CANPASS Private Aircraft program

Groundpounder

Groundpounder

En-Route
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
2,951
Location
New Hampshire
Display Name
Display name:
Emerson Bigguns
Anyone know how long it takes to get approved for the CANPASS Private Aircraft program? Sent my application yesterday, and I have a trip March 22nd I would like to be able to use it for.
 
Last year my wife and I applied for CanPass July 28, was stamped approved on Aug 21, and received in mail Sept 6.
You could get it in time.
 
Groundpounder said:
Anyone know how long it takes to get approved for the CANPASS Private Aircraft program? Sent my application yesterday, and I have a trip March 22nd I would like to be able to use it for.
Click to expand...
Great idea, because it simplifies things, but for anyone else reading, note that you don't need to be a CANPASS member if you land at a regular airport of entry during customs hours. Customs service is free in Canada (no sticker or similar required).

The benefits of CANPASS are that you can enter the country via more airports, you can land outside of customs operating hours, and sometimes you can even get your customs clearance before departure. Everyone in your plane (not just the pilot) needs to be a CANPASS member for those extra privileges.
 
In my opinion, there is no point to the CANPASS program for an occasional traveler. It would be useful if you were regularly going in and out of Canada however. Regardless, don’t forget to get your US CBP sticker. You’ll need that and they’re good for the calendar year without prorating the cost so you might as well get it now.

Ive looked into CANPASS in the past because I make a few trips up north each year. Every time I’ve went back and looked I decide not to bother with it again.
 
I've been flying to Canada occasionally for 10 years and never enrolled in CANPASS. So in my opinion, not a big deal to have it or not.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've been flying to Canada occasionally for 10 years and never enrolled in CANPASS. So in my opinion, not a big deal to have it or not.
Click to expand...
Mostly, I agree, but two exceptions that might matter to some pilots:

1. If you're planning to arrive early/late or on weekends/holidays, your choices shrink. For example, at Kingston, ON (CYGK)—the only civilian airport near the US border between Toronto and Montreal that has precision approaches—regular customs hours are 9–5 local, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). If You're CANPASS, you can clear there after hours; if not, you might be sweating it out after enroute delays, wondering if you'll squeak in before 5:00.

2. Some AoEs are CANPASS only, including my home airport CYRO. If you want to fly to one of those, CANPASS saves you an extra stop.

If neither of these cases applies, then agreed that you won't get much extra benefit from CANPASS.
 
David Megginson said:
Mostly, I agree, but two exceptions that might matter to some pilots:

1. If you're planning to arrive early/late or on weekends/holidays, your choices shrink. For example, at Kingston, ON (CYGK)—the only civilian airport near the US border between Toronto and Montreal that has precision approaches—regular customs hours are 9–5 local, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). If You're CANPASS, you can clear there after hours; if not, you might be sweating it out after enroute delays, wondering if you'll squeak in before 5:00.

2. Some AoEs are CANPASS only, including my home airport CYRO. If you want to fly to one of those, CANPASS saves you an extra stop.

If neither of these cases applies, then agreed that you won't get much extra benefit from CANPASS.
Click to expand...

I certainly agree there are benefits, and no doubt if I was enrolled in CANPASS then it would have opened up other options for me when going in and out of Canada. My point is, it's really not presented a significant impact and is by no means required for crossing the border to our friendly neighbor to the north.
 
The $40 for CANPASS is going to save me about $240. I need to be in Montreal for 8am on a Monday. Customs at CYHU isn't there on the weekends, and they don't get in until 830am on Monday. I can go to CYUL if I want, but parking there is $80 per 24 hour period vs $20 per 24 hour period at CYHU, plus landing fees, and dealing with all the fun that comes with flying into a busy int'l airport. It is kind of a no-brainer.
 
Groundpounder said:
The $40 for CANPASS is going to save me about $240. I need to be in Montreal for 8am on a Monday. Customs at CYHU isn't there on the weekends, and they don't get in until 830am on Monday. I can go to CYUL if I want, but parking there is $80 per 24 hour period vs $20 per 24 hour period at CYHU, plus landing fees, and dealing with all the fun that comes with flying into a busy int'l airport. It is kind of a no-brainer.
Click to expand...
Enjoy your visit to a beautiful city! If you're departing CYHU VFR afterwards, don't forget to read the special departure instructions in the Canada Fight Supplement, because ATC is quite strict about them.
 
David Megginson said:
Enjoy your visit to a beautiful city! If you're departing CYHU VFR afterwards, don't forget to read the special departure instructions in the Canada Fight Supplement, because ATC is quite strict about them.
Click to expand...

Will do, and thanks for the heads up! I'll most likely be IFR because I'll be headed back to the states.
 
Spring and fall can be worse for ice in the Montreal-Ottawa corridor. Once the OAT drops below -15c, ice is pretty unlikely, even in cloud (unless it's something with a lot of vertical movement, like a CB or TCU).

But tough luck if you end up at the forward side of a warm front. We can be iced in for days. Even we Canadians know enough to stay on the ground when there's SLD in the forecast. :(
 
Groundpounder said:
The $40 for CANPASS is going to save me about $240. I need to be in Montreal for 8am on a Monday. Customs at CYHU isn't there on the weekends, and they don't get in until 830am on Monday. I can go to CYUL if I want, but parking there is $80 per 24 hour period vs $20 per 24 hour period at CYHU, plus landing fees, and dealing with all the fun that comes with flying into a busy int'l airport. It is kind of a no-brainer.
Click to expand...
I had that same issue and just decided to land at Plattsburgh and rent a car. Since I needed to rent a car anyway it didn't add too much complexity (with the exception of an extra 50 minute drive to get to the city) and saved the hassle of flying across the border.
 
Glad to hear. Give us I pirep and let us know your cross border experiences. Both directions.
 
David Megginson said:
Mostly, I agree, but two exceptions that might matter to some pilots:

1. If you're planning to arrive early/late or on weekends/holidays, your choices shrink. For example, at Kingston, ON (CYGK)—the only civilian airport near the US border between Toronto and Montreal that has precision approaches—regular customs hours are 9–5 local, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays). If You're CANPASS, you can clear there after hours; if not, you might be sweating it out after enroute delays, wondering if you'll squeak in before 5:00.

2. Some AoEs are CANPASS only, including my home airport CYRO. If you want to fly to one of those, CANPASS saves you an extra stop.

If neither of these cases applies, then agreed that you won't get much extra benefit from CANPASS.
Click to expand...
I'd like to add one other scenario, and this is the one that prompted me to apply for CANPASS. Last summer, I arrived at Billy Bishop to process customs on my way to St. Thomas. I called Canada customs as instructed and was on hold for over an hour. My cell phone almost died waiting for someone to pick up. I wanted to use the restroom after a long flight but was told I needed to stay in the aircraft until I was cleared. Finally, I paid about $50 in landing and parking fees. I could have just flown direct to St. Thomas and arrived at anytime, saved the fees, used the washroom and been well on my way in the time it took to cover my airplane. It would've been a much more convenient experience. Although flying into Billy Bishop airport was awesome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top