Caribbean Flying

Bavareza, please let us know how it goes with some trip reports or something.

Personally I'm slowly working my way down to SA - hope to visit a friend in St Martin de los Andes in Argentina sometime soon. Bahamas - done, Turks & Caicos - soon, BVIs - next... want to keep going. We'll see....
 
Hahahah Bots apparently found the thread. I'm afraid to click it. LOL

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Kritchlow said:
We used to cut across Honduras and Nicaragua en-route to Liberia Costa Rica coming from Florida. It was a commercial operation so it's possible private is different... But I doubt it. Cenamer would constantly offer a shortcut but it was our policy to decline seeing as though we did not want to stray from our route due to overfly permits.
Same thing if you fly the inner Cuban Adiz. Outer okay, inner need permit.

I'm sorry, our dispatch handled all permits so I'm not sure how to obtain them.

ETA: This was about two years ago was my last trip there.
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which brings up the obvious...dispatch. There are a number of companies that do this type of route planning, visa gathering, permits, recommending airports, listing airports to avoid, confirming fuel, etc. Jeppesen is one, there are others that folks here have used.
 
KiteEXP said:
I currently live on Margarita, Venezuela and spend about 10 months here and the rest of the time I'm in the states or traveling.

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thanks for this extensive report

for the moment I had to delay the trip and fly instead to mexico, because I heard the zika is on the rise and my wife is pregnant, but I will definitely use this information within 1 year when I can fly there

also, my friend who is from venezuela told me that nowadays is the lowest point in venezuela politics and economy, so when improvement comes it will be much better as the corruption and crime are expected to recess.

Cheers!
 
Reviving this older thread because the firsthand experiences here are closely related to a trip I'm planning for October 2027.

I'm based at KTMB and hoping to fly a Cessna 172M through Central America and Colombia into Venezuela, then return through the Eastern Caribbean. Los Roques and Canaima are among our planned destinations.

KiteEXP, are you still flying in the region, or do you know local pilots who might be willing to share more recent experience? I'd particularly appreciate contacts for fuel, handling and secure parking.

Walt's comment about Venezuela insurance also caught my attention. Has anyone since found an insurer willing to cover a visiting U.S.-registered piston single there?

Christopher
 
First question is- Do you have insurance for all the islands and any South American Countries you plan to visit. I did a trip around the Caribbean years ago with three other airplanes. My policy covered all the islands but not South America. One of the other airplanes was covered only to the Bahamas. He had to change insurance companies. Each place you stop has different rules for insurance. Some do not check, others insist you have insurance limits that meet their standards. I bought a Jepp trip kit and used it mostly for the reasonably accurate customs and insurance requirements. Since we could not get insurance for South America we stayed on the ABC Islands off the coast of Venezuela. Years ago some places we stopped had pricey gas and outrageous fees for customs, parking, etc. Unless things have changed credit cards are not accepted for these items so you need a lot of cash. Forefight has a lot of information and telephone numbers so you can call and in advance. Keep you tanks full as you may find some places where they are out of fuel. It was a fun trip but lots of hassles around the airport.
 
Thanks, Walt—this is exactly the kind of firsthand experience I was hoping for. We’re still working through the club’s permission and insurance coverage, particularly for Venezuela, so that’s a major deciding factor.

Your points about fuel availability, cash and document copies are helpful. Which stops stood out as particularly easy—or particularly difficult—for your group?

Christopher
 
Aetheran
Let me give you a few more suggestions. Make sure you have a cellphone plan that works on every island. When you do not have a WI-FI signal keep your Roaming off unless you have unlimited service. Besides telephone you will use it for weather briefings, filing flight plans, sometimes for customs. I have a forefight subscription and found it very helpful. Call ahead to check fuel availability and FBO, landing, security, tie down fees. In the last year the Bahamas has gone crazy with fees. Take a look at the Caribbean Flying Adventures Website. You might consider joining as they have lots of good information. If you are coming home through Central America the customs requirements are greater including needing prior permission in some countries. Again Jepp trip kit will help. Mexico has become a real paperwork nightmare, so much so I Ieave Guatemala and do Brownsville direct. Baja Pilots Association can give you all the details. (Things may have changed with regard to Venezuela but I doubt you will get in. If you really want to go you might check to see if commercial service is available from Grenada.) This sort of a flight takes extensive planning and I hope I have given you some starting points. Have a good trip.
 
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