuel compared to
| flying in the US?
|
| How does this work with airports that don't have a 24-hour
staff? Should
| one expect corrupt officials trying to rip you off at
every opportunity? Do
| the medium to smaller airports have fences or do you run
the risk of having
| your avionics disappear overnight?
|
| Does one need to obtain a Visa prior to the trip to pass
through one country
| on the way to another?
|
|
| Dallas
|
|

"Dallas" wrote in message
ink.net...
I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced flying a light aircraft south
of the Rio Grande or in the Caribbean/Bahamas.

Limited experience in the Bahamas, yes.

Generally, what are the expenses of landing, parking and fuel compared to
flying in the US?

At least in Marsh Harbour, fuel expenses were somewhat higher for fuel, not
unexpected given the relatively remote nature of the Bahamas generally. No
landing fee at all, and I don't remember if I had to pay a parking fee.
Doesn't seem like I did, but I could be misremembering.

How does this work with airports that don't have a 24-hour staff?

As in the US, if you need to clear Customs, you need to arrive during the
hours Customs is available. Other issues are likewise the same as in the
US: if you need services, you need to be there when the services are
available. Pretty simple.

In the Bahamas, a VFR flight can only take place legally during the daytime
anyway. Though that doesn't preclude arriving before or after "office
hours", it does make it less likely.

Should
one expect corrupt officials trying to rip you off at every opportunity?

I don't have enough experience to answer that. I had no trouble at all in
the Bahamas. They have a lot of paperwork, but they seemed perfectly honest
about it and I didn't have to grease any palms. My experience was quite
pleasant, far more so than my typical experience going through US Customs.

Do the medium to smaller airports have fences or do you run the risk
of having your avionics disappear overnight?

IMHO, you run that risk any time, even in the US. That said, I would guess
the issue depends more on just the general geographical region in which
you're operating. I didn't find that anyone seemed all that worried about
theft in the Bahamas, but certainly elsewhere it very well might be, and
more so than in the US.

Does one need to obtain a Visa prior to the trip to pass through one
country
on the way to another?

No visa is required for the Bahamas in any case. Beyond that, I would
expect the rules to vary by country, but I would guess that if you plan to
enter the country, even if just for a fuel stop, clearing Customs (including
having a visa, if required) would be required. Only if the airport had some
sort of segregated "transit" parking and services area could I imagine that
requirement would be waived, and I've never heard of that.

Pete

Talk to your insurance company and be sure to have the
proper riders, Mexico has stiff insurance liability
requirements, including jail, airplane or car.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P


--

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Go figure,,,, A large % of mexicans driving over here have no
insurance, or any other document and they seem to get away with that on
a daily basis. Seems the US needs to get as firm as Mexico on their
laws...

We should enforce our laws, but that would be "unfair."

All we do to Mexican law breakers is send them back,
expenses paid.




--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.


wrote in message
oups.com...
| Talk to your insurance company and be sure to have the
| proper riders, Mexico has stiff insurance liability
| requirements, including jail, airplane or car.
|
|
| --
| James H. Macklin
| ATP,CFI,A&P
|
|
| --
|
|
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
|
| Go figure,,,, A large % of mexicans driving over here
have no
| insurance, or any other document and they seem to get away
with that on
| a daily basis. Seems the US needs to get as firm as Mexico
on their
| laws...
|

My advice is admittedly dated but I still think valid. I've flown many
thousands of hours around the world in general aviation. Odd but true.
As a utility pilot in crop dusting/spraying, corporate with turbine
a/c, hundreds of trips to Mexico alone. It takes some preparation to go
to a foreign country even if they speak a common? language like Canada.
They have their laws and regulations just like we do in the USA. It
takes some forethought before you go into their airspace legally and
remain so.
As a matter of fact, the most problems I've had in more than 35
countries was right here in the USA!!
There is always the spectre of aircraft theft when you go south of the
border, but it is just as prevelant here north of the salsa line. When
I went south or east or west, or wherever, outside the boundaries of
the USA, it was always with the understanding that I was going to be
subjected to some other countries rules and regulations. Not a big deal
if you do some planning ahead of time.
As for theft on foreign property, it happens. Just as it happens here?
For the most part, I felt as comfortable if not more so when I was in
remote areas in Mexico. The local law enforcement was much more attuned
than we see here. A few dollars to a local to watch your aircraft is
well worth the price. In the USA all you are likely to get is some kid
that falls asleep listening to his MP3.
As for bribes, etc,.......do you think the USA is immune to this?
hahhahhahhhhh
In the countries south, the civil servants are living on wages that
would starve us and the few dollars you slip into the paperwork is not
only expected but greatly appreciated. People I dealt with 20-30 years
ago in Mexico still remember my name and flight plans. I often asked
them if I could bring goods from the US and they gave me a shopping
list complete with the money to pay for the stuff. Just common courtesy
and recognizing they have a job to do goes a long way. I still recall
an "ugly american" who went to the customs official who was taking his
lunch and demanded to be cleared right at this moment. The official
politely wiped his lips, stood up and went to the ramp where he
promptly required the airplane to be emptied of EVERYTHING, and then
carefully went thru EVERYTHING before he cleared the clown to leave an
hour or two later. I just stood back and grinned at the justice of it.
Now...USA, if you haven't got everything exactly right, and if you
haven't made your ETA within their time limits, you too can be expected
to empty the aircraft and EVERYTHING gone thru, and generally be
treated like ****. Unfortunate but true.
I've never had so many problems with customs and immigration as in the
USA no matter how hard I tried to be compliant with laws/regulations.
Certainly there are those rare individuals who have some common sense
on the border and I have never hesitated to send letters of
appreciation to their bosses when I found them.
Your fears of flying outside the USA are ill founded. Check before hand
and be prepared with the proper required paperwork AOPA has a great
department to help with such things.. Do the necessary things and the
trip will be just be a grand adventure. Fail to do the required things
and it can be a nightmare.
Be polite and try to understand the opposite or foreign point of view.
Relax and take a step back form the USA now-now-now attitude. Fly safe
and be conservative. We are too spoiled in the USA compared to much of
the world.
Fly Safe
Rocky aka Ol Shy & Bashful

Relax and take a step back form the USA now-now-now attitude.

Great stuff guys, thanks all.

Your story reminds me of a "Captain of Industry" and his family trying to
get out to his Beechjet after his vacation in the Bahamas. He tried to get
his family around the x-ray and magnetometer but the security people
insisted he go through with the rest of us commoners. He became irate and
in a childish hissy fit threw the luggage on the belt and set off the
magnetometer. He then refuse to let them resolve the alarm. They let him,
his trophy wife and pimply-face kids pass.

I was hoping they would taser him.

Dallas

reminds me of a "Captain of Industry" and his family trying to
get out to his Beechjet after his vacation in the Bahamas. He tried to
get
his family around the x-ray and magnetometer but the security people
insisted he go through with the rest of us commoners. He became irate
and
in a childish hissy fit threw the luggage on the belt and set off the
magnetometer. He then refuse to let them resolve the alarm. They let
him,
his trophy wife and pimply-face kids pass.


I was hoping they would taser him.


Dallas


Tell us all more, inquiring minds and
all..................................

Tell us all more, inquiring minds and
all..................................

Ha... sorry, that's all. He and his royal family boarded his Beechjet.

I wished I had yelled, "If you owned a Gulfstream they would have let you
skip security.."

Dallas