dans2992
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MMSD vs. MMSL?
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colojo
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The handling fee is set by the FBO at MMSL. Try to negotiate it down.
agidi
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CapTonka
Hello. I reached my buddy that flies there often.
CSL ( San Lucas) is in fact as mentioned, private and more expensive. Fuel, services, etc.
San Jose, SJD is the regular government operated Airport, the one used by airliners.
He recommends San Jose, if you are renting car or using taxi, the taxis will come up to the same amount of the rental car weekend package.
I hope this helps. Enjoy
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CSL ( San Lucas) is in fact as mentioned, private and more expensive. Fuel, services, etc.
San Jose, SJD is the regular government operated Airport, the one used by airliners.
He recommends San Jose, if you are renting car or using taxi, the taxis will come up to the same amount of the rental car weekend package.
I hope this helps. Enjoy
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Thanks. I had heard that CSL was much more GA friendly but I guess that's no longer the case. Any info about MMPR? For both MMPR AND MMSD is it just the case that I can park in transient myself and avoid unnecessary and expensive handling fees and all the other BS?
Follow up question: I'm trying to locate some IAPs (even if outdated, they don't change much) just to be on the safe side. I'd rather not pay $200 for the Jepp trip kit since I only need IAPs for a couple airports, I'm not planning on flying IFR, and I already have all the enroute charts. Does anyone know of any other resources / can provide scanned IAPs for MMES MMSD and MMPR?
Btw where does this info about private come from? Wikipedia http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabo_San_Lucas_International_Airport and my guidebook both state that MMSL is a public airport.
It's also odd because the 2013-15 Mexico guidebook I have says "MMSL is a better option than MMSD for general aviation. MMSD has private FBO on field, obtain written quotes prior to arrival." It's like they have it exactly backwards, apparently.
colojo
Line Up and Wait
It's open to the public but it's owned by an individual, as opposed to the Mexican gov't like MMSD.
James331
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Yep
And yep, they are trying to shaft you, rich white dude in expensive plane, can you say you're surprised lol
Don't take **** form people, also carry some cash incase you need to grease the wheels somewhere, this ain't Kansas.
kgruber
Final Approach
We were crossing the Gulf of Mexico and stopped in Barranquilla Colombia, delivering a 38' Banjer from London to Kawaihae Harbor.
At first, customs wouldn't come to the boat. We hung out, went shopping, did touristy things, and then contacted customs again. They wanted $1,500 for our 38' sailboat and were going to come down the next day to collect.
That night we pulled out of the dock, no lights, motored down the river into the gulf and disappeared into the dark.
There used to be an airport almost right downtown Cabo. You had to fly low to scare the cattle off the runway. I wonder what happened to that?
San Blas seems to have disappeared as well.
At first, customs wouldn't come to the boat. We hung out, went shopping, did touristy things, and then contacted customs again. They wanted $1,500 for our 38' sailboat and were going to come down the next day to collect.
That night we pulled out of the dock, no lights, motored down the river into the gulf and disappeared into the dark.
There used to be an airport almost right downtown Cabo. You had to fly low to scare the cattle off the runway. I wonder what happened to that?
San Blas seems to have disappeared as well.
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colojo
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That was the old airstrip that was dredged out to create the CSL marina. They moved the airport up the hill a few miles out of town to where it is today.
agidi
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CapTonka
I use foreflight and WACs on it. That's all you need.
I have not opened my PIA.
I will try and post some vor freqs I have elsewhere in case you like to use those.
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I have all the vor freqs but thanks. I have the wacs, foreflight, and the ifr enroute charts. Was thinking of getting a jeppesen trip kit incase I run into weather trying to land and need to do a vor approach.
It would be a good idea. Win Kinner flew into the side of a mountain down there.
Where do you live? Tag a note on the FBO bulletins board asking if some one has a set of plates you can take 'in case'.
Cant you get them on an APP? Or down load a PDF from the Mexicans?
Cant you get them on an APP? Or down load a PDF from the Mexicans?
Also, looking at the approaches, Mexicans are REALLY into VOR DME arcs. Like, every single approach is a dme arc. Lol. No gps or rnav approaches though. And they still use NDBs and NDB approaches too. How quaint!
cirrusmx
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campoalavista
I understand, mountains don't move and data can be verified. Garmin Pilot has it in their database including SVT, but I'm not seeing an approach plate. Not sure about the other apps.
i'd say just bust out and get the Jeppessen trip pack for peace of mind.
Ya, I did. But I'm bitter about it.
. If anyone needs Mexican IAPs, send me a private message and I can hook u up.
Ya, I did. But I'm bitter about it.
Bitter is a choice. I quit worrying about money years ago, as a result, I have no money worries.
