Canada overflight?

[jnmeade]

I have a question for those with experience overflying Canada.
1. If you overfly Canada on the west coast between Washington State and Alaska within Canadian airspace but without landing, are you required to check in with Canadian air traffic control on either a VFR or IFR flight? If so, must you comply with Canadian regulations on such things as transponder, emergency kit, weapons, etc. if you don't land in Canada?
2. As I recall, I've overflown Canada around the Great Lakes and stayed with U.S. ATC (never talked to Canada). Is my memory correct on that?
It's not me doing it, just some envy of guys thinking of flying up to see the 49th state.
TIA

 

[gprellwitz]

I have a question for those with experience overflying Canada.
1. If you overfly Canada on the west coast between Washington State and Alaska within Canadian airspace but without landing, are you required to check in with Canadian air traffic control on either a VFR or IFR flight? If so, must you comply with Canadian regulations on such things as transponder, emergency kit, weapons, etc. if you don't land in Canada?
2. As I recall, I've overflown Canada around the Great Lakes and stayed with U.S. ATC (never talked to Canada). Is my memory correct on that?
It's not me doing it, just some envy of guys thinking of flying up to see the 49th state.
TIA

For 1, you are definitely going to need to be on a flight plan and talking to ATC
before you cross the border, either IFR or a Defense VFR plan. I don't remember about the Canadian regulations, but presume that you will need to comply because it's likely that you will need to make a stop in Canada for fuel or weather. Certainly bring passports and don't bring any firearms that aren't permitted in Canada.
For 2, I did it IFR a couple months ago and never got switched over to Canadian ATC, even though I was over Canada.
Ted does a fair number of border crossings up there and can probably speak more comprehensively. Also check out AOPA, where they have a section on flying to Alaska.

 

[azure]

Although it's not 100% reliable, the scalloped boundaries on the low enroute chart can tell you if you will be talking to Canadian ATC, at least when worked by Center facilities. Lake Erie and the southern coast of Ontario are in Cleveland Center's airspace. On a recent flight I was going from IKW in the middle of Michigan to western New York. My route was ECK YXU BUF (YXU is the London VOR). Cleveland Center handed me off to Toronto Center over Lake Huron, exactly as I expected from the chart.

 

[AdamZ]

Last year flew from 6Y9 to KLOM and over flew the Bruce Peninsula in Canada. Could not tell the difference other than the accent. We were at FL210 in a turbo Trinnie so we were on an IR plan. Super easy.