Flying to St. Johns

[drseti]

[I seriously doubt whether anyone in the FAA is checking the status of sport planes entering the US.

Rather than expressing my personal paranoia, I will simply say this: as a CFI, I cannot in good conscience recommend that any pilot knowingly violate an FAR, whether or not any likelihood exists that the violation will ever be detected.

I can also tell you that if you fly in a country not authorized, and have any kind of incident, your insurance policy will magically turn into confetti.

[zdc]

[I seriously doubt whether anyone in the FAA is checking the status of sport planes entering the US.

Rather than expressing my personal paranoia, I will simply say this: as a CFI, I cannot in good conscience recommend that any pilot knowingly violate an FAR, whether or not any likelihood exists that the violation will ever be detected.

I can also tell you that if you fly in a country not authorized, and have any kind of incident, your insurance policy will magically turn into confetti.

No argument on either point, just trying to determine the reality of flying in the islands. Before I moved, I use to fly out of an airport in the ADIZ. Around DC a pilot has good reason to be a paranoid.

[ming1000]

Is it clear said in FAR that a SP flys to another country need a writtern authourization from that country?

Upon reentering US territory, how can a SP pass ADIZ having no flight plan without inviting two F16s' escort?

[drseti]

Is it clear said in FAR that a SP flys to another country need a writtern authourization from that country?

Yes, the regs are very explicit. See FAR Part 61.315 (c) (8 ):


§ 61.315 What are the privileges and limits of my sport pilot certificate?

(a) If you hold a sport pilot certificate you may act as pilot in command of a light-sport aircraft, except as specified in paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) You may not act as pilot in command of a light-sport aircraft:

(8 ) Outside the United States, unless you have prior authorization from the country in which you seek to operate. Your sport pilot certificate carries the limit “Holder does not meet ICAO requirements.”

[jnmeade]

Post-911, they're all subservient to Department of Homeland Security, and do share data.

FAA is under DOT, so I didn't know this. Do you mean it literally, that DHS directs the FAA, or do you mean figuratively, that DHS pervades all things whether they have direct authority over them or not?

If this is true, then the DHS guidelines on carrying log books is not just a silly bureaucratic goof that will be corrected but a very scary imposition into what we used to think was the FAAs domain.

[drseti]

do you mean figuratively, that DHS pervades all things whether they have direct authority over them or not?

That would seem to be the case. An example: the FAA requires flight instructors to retain student records for a period of three years. Along comes TSA and says that's not good enough, we have to keep them on file for five years. This is covered in the annual security training which TSA now mandates that all flight instructors must take.

a very scary imposition into what we used to think was the FAAs domain.

Yes, and completely legal under powers our Congress granted TSA when they passed (and renewed) the PATRIOT act.

[tadel001]

ICAO applies to airman and aircaft. SP and LSAs are not recognized ICAO categories. Therefore, neither are qualified to fly international. FAA's jurisdiction is in the domestic airspace and its FIRs. I believe the are of the islands not directly controlled by the government of the island is part of a US FIR.


Aircraft landing at a customs port must have a customs sticker and you have to file a clearance request with customs. Both of these do link airman qualifications.

[roger lee]

SP and LSA's do fly into Mexico without any issues and have been for quite a while. The SP has to go get a 3rd class medical, but this is all the Mexican government cares about. The 3rd class doesn't have to be tied to a private, you just have to have one. I have friends that go down in their planes fairly regular to different towns. They pass through the Mexican customs going in and the US customs coming out. There are places in the Caribbean you can go also as I have had numerous friends in their LSA's go down there.

[rfane]

S-LSA are authorized to enter Canada also, and if you have a PP or higher, with a valid medical you can fly one there. SP isn't yet approved in Canada, but they are supposed to be working on it.

[drseti]

The SP has to go get a 3rd class medical, but this is all the Mexican government cares about.

So, let me see if I understand this. Because I lack a current medical, I cannot fly to Mexico, despite being Commercial/IFR with decades of international flying experience. But a SP with just 20 total hours, limited XC, and zero instrument experience is safe to fly in Mexico if he or she has a valid medical. Makes perfect sense to me!

On a more serious note, if that's all the Mexican gov't wants, it should be possible to get their written permission for a SP (with a medical) to fly there. This would satisfy US requirements. But, lacking that permission, I'd hesitate to fly there as a SP. Why knowingly violate FARs?

[drseti]

SP isn't yet approved in Canada, but they are supposed to be working on it.

I've heard that too, Roger, and would welcome it. Opening up Canada to SP would be a real step forward for those of us in the northeast. However, I think the Canadians will still require a radio station license, operator's permit, and 406 MHz ELT.

[NCPilot]

SP isn't yet approved in Canada, but they are supposed to be working on it.

I've heard that too, Roger, and would welcome it. Opening up Canada to SP would be a real step forward for those of us in the northeast. However, I think the Canadians will still require a radio station license, operator's permit, and 406 MHz ELT.

Why are foreign countries requiring the radio station license, operator's permit? What's the logic behind that?

[drseti]

Why are foreign countries requiring the radio station license, operator's permit? What's the logic behind that?

It's an ICAO requirement. Used to be required in the US too, but back during the Reagan administration, FCC deregulated licensing. So, pilots in the US have been able to ignore the second R in the familiar ARROW acronym. However, the international rules still apply outside of the US -- other countries don't recognize FCC deregulation. (For a sufficient fee, FCC will still issue you the required licenses.)