Busting Canadian airspace

David Groat

David Groat

Filing Flight Plan
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Groatski
A flight I often like to do with new passengers is the 'Detroit Loop'. A large circle around Detroit Metro's airspace that takes me right over downtown. I've done it dozens of times, but while flying down the Detroit river I will often 'bust' Canadian airspace by a couple of hundred feet or so. Metro's airspace crowds right up against the Canadian border allowing an extremely narrow corridor at what I would consider a safe altitude.

Is there a possibility that this activity will attract any unwanted attention? I'm usually on Flight Following with Metro and I'm never flying over Canadian land space (only the river), so I can't see this as being an issue. But an FAA bureaucrat with nothing better to do may think differently.
 
I've done the same thing lots of times. If you are on flight following with a discreet transponder code, you are 'legal' to cross the border and come back :) I fly across Canada down to Ohio all the time using FF. If you were going to attract attention, you would know very quickly. It isn't the FAA you have to worry about, it is CBP. They monitor the border very closely (air, land and sea).
 
Detroit TRACON does not care. But, as was 'splained to me by Detroit TRACON, they ain't the only ones watching the radar.
On the other other hand, I see peeps sliding over the line getting into the pattern at ONZ fairly often. (People other than me, that is.)
And, if you avoid flight following, it makes it harder for them to figure out who to punish.
But, having said that, 'cept for keeping it under 2500 over the north half of Grosse Ile, it doesn't strike me as that tight.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
....But, having said that, 'cept for keeping it under 2500 over the north half of Grosse Ile, it doesn't strike me as that tight.
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I fly this at least once a month...I've never found it "tight"...not to mention, there are plenty of landmarks, roads, islands, etc, to keep you on the correct side of the river.
 
If you’re talking and squawking I really wouldn’t worry about it.

In the nice weather I fly my seaplane low over the water where the border cuts between, often do a few touch and goes, I make very sure not to cross as I’m not talking or squawking and with my flight pattern I’d wager they’d flag me, maybe send a boat out or something to take a peek, if they haven’t already lol

Also keep in mind even if you’re doing everything 100% right, if you attract the attention of CBP or anger the crown, they still can and will intercept and mess with you, the border to 100 miles inland is a constitution free zone as far as things like the 4th amendment go, ...including cavity search :cheerswine: .
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_search_exceptionhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_search_exception

A5-C94-CE2-1-C13-44-FE-BEEA-200672-C9901-B.jpg
 
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I've overflown Canadian airspace a lot. International Falls MN is right on the border and if you're landing on 31, you're going to be over the river and probably in their airspace. Squawking 1200 I've never had a problem.
 
Shepherd said:
What are the Canadians going to do, send a Sopwith Pup up to shoot you down?
OK that's going to get my in trouble with my wife's side of the family.
SOOOOOO worth it.
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A Canadian wife?? Does that mean you don't have to say you're sorry? Eh.

500
 
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Hopefully you aren’t on basicmed, I haven’t gotten a straight answer on this yet, but Canada doesn’t recognize basicmed, so if u bust their airspace , technically you aren’t even a legal pilot in that airspace.
 
WannFly said:
Hopefully you aren’t on basicmed, I haven’t gotten a straight answer on this yet, but Canada doesn’t recognize basicmed, so if u bust their airspace , technically you aren’t even a legal pilot in that airspace.
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Death Penalty man...watch that border :)

Tell them you are flying under MedXPress, everyone will be so confused they'll just make you top off with 100LL at like $15/liter and send you home...that's $15 Canadian :D
 
Sinistar said:
Death Penalty man...watch that border :)

Tell them you are flying under MedXPress, everyone will be so confused they'll just make you top off with 100LL at like $15/liter and send you home...that's $15 Canadian :D
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At that price they better fuel me mid air
 
Back in the good old days, we flew many flights on the United States of texas boarder with Mexico. Many approaches began in Mexico's airspace and not once did anyone care. Always talking to 'ewston center. Sometimes in radar, sometimes sqk 1200.

Might be tough to do approaches after the building of the big beautiful wall. Maybe if the slots are airplane width....
 
Eric Stoltz said:
Back in the good old days, we flew many flights on the United States of texas boarder with Mexico. Many approaches began in Mexico's airspace and not once did anyone care. Always talking to 'ewston center. Sometimes in radar, sometimes sqk 1200.

Might be tough to do approaches after the building of the big beautiful wall. Maybe if the slots are airplane width....
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Could always quarter roll and knife edge through it. Can have too many gaps.
 
Eric Stoltz said:
Back in the good old days, we flew many flights on the United States of texas boarder with Mexico. Many approaches began in Mexico's airspace and not once did anyone care. Always talking to 'ewston center. Sometimes in radar, sometimes sqk 1200.

Might be tough to do approaches after the building of the big beautiful wall. Maybe if the slots are airplane width....
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But did you ever fly a Caravan across the border?
 
You bust Kanuckistan airspace... easy, just have a few 6 packs of Labatt's Blue and all will be right in the world... :p

Or, you may here.... 'cessna ehhh your a little to north are ya.. should you you turn around ehhh"
 
What is actually required to cross CA airspace? Not landing, just heading through on way to KOSH. VFR flight plan, squawk and talk?
 
UngaWunga said:
What is actually required to cross CA airspace? Not landing, just heading through on way to KOSH. VFR flight plan, squawk and talk?
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Yep, that's it. I do it often flying to Niagara from Michigan, or to Cleveland (but only July / August to Cleveland over lake Erie...brrrrr).

I write "Canada over flight" in remarks. I ask for flight following adding the words "Canada over flight". Although, I'll probably stop saying that when asking for flight following, as ATC always asks for a repeat.
 
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The big question becomes, if you do bust Canadian air space, how the heck is someone going to fix it?
 
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