Flying to/from Canada -- recent experience?

I’m planning my IFR training at Wings Aloft in March. With family in Canada just north of Seattle, I’m interested in flying up and visiting.

But how? Any recent experience? I know that GATE/CANPASS programs are suspended, so Customs stops are necessary – how to do that? And I know that special authorization from the FAA is needed for a “pink slip” plane – how to ensure that gets done quickly? What else?

Cheers
Rick

Radio operators lic…ED

In reply to:


I’m planning my IFR training at Wings Aloft in March. With family in Canada just north of Seattle, I’m interested in flying up and visiting.

But how? Any recent experience? I know that GATE/CANPASS programs are suspended, so Customs stops are necessary – how to do that? And I know that special authorization from the FAA is needed for a “pink slip” plane – how to ensure that gets done quickly? What else?


Rick,

I don’t have recent experience, but maybe this article, So, You’re flying to Canada, eh? will help. It’s written for Angel Flight pilots, and I don’t know how old it is; it looks as though it has useful info, though.

Mike.

What you need to do is:

  1. Be sure Cirrus gets you something other than the pink slip. They can do this fairly easily. Talk with your contract manager.
  2. Plan you first landing in Canada at an airport with Customs available. A list is available from AOPA or you can call CANPASS (even though the program is suspended someone will answer the phone and tell you the airports you are authorized to use).
  3. Plan to arrive during regular customs hours.
  4. Put ADCUS (Advise customs) in the remarks section of your flight plan.
  5. If you’re going to be off your ETA send a message to customs via the nearest FSS.
  6. Be sure all documents are with you (I carry my passport in addition to the aircraft documents).
  7. Just go. In my experience Canadian Customs is always courteous, friendly and efficient.
    8 To return just reverse the steps. I would also recommend that you call the U.S. customs people at your re-entry airport to confirm your arrival time and to ensure someone will be there to meet you. Get the badge number of anyone you speak with just in case. Again be sure to arrive during regular hours or you will be hit with a big fee.
  8. Be sure you have your customs sticker (available for $25) for 2002. If you don’t have it you can buy it on the spot when you return to the US but it saves time to have it in advance. It’s good for one year.
  9. Don’t cut any corners with US Customs. Unlike their Canadian counterparts they can be very nasty (usually they’re not but in my experience they tend to be unfriendly at best and rude at worst).
  10. If you belong to AOPA look in the Airport Directory for a clear presentation of Customs requirements.
    Have fun.

Be sure to check out FHR if you need a day off. BLI has some of the best restaurants around (by taxi), and you can practice with Canadian ATC there (Victoria Terminal) before flying across. Give Kevin H., Christy, Katy, Nancy, and all the crew at BFI my regards.

-Curt

not needed

OOPS! should have put a question mark. You can not go to canada with a “pink sheet reg” If you read 19CFR 122.27 [c] it is a $5000.00 fine. You can find a lot of good info for what is needed and how to rush your reg at www.faa.gov/ats/att/IFIM/gpfc05.htm I know its a mouth full but the info is pretty good. Hope you enjoy your delivery. I know you will love the plane…ED

Gary &/or Ed,
Could you clarify what you know to be the latest requirements regarding Canada flight, the airplane radio station license, and the Restricted RadioTelephone Operators permit? I always thought you needed both, but there’s an AOPA site that only mentions the latter (http://www.aopa.org/members/files/guides/canadabrief.html - I suppose you’d need to be an AOPA member for this link to work).
Glenn

What about just aflight over canada say from Duluth to say anywere in the us must we do something speacial I know 2 years ago we just did it IFR or VFR thanks From Don

Overflights do NOT require any customs actions. I’ve done it many times enroute from the northeast to Chicago and you never know you’ve left the US. I’ve only done it IFR and no special action is required. I really don’t know about VFR overflight requirements although I suspect they require a flight plan and border crossing reports. If you can go IFR, do so.

I “cut the corner” one night (in Canada for, say, 5 minutes) on a VFR flight into Detroit City Airport. I had flight following, and the controllers seemed not to care one bit. Otherwise, Jerry’s advice is sound: IFR will spare you the worry (which is what I did to get out of there).
gb