What is the flight from Florida to the Bahamas like in a single engine?

I'm looking forward to doing that too someday. there are a lot of youtube videos, maybe start there. aopa has an entire section devoted to the procedures.
 
Easy. "Bahamas Guide" from Sportys and other pilot supply places sell a good guide. $35 at Sportys.

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It's a great flight,view is great.Do a preflight of the islands ,read up on the epas system.
 
About the same as flying across the gulf in my mooney.....boring not much to see tell you get to land....

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Just got back from Long Island MYLS. My 3rd or 4th trip and 6th or 7th Bahamian airport.

What's it like? Wonderful use of a private plane!

Over water roughness is natural but will pass. The Bahamas are friendly and straight forward. You be too.

The only things you MUST get right are on the US side. 1) EAPIS for departure and return, 2) The phone call to customs just before you takeoff to come home, 3) Customs sticker or receipt for same. (I file IFR so I don't know the non-IFR requirements for signifying border crossing).

Don't worry about Radiotelephone licenses and any other non-standard paperwork. Bring whatever you want for personal use. The out Island airports are better than they look and secure. Bring your own chocks and tie downs.

It's great fun.
 
What is the flight from Florida to the Bahamas like in a single engine?
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It's like all long distance overwater in a SE; the engine will 'run like crap to the point of failing' intermittently, and you will constantly find yourself lifting your feet so as to not get bitten by sharks. And the rest of the time it will be boring.
 
I'm leaving on my 10th trip this Friday. It is a little nerve tingling the first times - particularly if it's IFR/bad wx. You get used to it, and the controllers are pretty good (MIA center).
 
They can be high like big US airports. But why go to the big ones? I flew to MYEM Governors Harbor in Eleuthera last month. Landing/handling fees were $0. 8,035' runway and abundant free parking. No one in the customs area but you and the customs/immigration lady, so that takes minutes and you're on your way. And it's a lot less touristy than Nasssau or other such more accessible parts of the Bahamas. (For full disclosure arrival customs fee is $50 per plane and departure fee is $29 per person, but that's true big or small airport.)
 

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were do you rent life rafts on the east coast of fl now that are also a poe? goflying has it correct autorough on the engine till seeing land.
 
I have done it about 20 times. Less frequently since Sept 11. The most important item to remember is that flying at night going there is very much an instrument flight. My first night flight there, I was glad to have my instrument rating because the stars were visible on the ocean and one could not see a horizon.
 
I just loveeee how everyone puts so much thought into flying single engine over WARM water, but not nearly as much into flying single engine at night, IMC, over densely populated places, and rugged terrain---or all of those combine!!

Yes, you absolutely want to have a raft, jackets, EPIRB, etc, but its not that big a deal and puts me less on-edge that those other situations I mentioned.

I've made the trip as PIC about 7 or 8 times, and been to the absolute fringe of civilization down there (Mayaguana, NE point of Great Inagua), and the ONLY thing that rivals the fun of flying to the Bahamas as PIC, is flying at home in 200 and 1/2!!
 
Made first and only trip in 2007 with the family. Ft Pierce Jet Center did EVERYTHING for us as far as any paper work - there and back. This was before EAPIS. Super easy, flew to MYAT for the week. Suggest calling Jet Center to see how they can help with raft rentals, paper work...
 
Over un-hospitable terrain/water I often experience 'auto ruff'
 
Do you actually need a raft or will jackets for all be legal?
 
beestforwardspeed said:
I just loveeee how everyone puts so much thought into flying single engine over WARM water, but not nearly as much into flying single engine at night, IMC, over densely populated places, and rugged terrain---or all of those combine!!
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Okay, I give up. Where is the person that says single engine over warm water requires more thought than single engine IMC at night over rugged/densely populated terrain?

I think you should have left your 1st and 3rd paragraphs off but hey, thats just me. :cheerswine:
 
Unit74 said:
Do you actually need a raft or will jackets for all be legal?
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Life jackets is the only legal requirement for part 91. I do consider a life raft a personal prerequisite if I ever head down that way, based on my takeaways during water survival training. It helps to fly over warm water, but I don't find the rental cost for the life raft onerous. I find the CBP hassle a bigger impediment for me to entertain the flight, but that's for another thread.
 
Pure awesomeness, do it. It's great. And, paperwork, flight plans, eAPIS, sticker, all that. West End has a $200 landing fee and prior permission required. Most other Bahamas airports don't.
 
Radar Contact said:
Okay, I give up. Where is the person that says single engine over warm water requires more thought than single engine IMC at night over rugged/densely populated terrain?

I think you should have left your 1st and 3rd paragraphs off but hey, thats just me. :cheerswine:
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I didn't interpret "more thought" quite literally. I think he meant if they were to do an honest "risk assessment" that a good percentage of night flights would be a substantially higher risk. People have no trouble ignoring that risk. I know lots of guys personally that will fly long cross countries over rugged terrain at night but wouldn't dare launch over 60+ miles of carribean water on a sunny VFR day.

Personally, I rarely fly at night and if I do it's for currency requirements on a bright moonlit night... and I live in farm country. I do this on the off chance a delayed cross country puts me landing after sunset.
 
What I basically did was circle around over land to get pretty high, then crossed the ocean. It at least gave me a greater margin of making it back to land, should an engine failure occur.
 
