New Year’s APA Getaway Flight Guaymas, Mexico
Feb 6-7, 2016
By Brad Lawrence
The next getaway flight will be a little different regarding the direction of flight: due south. For most of you, a trip to Mexico is not new, but for those of you never testing the waters, so to speak, this trip could serve you well with experience and reduce your anxiety. Traveling in a group makes the experience even better. The second weekend of February 2016 the Getaway Flight will take us to Guaymas, Mexico (MMGM).
Less than 350nm from the Phoenix area this makes a nice trip with scenic terrain and minimum customs issues. Guaymas is a port of entry into Mexico. We’ll have the necessary trip planning information for you published in the upcoming APA Newsletters.
There’s a beautiful resort hotel overlooking the largest natural sea port in Mexico, the Marinaterra Hotel & Spa located in San Carlos, next to Guaymas. Rates for the hotel average $100 a night.
Guaymas International Airport is a very friendly host to U.S. pilots and offers services for customs and immigration as well as any piloting needs you may have.
The area of Guaymas offers many options for the tourist including beach sports, charter boat sport fishing, shopping, dinner cruises, parasailing, golfing, snorkeling at San Pedro Island, ATV rentals, horseback riding on the beach, sailing, kayaking, and more. You can really get into the water activities, or just relax and watch it all go by.
We expect a good crowd for this trip. Please email or call Brad Lawrence to sign up!
Please include your name & guest(s), home base, tail number, and % of possibility of making the trip. We’ll have details for customs and immigration, flight plans, insurance, equipment, etc. in the next newsletter. Brad Lawrence This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (602) 460-4286.
UPDATE 12/1/2015
APA Getaway Fly-in to Guaymas, Mexico – Feb 6-7 (Change)
In the Nov APA newsletter the Getaway Fly-in was announced to be held one week later, but the fact that Carnival is being celebrated Feb 4-8 inspired us to coincide with this event. It adds a bonus to the Getaway participants with the extra gala; the main attraction at Carnival is the evening parade which begins around 4-5pm. If everyone arrives Saturday morning it will give us time to check a few things out all afternoon (plenty of activities possible) and then settle in for the parade. We’re recommending a hotel in the middle of Guaymas which has nice accommodations, has the best steak house, and is close to the parade route: The Hotel Armida Use this link to make reservations. Some pilots may want to fly down a day early, since Guaymas and its neighboring town of San Carlos have plenty of activities and sights to offer.
As promised in the last newsletter, we are publishing a preparation check list for those going to Mexico either for the first time, or those who have not traveled down there for several years. Just as with any cross country flight, there are long term and short term items to prepare for. We’ll mention the long term items in this newsletter, and the short term items in the next newsletter. We’re assuming you as the pilot conform to all the appropriate FAA rules to fly legally in the US.
Passport and Visa
Flying to Mexico requires a current passport, unlike driving. If you and your passengers have US citizenship, only a passport is required. For other nationalities, please check with US immigration for visa requirements. (One side note for anyone who may have particular legal issues, sometimes the local court system can mandate the feds to place restrictions on your passport.)
eAPIS Registration
The Advance Passenger Information System is a relatively new process implemented by the Dept of US Homeland Security under the Division of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This procedure is mandated by the US and can be a real stickler about incorrect usage (they’ve imposed fines up to $5,000 in the past). It’s an easy process, but be careful of your time to submit (>60 minutes prior to flight each way) and your time of arrival to your destination (don’t be early). Enroll in eAPIS DON’T lose your ‘sender ID’ or your ‘password.’ If you lose them and try to log on and submit your return flight without these 2 items you’ll be a very unhappy pilot. Enroll in eAPIS now and get familiar with how to use this system.
CBP Airplane Decal (DTOPS)
This is a yearly decal that is placed on the outside of your craft near the passenger entrance. It costs $27.50 and takes about 2 weeks to receive in the mail from the CBP. DTOPS Registration The decal looks very similar to an MVD plate sticker.
Airplane Insurance
Call your insurance agent and find out if your existing policy covers flights into Mexico. If it does, have your agent send you a letter in Spanish that explains your coverage and carry this cover letter and your policy with you to show to the Mexican authorities. If your policy does not cover flights into Mexico, you’ll have to purchase one. Most pilots have their agent write a policy with a Mexican insurance company. This usually costs $50-100 in most cases.
Permission to Fly Aircraft into Mexico
If you own the airplane, and the title/registration is in your name, no action required. If the plane is owned by a corporation, LLC, another person, or by another entity, you must have a notarized permission letter which authorizes your use of the aircraft in Mexico.
12” Airplane Registration Lettering
This is a requirement by the US. Upon returning to the US, the CBP people will want to see 12” lettering. If you need temporary lettering there are several companies on the Internet offering this service for about $100 for both sides. We found a company that will make temporary adhesive vinyl decals for under $20 plus shipping (1-2 weeks). www.stickersbanners.com If you don’t have a data file with your registration N-number and don’t know how to make one, contact me, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll make one for you and email it to you.
Sport Pilots
Need to conform to all appropriate FAA regulations, but if the pilot only holds a valid Sport Pilot License, he must be flying a Sport Airplane. Make sense?
Radio Station License / RadioTelephone Operators Permit
For international travel the FCC requires your airplane have an up to date license and the pilot to have a Restricted RadioTelephone Operators Permit, but in a recent FAAST hosted seminar at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, AOPA Panel Attorney, Paul Rowley, said neither the license nor the permit were needed for travel into Mexico.
406 MHz ELT compliance date extended to June 30, 2018
Hotel and Car rental
Cars are easy to rent on the airport (GYM / MMGM) with Sixt Rental Cars. Rates for cars are $30 and the hotel rates start at $50. A taxi from the airport to town is a set $30. Renting a car may give you more flexibility and savings over a taxi. The Hotel Armida Sixt Rental Car - Guaymas
We already have several people on the sign-up list for this trip. If you are interested please send me the following information (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 602-460-4286)
Name
Phone# Email
Interest (med/high)
Past trips to Mexico (Y/N)
Tail# Type
Passenger(s)
Departing a/p
Open plane seats
Renting a car at a/p (Y-N)
Any notes / special requests / likes to do
Please also complete and send to us a Liability Waiver, available online here.
We expect a good crowd for this trip. Please email or call Brad Lawrence to sign up!
Please include: name & guest(s), home base, tail number, and % of possibility of making the trip. We’ll have details for customs and immigration, flight plans, insurance, equipment, etc. in the next newsletter. Brad Lawrence This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (602) 460-4286.
Comments
RSS feed for comments to this post