That's what your supposed to do, trade money for experiences.
colojo
Line Up and Wait
Just following up in case anyone else stumbles on this thread. I spoke to Rick Gardner from Caribbean Sky Tours, who was extremely helpful. I highly recommend that organization for great information about flying to the Caribbean and Mexico and Central America. I'll quote liberally from his e-mail:
"These fees are definitely outrageous and unacceptable. Here is the situation. San Jose del Cabo / “Los Cabo” (MMSD) and Puerto Vallarta (MMPR) are both government airports run by private companies under a concession granted by the Mexican Federal Government. In addition at MMPR there is an FBO which has the highest fees in all of Mexico (and the Caribbean as well for that matter). However, at both airports there is General Aviation Parking (Aviación General) which is available to pilots like yourself. You DO NOT have to use the Aerotron FBO.
In the case of Cabo San Lucas (MMSL) this is a privately owned and operated airport which does not receive any Federal subsidies and has the liberty of setting their own rates.
...
The MMSD quote should be about US$ 8 for landing, another US$ 9 for loading and unloading and then approximately US$ 10 per night for parking. Again all of this plus 16%."
I called MMSD at the number that Rick had provided me. At first I was told that the fees were $25-28 per day for parking with another $65 per person charge, which was way out of line with what Rick had said to expect. The person I was speaking with then said something like "let me check" and he came back with $10 landing fee, $6-7 per passenger and $11/day for parking, which sounds right in line with what Rick had quoted. It sounds like (and I sure hope) that the handling fee at the FBO is not necessary.
As for MMPR, I called and spoke with an employee at the airport (after a lot of runaround). According to her the landing and parking fees combined at MMPR are about 455 pesos for the week or 65 pesos per day, which seems quite reasonable (about $35 for the entire week). No per passenger fees, thank god.
"These fees are definitely outrageous and unacceptable. Here is the situation. San Jose del Cabo / “Los Cabo” (MMSD) and Puerto Vallarta (MMPR) are both government airports run by private companies under a concession granted by the Mexican Federal Government. In addition at MMPR there is an FBO which has the highest fees in all of Mexico (and the Caribbean as well for that matter). However, at both airports there is General Aviation Parking (Aviación General) which is available to pilots like yourself. You DO NOT have to use the Aerotron FBO.
In the case of Cabo San Lucas (MMSL) this is a privately owned and operated airport which does not receive any Federal subsidies and has the liberty of setting their own rates.
...
The MMSD quote should be about US$ 8 for landing, another US$ 9 for loading and unloading and then approximately US$ 10 per night for parking. Again all of this plus 16%."
I called MMSD at the number that Rick had provided me. At first I was told that the fees were $25-28 per day for parking with another $65 per person charge, which was way out of line with what Rick had said to expect. The person I was speaking with then said something like "let me check" and he came back with $10 landing fee, $6-7 per passenger and $11/day for parking, which sounds right in line with what Rick had quoted. It sounds like (and I sure hope) that the handling fee at the FBO is not necessary.
As for MMPR, I called and spoke with an employee at the airport (after a lot of runaround). According to her the landing and parking fees combined at MMPR are about 455 pesos for the week or 65 pesos per day, which seems quite reasonable (about $35 for the entire week). No per passenger fees, thank god.
Yeah, I had forgotten his name, getting old... Rick's a good guy, I went on one of his trips to the Cayman Islands. He does a good job.
Pay the correct amount, tip well. I don't know how it works there anymore, but when I used to work in and out of that part of the world there were always some kids around the marina or airport, I'd call them over and offer them $2 a day (30 years ago) to watch out for whatever I was leaving. For that I got him, his dad, his uncles...
Hire the kid, you get the family for free.
Pay the correct amount, tip well. I don't know how it works there anymore, but when I used to work in and out of that part of the world there were always some kids around the marina or airport, I'd call them over and offer them $2 a day (30 years ago) to watch out for whatever I was leaving. For that I got him, his dad, his uncles...
Hire the kid, you get the family for free.
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Couple bucks here and there as a thank you, doesn't need to be much, it's as much a gesture of recognition and appreciation as anything else.
dans2992
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Let us know how it goes when you get there. I am curious...
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Ha ha new fubar: apparently on January 20, 2015, Mexico changed its rules so that entrants must now have a remaining passport validity of 6 months. I have 5 months left, one of my friends coming with only has about a month remaining. WTF. Canada simply requires passport validity through date of departure, Mexico was the same until apparently a week and a half ago. I remember when no passport was required at all. Seriously, WTF is up, does Mexico not want our gringo tourist dolares or what??!
I only had one page free in my passport and the Russians made me go have pages added in Amsterdam because they required 2, but then only used one. 
I think they just had too many cruisers come down for the winter and then have expired passports on exit. It causes mild issues.
I think they just had too many cruisers come down for the winter and then have expired passports on exit. It causes mild issues.
cirrusmx
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campoalavista
for passengers, but it is less than ten bucks and that is immigration. If you are the pilot and your buddy is right seat then both can be listed as crew and you dont have to pay anything.
False. Both MMSL and MMSD charge per passenger boarding fees that are separate from immigration fees, and are on the order of about $40 USD each. It would be illegal to list your right seat buddy as air crew to avoid immigration fees if he doesn't have a pilot license and if the plane does not require two crewmembers, as your right seat buddy would not be a required crewmember.