Flying from Washington state to Canada

I am planning a similar flight, and from what I understand so far
returning back into the US is the stickiest part. You have to call the
customs agent ahead of time and arrive within 15 minutes of your ETA, and
not even one minute too early. The penalty for arriving without notice is
severe. It is best to make a stop at an airport near the border, call
customs again and depart for a more precise arrival.




(Ross Oliver) wrote in
:


I am planning my first international flight from the Seattle area to
Port Hardy, BC, Canada during the week of July 4th. I have bought all
the relavent Canadian charts (VFR and IFR), and have Googled for
previous
discussions on flying in Canada. However, I would appreciate any
tips on the actual USA - Canada transition with regard to ATC. Will
US ATC hand off VFR to Canada at the border, or will I need to
call up on my own? "Knock, knock, can I come in, eh?" Same question
for returning to the USA.

Any suggestions on routing? Is it advisable to fly over top of
Widbey Island NAS, or better to remain east and cross to the north?
What is the best route past Victoria heading up Vancouver Island's
east coast?


Thanks,
Ross Oliver

"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message
. 158...
I am planning a similar flight, and from what I understand so far
returning back into the US is the stickiest part. You have to call the
customs agent ahead of time and arrive within 15 minutes of your ETA, and
not even one minute too early. The penalty for arriving without notice is
severe. It is best to make a stop at an airport near the border, call
customs again and depart for a more precise arrival.


I believe the penalty for arriving early is having to wait in your plane
with the doors closed until the Customs Agent arrives. Also, IIUC, you can
contact the FBO by Unicom and have them update the agent on your arrival
ETA. This assumes, too, that you're arriving "off hours".

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote in message ...
"Andrew Sarangan" wrote in message

I believe the penalty for arriving early is having to wait in your plane
with the doors closed until the Customs Agent arrives. Also, IIUC, you can
contact the FBO by Unicom and have them update the agent on your arrival

Actually arriving early is suppose to be a $10,000 fine but I've never
heard of it being used. You can arrive 30 minutes late. You can also
update your time enroute without 30 minutes. So you can arrive with
only 30 minutes notice if you previously notified them of the hour.

Also, if you choose to use the ADVCUS on your flight plan (rather than
actually call them) understand that simply FILING the flight plane
causes the customs guy to drive out to the airport. They don't know
about opening. This often is a problem in Mexico were we file our
return flight plans weeks in advance since working phones are so rare
in Mexico.

Andrew Sarangan wrote:
I am planning a similar flight, and from what I understand so far
returning back into the US is the stickiest part. You have to call the
customs agent ahead of time and arrive within 15 minutes of your ETA, and
not even one minute too early. The penalty for arriving without notice is
severe. It is best to make a stop at an airport near the border, call
customs again and depart for a more precise arrival.


Oh, I already have the ideal solution to this problem. I have planned
my trip so I will be returning from Canada directly to the NWEAA Fly-in
at Arlington. According to the nweaa.org web site, Customs services will
be provided on site, and the advance notification requirement is WAIVED
during the fly-in. Neat, huh?

You are usually handed off to Canadian ATC well before entering Canadian
airspace.

Here is the checklist that I have used to fly to and fro Canada. Best viewed
with a fixed width font.

YMMV - check the procedure for yourself as things may have changed in the last
year.

Cell phones in Canada may or may not work. Always have a land line back up
plan.

======================
From U.S. into Canada:

1. File a flight plan with U.S. FSS at 1-800-WX-Brief (1-800-992-7433)

* File ONLY for the border-crossing leg.

* Ask about your border-crossing squawk-code. This code will
probably not be available until you take off and open your flight
plan, but ask them anyway. DO NOT CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT
SQUAWKING THIS CODE.

2. Contact Canadian Customs at 1-888-CAN-PASS (1-888-226-7277) at least two
hours and no more than 24 hours before arrival

* When you first phone and they ask you a bunch of questions, you
are actually making a CUSTOMS DECLARATION. Be sure to ask them for
their name, station, and the declaration report number. They will
not offer this information unless you ask, but it may come in handy
for the next step.

3. Take off, and IMMEDIATELY open your flight plan with the U.S. FSS.

* The FSS operator will give you a border-crossing squawk-code.
If they do not - ASK!

