Flight Planning to Central America

[Hank S]

How would someone prepare flight plans south through / across Mexico? I don't have paper charts, and it seems that airnav doesn't have charts or airport listings, either.

I expect fuel to be scarce, and will need to find it in advance, to say nothing of where the actual airports are.

I'm open to ideas.

 

[Gucci Pilot]

Jeppesen. Their airport information should have phone numbers to call and coordinate for fuel. Brush up on your Spanish.

 

[Mike I]

Hank - there are international planning/handling companies that can assist you with permits, routing, fuel, parking, customs and more. Whether or not you want to go that route is up to you, but I've read stories of gouging and other problems when people try to "go it alone".

If you do it yourself, I'd carry lots of cash. And plenty in small bills. I've read stories of people flying down with only $100s in cash, and being told there's a "$16 entry fee", but somehow no change for the $100 bill is available, etc.

If you're interested in going that route, search on PPRuNe in the BizJets area http://www.pprune.org/biz-jets-ag-flying-ga-etc-36/ , or make a new thread. Lots of individuals with loads of Central and South American experience, and plenty of stories.

Here's an example of one FBO + Handler (in Mexico): http://www.mannyaviation.com/services.shtml?sec=crew

 

[DesertNomad]

If you do it yourself, I'd carry lots of cash. And plenty in small bills. I've read stories of people flying down with only $100s in cash, and being told there's a "$16 entry fee", but somehow no change for the $100 bill is available, etc.

This. While not Central America, we flew around southern Africa and between the four of us in our C182, we probably had $6,000 in $1s, $5s, $10s and $20s. We had to pay for all fuel in cash as well as various landing and other fees... including paying two local guys in Mozambique $200 to guard the plane overnight on a grass strip so our nose wheel didn't end up on somebody's wheelbarrow.

 

[cirrusmx]

flying in mexico is no different than flying in the us. the main difference is that you are required to file flight plans for every flight. this flightplans are then approved by the airport authority before taking off. no night vfr allowed. yes sometimes tipping expedites things or gets you better services (getting thr airplane towed and parked, cleaned up, gassed up, help with paperwork, baggage handling etc). i am talking less than twenty dollars. There's some requirements (insurance mainly, registration, airworthiness, etc) that need to be met in order to fly within mexico and theres also a sticker that you need to get to be allowed to take the airplane out of the usa (CBP). theres a one time entry fee of about 600 pesos (50 dollars) that you can pay everytime you fly into mexico or apply so that it lasts for a whole year. I have flown into mexico a ton of times and its not a big deal. those international handlers are probably a big rip off. central and south america is another story i could not tell as i a have never flown there.

 

[Buggsy2]

I have never flown a GA plane to Mexico. But I've always heard good things about the Baja Bush Pilots http://www.bajabushpilots.com/ group. Don't be fooled by the name, they fly to all of Mexico and more, and in all sorts of planes.