Travel USVI

Hi, Family and I are trying to plan at trip to St John USVI. We would probably leave from PBI. Does anyone have any experiance in travel to the islands? Looks like one stop but where? Is the FBO at St. Thomas safe? ect We have 1 COPA Bahammas Adventure trip and 1 solo Bahammas trip to Cat Island Logged. Thanks!! Mike SR22; 2002 Sande,l Stormscope.

Hi Mike!

Haven’t seen you since CBAII…hoping that all is well in Ohio!..Vicki and I are looking at making a trip to Tortola in January with a couple of other Cirrus owners. One of them, Dave Bushman, N880DB has made the Air Journey’s trip down to the Grenadines. We will probably use the same route from FL which is to head out to the Turks and Caicos at the southern end of the Bahamas, then to Punta Cana at the eastern end of the Domincan Republic, and then on into BVI. This trip is about 1000 nm. Although it can easily be done with one stop, I think that we will probably put two fuel stops into the trip.

If you make a bee line for the northern coast of the DR and then on to Punta Cana, there is not much time out of sight of land for this routing.

Hopefully, Dave Bushman will pick up on this thread and give you the details of his Air Journey trip.

Good Luck!

Mike, I can help you plan this trip. As for customs inbour from TIST, you can preclear customs during certain times. I am in Columbus and can stop by if need be. Please send an email to milod0114@aol.com if you some more information.

In reply to:


Hi, Family and I are trying to plan at trip to St John USVI. We would probably leave from PBI. Does anyone have any experiance in travel to the islands? Looks like one stop but where? Is the FBO at St. Thomas safe? ect We have 1 COPA Bahammas Adventure trip and 1 solo Bahammas trip to Cat Island Logged. Thanks!! Mike SR22; 2002 Sande,l Stormscope.


If I were flying to St. John, I would land at Tortolla and take the ferry over to St. John or Peter Island for a vacation rather than St. Thomas. St. Thomas reminds me of the Detroit Metro area sometimes … not always dangerous… but not always safe either.

If I leave from the U.S. and fly directly to the U.S. Virgin Islands, do I have to go through customs?

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Hi Paul, Thanks, things go well in Ohio. Thanks for the information. We found some great deals on homes for rent in St. John looks too good to pass up. when you stop just for fuel have you been required to unload your plane? You have meet Deb, so you know how she packs!!!

Well Dennis I don’t know about customs but you may have to file an air and a water travel plan if you try to go direct. Seriously though that is a good question. What about PR would the same be true?

Dennis,

I dont think so, but I can’t recall if I did the last time that I flew into Charlotte Amalie from Baltimore…one would think not however…

Mike,

I am sure that Deb is no worse than Vicki. We got married in June…took the plane around the US for our honeymoon. I think that anyone who saw the plane was amazed at what we managed to pack in it! We bought a house down in Texas last April. THe plane has become our SUV for transporting stuff back and forth between the two houses.

I am trying to recall, but I think that you had relatives in the Harrisburg area…if you get back in our neck of the woods (York, PA), stop in for a visit!

Not sure what to tell you on customs except to wait by the plane when you land and I am sure that they will tell you what do do. Based on our last trip to Abacos, I suspect that they are more concerned about collecting the $10 then rooting around in the plane, although this has sure not been my experience coming back into the US.

Good luck on your trip!!

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Dennis,
I dont think so, but I can’t recall if I did the last time that I flew into Charlotte Amalie from Baltimore…one would think not however…


Doesn’t really matter. Unless I have ferry tanks or in-flight refuel, (now wouldn’t that option be nice . . . TKS, PFD, and a Fuel Probe) I don’t think I would make it.
It’s about 965 miles direct from Miami.

I wonder if somebody has an STC???:slight_smile: