BajaNomad

Reminder for Nomad Pilots Crossing Border

LancairDriver - 3-20-2013 at 04:51 PM

Everyone flying down knows the rules, but it is easy (and very expensive) to become lax. Here is some information from the Baja Bush Pilots web on some recent incidents. Different ballgame and rules than driving down.

Guymas continues to spiral downward as a friendly AOE: March 9, 2013
One of our very good members on a Samaritan trip arrived Guymas with two doctors anticipating continuing to a medical clinic. For whatever reason, the member had left his US Passport in the States. Guymas Immigration told him that this was a serious violation of Mexican law, the fine was US$5,000, that he had 15 days to pay it, and if he did not pay, he would not be allowed to enter Mexico again.

The member questioned the violation but the inspector was firm, the member indicated that he would just turn around and return to the States, no good, and the Member indicated that he had persons in the States that could bring down the Passport while they waited. (In Guymas) Still not good.

After the violation and fine was issued, the Member came back to the States.
The BBP got involved at several levels and confirmed that the law requires that you must have a valid passport however, they could not find the dollar amount of the fine as well as if a warning could have been made on a first offense.

The following weekend, the Member went back to Mexico with a group of aircraft using Guymas as his AOE. The Immigration officer pulled him aside and asked if he had paid the fine yet and the Member's answer was no, he had 15 days and still had not decided if he was going to pay it or not. The Officer told him to come back later where he then indicated that he would lower the fine to $1,500. The Member paid the fine, received a receipt, and felt good that he dodged the bullet.

However, we (the BBP) have copies of the paperwork and will be looking into the entire series of events.

Bottom line, be sure all your paperwork is in order including your current Passport.

DHS fines US aircraft $6,000: March 9, 2013
We have been provided paperwork that indicates that an US aircraft submitted a departure manifest from Tucson, received conformation that the request was valid, and departed TUS without waiting the required 60 minutes. This is the first "departure" violation that I have been informed of. It is critical to wait those long 60 minutes prior to liftoff. If possible, do the request hours (or days) ahead of time and not at the last minute.

David K - 3-20-2013 at 06:12 PM

There is actually a Private Aircraft forum, here on Nomad... perhaps also post this there too? http://forums.bajanomad.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=36

While not a pilot, I find air travel to Baja's small runways a thing of historic interests and proudly have 3 editions of Arnold Senterfitt's book 'Airports of Baja California' from the 60's, 70's and 80's; as well as Galen Hanselman's 'Fly Baja!', from 1998.

fishbuck - 3-21-2013 at 08:19 AM

David K, even though you aren't a pilot you are still a cool dude in my book... that is when I write a book.:cool:

David K - 3-21-2013 at 08:22 AM

Thanks, I needed that...! :D

capt. mike - 3-21-2013 at 10:29 AM

George - sorry to hear that. It just keeps getting worse. MMGM used to be the best when Jose Rios ran the immigration dept. That would never have happened. The guy was looking for graft - pure and simple or the fine amount would be in the law text.

One of the reasons my mexico flying days may be over - tired of all the new rules both sides.

Cessna down

durrelllrobert - 3-22-2013 at 06:57 PM

At 11:06 this morning a Cessna 150C flying from Ensenada to Brown Field lost power short of the runway and landed on on the 125 toll road. The pilot, who was the only one on board was a 58 year old resident of Mexico. He was not injured and pickup truck towed the Cessna the rest of the way to Brown Field.

[Edited on 3-23-2013 by durrelllrobert]

bajaguy - 3-22-2013 at 07:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
At 11:06 this morning a Cessna 150C flying from Ensenada to Brown Field lost power short of the runway and landed on on the 125 toll road. The pilot, who was the only one on board was a 58 year old resident of Mexico. He was not injured and pickup truck towed the Cessna the rest of the way to Brown Field.

[Edited on 3-23-2013 by durrelllrobert]





What was the toll for a Cessna 150??? :lol:

bufeo - 3-23-2013 at 07:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by capt. mike..One of the reasons my mexico flying days may be over - tired of all the new rules both sides.


Hope that doesn't mean my long-sleeve and regular "Screaming Airlines" Ts will be invalidated. :lol:

Allen R

capt. mike - 3-23-2013 at 11:00 AM

Nope Allen - you are still good. I'll be back down just not sure when.