Noe wrote:
Once close to departure time, I couldn’t see how to amend or cancel a flight plan. Very confusing
In the US, one can’t cancel or amend a flight plan via automation after a lock out window. The window is referenced to the ETD and varies by center, with most centers using 46 minutes, but some, NY center in particular, can be as long as 61 minutes. If you are simply delaying your flight plan, it will remain in the system for two hours and then be purged. So if your delay is less than two hours, your clearance will still be available. If it is going to be more than two hours, file a new flight plan, the older one will expire. If you decide not to go, there is no need to cancel as it will be deleted from the system automatically at two hours past the ETD. If you need to make other changes, you can do this when you contact ATC.
Noe wrote:
I’ve heard that, not sure actually about:
1) Global entry – I don’t have any sort of slip / stamp saying when I entered the US
2) Chinese citizens – The wife of my friend is Chinese (US work visa). Any issue with that?
ad 1) You can download your I-94 form yourself, that has all the info; just Google it
ad 2) should not be an issue if she has a work visa which, presumably, is multiple entry. HOWEVER, as Chinese citizen she’ll prob90 need a visa for Canada. If that works within a GA context I have no idea.
I had planned on doing a trip to Canada a couple of years ago with a visiting friends from Europe. He got it in writing (US embassy in Vienna), that he could do the trip on his ESTA; he doesn’t have Global Entry. In the end, we scrapped the plan, as the airplane I was renting at the time didn’t have the radio station license. If you really want to go, perhaps try to contact US CBP for up-to-date info.
172driver wrote:
It does, short trips to neighbouring countries are permitted.
I’ve heard that, not sure actually about:
1) Global entry – I don’t have any sort of slip / stamp saying when I entered the US
2) Chinese citizens – The wife of my friend is Chinese (US work visa). Any issue with that?
Maine was my other choice. I’ve heard scenery is nice, and I love lobster (any decent trip – not just GA – needs to have a palate motivator!).
The planes from this outfit go to Canada, so that shouldn’t be an issue. I’ve already been told that they’d put all the documents together, but I’ll have them double check the radio licence, thanks!
I obviously used FF this time – It’s the first time I used FF for the preparation of the entire flight. All worked reasonably well, other than:
- Once close to departure time, I couldn’t see how to amend or cancel a flight plan. Very confusing
- I bought Jepp USA (I foresaw that some flights might be high workload, and preferred to not add the extra challenge to use different plates than I’m used to). While I didn’t regret the decision as I found the Jepp plates easier to read (especially in high workload), after the 1st day (outbound leg), FF just crashes when opening any sort of Jepp chart, anywhere in the app. Very inconvenient. The suggestion for now is to delete and reinstall the App, but at up to a couple Gigs, it’s not possible to do on mobile internet – especially in the midwest, where the data often doesn’t work (despite showing service).
AdamFrisch wrote:
ESTA doesn’t work in a GA.
It does, short trips to neighbouring countries are permitted.
Technically, 406MHz ELT is also a requirement for Canada, but I’ve heard they don’t really check. Also, be mindful that you need at least some sort of visa as a foreigner to re-enter the US. ESTA doesn’t work in a GA.
Noe wrote:
I’m thinking of Montreal
Be aware, that for entry into Canada the airplane needs to have a radio station license. As this is not required within US airspace, most airplanes that don’t operate near the borders (same is true for Mexico) don’t have that. Maine is very nice indeed, especially if you go a bit further up the coast, or Down East as they say over there !
Noe,
When you are asked to fly a SID or STAR and exit or join the procedure at a point not defined as a transition fix, you have to improvise and select the most appropriate transition. Then once it is loaded, you either edit the flight plan or move the cursor to the waypoint that matches your clearance and use a direct-to it. As far as filing SIDs ir STARs, you will need to select a transition fix or a fix on the common route. The GPS systems only offer beginning or ending at a transition fix and you need to edit the route to get what you need. The STAR or SID should be associated with the airport, but sometimes ATC will take liberties and consider one SID/STAR for airport A to be used for airport B. I personally won’t accept them, “unable, my avionics don’t permit” although it might be possible to improvise by loading the procedure for airport A. A SID or a STAR is specified as Airport ID, Transition fix, and in some cases Runway.
I used the FBO for fuel – I understand at some places it’s cheaper if you fuel yourself, but I didn’t even look if that was the case there, as I was renting wet. They waived other fees, which I have no idea what they would have been.
Return was more interesting, as:
- Weather was poor (some convective activity) – definitely IFR all the way
- Departure was from an untowered field.
- Arrival was expected to be high workload (into essentially NYC)
Weather.
Forecast to be in cloud and rain. Temperatures were high on the ground (so little concern about icing), plane had nexrad and all sorts of weather info on board. With no embedded CB or Thunderstorms forecast, it was a GO for me.
Departure:
I had to call the larger airport nearby (radio worked) to get clearance. This time, I got “as filed”, instead of a two-dozen of points / airways. They asked me to let them know when number 1 and which runway to get a release. Since I didn’t know what the release was, I said I was unfamiliar with US IFR procedures at non-towered. They explained (very nicely) that once I was number one (no other aircraft departing ahead) and knew the runway, he could release me and would give departure instructions (which weren’t in the initial clearance).
While my filed route was due east, I was told to depart into due South (presumably to keep away from the larger airport). After departure, once on the approach and identified, cleared onto the route.
ARRIVAL:
During the flight, I got 2 amendments to the route. On both of these amendments, I couldn’t input the arrival correctly in the SR22 G1000 NXi FPL (because the initial point was a point that wasn’t at the beginning of the arrival).
One of the arrivals was one for La Guardia (NOBBI5), which made the whole FPL a bit confusing, given I was going to white plains. Essentially, the part relevant to me was only 2 legs of the arrival procedure. I wasn’t told I’d expect vectors so that was a bit of an unknown.
As expected, much better treatment than in the UK – no being dumped into uncontrolled airspace.
Next weekend I’m flying commercial to Jamaica, but the weekend after I’ll probably go for a Friday evening to Saturday early afternoon. Any suggestion for a nice destination in the sort of 400nm range? I’m thinking of Montreal, but heard Maine might be nice too.
I tip the line guy/gal only when they render exceptional service, e.g. driving the rental car up the airplane, helping unload/load the bags into the car (I sometimes fly with a ton of gear), etc.