4. Set your border-crossing squawk-code.

5. If possible, close your flight plan when you have the Airport Of Entry
(AOE) in sight.

* Canadian FSS frequency is 126.7
* Canadian FSS Kamloops 1-866-WX-Brief (1-866-992-7433)

6. Land at the AOE and taxi to Canadian Customs

* If your flight plan is still open, ask the tower if they can
close it for you. If not: call Canadian FSS Kamloops
1-866-WX-Brief (1-866-992-7433).

* Call 1-888-CAN-PASS (1-888-226-7277) and inform them of your
arrival.

* Get your Customs Report Number from the agent(s). Write it down!

* If you are continuing your flight, then ground control or the
control tower of the AOE will assign your in-country squawk-code.
Do not take-off without an in-country squawk-code.


=====================
From Canada into U.S.

1. File your flight plan with Canadian FSS Kamloops 1-866-WX-BRIEF
(1-866-992-7433). Land lines may be necessary.

* File ONLY for the border-crossing leg.

Ask about your border-crossing squawk-code. You probably can't
get this squawk code from this facility so see #3 below. DO NOT
CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT SQUAWKING THIS CODE.

2. Contact U.S. Customs at your chosen AOE and make an appointment.

* Bellingham : 1-360-734-5463

* Do not be more than 15 minutes early or late. Update your
arrival time by contacting an FSS, either by phone or radio.

3. Set your border-crossing squawk-code.

* If you haven't gotten your border-crossing squawk-code call
Canadian ATC IFR Flight Planning at 1-888-987-2633 and request
one. Even if you are flying VFR.

4. Take off, and IMMEDIATELY open your flight plan if necessary. Canadian
flight plans seem to assume takeoff times, and will be opened automatically.

5. If possible, close your flight plan when you have the AOE in sight.

* U.S. FSS for Bellingham frequency is 122.15

6. Land at your AOE (Airport of Entry) and taxi to U.S. Customs

* If your flight plan is still open, ask the tower if they can
close it for you. If not, close it by FSS radio or call
1-800-WX-Brief (1-800-992-7433) and close it.

* If you are more than 15 minutes late or early, gingerly call
local U.S. Customs:

* Bellingham : 1-360-734-5463

wrote:
[original post snipped]

Wow! What an awesome post. Thanks for the great information. I'm
planning a trip to San Juan Island this summer, but I may just extend it
in to Canada, now that I have this great border crossing checklist.

Thanks again!
DanH

http://www.edt.com/homewing/international/

In article , wrote:
Here is the checklist that I have used to fly to and fro Canada. Best viewed
with a fixed width font.

Good stuff.


* Ask about your border-crossing squawk-code. This code will
probably not be available until you take off and open your flight
plan, but ask them anyway. DO NOT CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT
SQUAWKING THIS CODE.
[snip]
* The FSS operator will give you a border-crossing squawk-code.
If they do not - ASK!

What's this about getting a squawk code from FSS? I thought you had to
be talking to ATC (and getting the code from them). That's how I've
always done it (for some value of always).


6. Land at the AOE and taxi to Canadian Customs

When I flew into Montreal, they just asked me what FBO I was planning to
go to. Two flights in the last month: on the first one, was cleared by
telephone; on the second one, was met by an officer who was already at
the FBO.


* If you are continuing your flight, then ground control or the
control tower of the AOE will assign your in-country squawk-code.
Do not take-off without an in-country squawk-code.

Canada uses 1200 for VFR flights, unless you're getting radar surveillance
(flight following).


4. Take off, and IMMEDIATELY open your flight plan if necessary. Canadian
flight plans seem to assume takeoff times, and will be opened automatically.

Not quite (unless they've changed things recently). At an uncontrolled
airport, they assume that you crashed on takeoff if you don't open your flight
plan.


Morris

wrote in message . ..
Here is the checklist that I have used to fly to and fro Canada. Best viewed
with a fixed width font.
....
DO NOT CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT
SQUAWKING THIS CODE.
...
* The FSS operator will give you a border-crossing squawk-code.
If they do not - ASK!

====================
From Canada into U.S.
...
DO NOT
CROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT SQUAWKING THIS CODE.
...
3. Set your border-crossing squawk-code.

* If you haven't gotten your border-crossing squawk-code call
Canadian ATC IFR Flight Planning at 1-888-987-2633 and request
one. Even if you are flying VFR.

I flew to Canada a few years ago, and didn't need a squawk code either direction. Is this something new since 9/11?