It was beautiful for my wife and I last year. The weather was VFR the entire two weeks we were there. Even when weather moved in the bases were over 2000' and the rain shafts were clearly visible and avoidable. We spent our time in the outislands and had a great time. Very few crowds, gorgeous water, and very friendly people
 
hindsight2020 said:
Life jackets is the only legal requirement for part 91. I do consider a life raft a personal prerequisite if I ever head down that way, based on my takeaways during water survival training. It helps to fly over warm water, but I don't find the rental cost for the life raft onerous. I find the CBP hassle a bigger impediment for me to entertain the flight, but that's for another thread.
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$1500 is a heluva price tag to swallow. What do they rent for?
 
Unit74 said:
$1500 is a heluva price tag to swallow. What do they rent for?
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Depends on the location. rental at banyan in FXE is 35/day. according to airnav, FPR rentals can be found for 25/day 125/week. These are 4 man rafts too, so it's not a terrible deal all things considered.
 
I went to Treasure Cay in a Piper Arrow 2 years ago. The engine sounded normal ;)
 
Datadriver said:
I went to Treasure Cay in a Piper Arrow 2 years ago. The engine sounded normal ;)
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We are planning on a flight there soon. I just got my RR and station license paid for. Ive been told don't bother, but it would bother me not to, so I did.


What were your thoughts of Treasure Cay?
 
Aaronk25 said:
About the same as flying across the gulf in my mooney.....boring not much to see tell you get to land....

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And you're even monitoring 121.5 on the second radio so you can hear all the "GUUAAAAAAARD" calls. LOL.
 
I made my first trip to the islands in December. The folks at Banyon at KFXE were so helpful in our preflight preparations. I'd suggest giving them a call several weeks in advance, and they can help you make sure all your paper work, eAPIS, etc. is done correctly. They rent life rafts at the FBO, or you can get them directly from the manufacturer (Survival Products) for a little cheaper. We found everyone in the Bahamas to be very accommodating. Coming back to the states, the CBP at KFXE was a non issue. We just tossed our bags on the X-ray belt, they asked is a few questions about our trip, checked out the plane, and we were on our way in less than 15 minutes.

Here is a video of the trip. We hit 16 islands and it was definitely one we will talk about for a long time.

 
Super cool - thanks for posting! I'm jealous.

Could you post an accounting of the 11.3 flight hours - I'd be interested in seeing that.
 
Matt C said:
Super cool - thanks for posting! I'm jealous.

Could you post an accounting of the 11.3 flight hours - I'd be interested in seeing that.
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Day 1, 3.9 Hours: KHWO - MYBS - MYAN - MYEN - MYES

Day 2, 3.1 Hours: MYES - MYEB - Farmers Cay - MYEF - MYCB - MYCA - MYER - MYEM - MYEH

Day 3, 4.3 Hours: MYEH - KFXE - KHWO

The day 3 total time was high mainly because we had an hour and fifteen minute hold before landing at KFXE because the ceilings were too low, they closed the airport.
 
Flying Phanatic said:
Day 1, 3.9 Hours: KHWO - MYBS - MYAN - MYEN - MYES

Day 2, 3.1 Hours: MYES - MYEB - Farmers Cay - MYEF - MYCB - MYCA - MYER - MYEM - MYEH

Day 3, 4.3 Hours: MYEH - KFXE - KHWO

The day 3 total time was high mainly because we had an hour and fifteen minute hold before landing at KFXE because the ceilings were too low, they closed the airport.
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Nice, thanks.
 
winrose46 said:
I have done it about 20 times. Less frequently since Sept 11. The most important item to remember is that flying at night going there is very much an instrument flight. My first night flight there, I was glad to have my instrument rating because the stars were visible on the ocean and one could not see a horizon.
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don't forget that night VFR is NOT allowed in the Bahamas. The towers enforce it to the minute.

bob
 
They just leave you up there? Seriously, do they slap you with big fines?
 
how much 100LL was available and price per gallon
 
denverpilot said:
And you're even monitoring 121.5 on the second radio so you can hear all the "GUUAAAAAAARD" calls. LOL.
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Ok. Not meant to derail the thread but I've recently started leaving my #2 radio on 121.5 all the time. A few weeks back I hear a really rough voice almost moaning the word "Guaaaarrrrd". Ya'll ever watch Slingblade?

Is this normal? I didn't know what it was. Almost like an old drunk man had found his handheld radio and was playing with it at the local bar.
 
arkvet said:
Ok. Not meant to derail the thread but I've recently started leaving my #2 radio on 121.5 all the time. A few weeks back I hear a really rough voice almost moaning the word "Guaaaarrrrd". Ya'll ever watch Slingblade?

Is this normal? I didn't know what it was. Almost like an old drunk man had found his handheld radio and was playing with it at the local bar.
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You probably couldn't hear it but outside of your range an airline pilot may have done his pre-landing briefing or called the ramp to find out if his gate was open, etc on guard by accident. What you heard was a very normal response of someone else monitoring it letting him know he was on Guuuaaaarrrrrrdd. Occasionally you'll hear some funny responses to accidental guard calls, sometimes you'll get sport score updates. And some times unfortunately you may hear an ELT that you can report.
 
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