Cross border ops: Canada to US

D

Derek

Filing Flight Plan
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May 19, 2017
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rwarederek
Hey all

Question regarding cross border ops between Canada and the US. I'm planning on flying from Penticton (CYYF) and clearing customs in Oroville (0S7) but I'm unclear as to who I should contact exactly before crossing the border.

I understand I'll need to open and active a flight plan; however, while I'm flying from the Canada to the US side, who exactly do I speak with via radio to cross the border?

Also, should I expect to receive a distinct squak code from the Canadian FSS when I file and open my flight plan? It's a short flight so understanding who to contact and when to contact them would make things easier!

Thanks
Derek
 
I may be wrong but you don't have to "talk" to anyone In particular. Just land at a port of entry and clear customs.
 
Sounds easy enough - so I'm assuming the FSS will give me a squak code ahead of time?
 
Go to https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/destinations/international-travel/canada

Ask any questions you have. Here are my credentials...

892403b49634ed99063abe581e4c1d84.jpg



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I live in North Dakota and want to fly to Canada, so I studied a bit. I don't know if this applies for a Canadian plane and pilot coming to visit the USA or not, but the advance planning items I identified were getting a US CBP annual user fee decal for the plane and a radiotelephone operator's license for myself. Before flying from Canada to the USA you need to contact customs at the American destination airport (1-23 hours before ETA), notify eAPIS online (at least 1 hour before crossing the border), and be on a filed an active flight plan (don't forget to close it with FSS when you land in the USA if it was a VFR flight plan!). When you land, taxi to the customs office and wait in or next to the plane for them to come out and clear you.

Flying into Canada, you call 888-CAN-PASS (2-40 hours before crossing border), notify eAPIS online (at least 1 hour before crossing the border), file an activate your flight plan (need to open with FSS in the USA if VFR), and call 888-CAN-PASS when you land in Canada and before you get out of the plane.

I think that covers it all, although I don't know which things are different if you're a Canadian plane and pilot as mentioned above. Maybe eAPIS and/or the CBP user fee are different. Probably the rest of it is all the same, though.
 
I'm actually a US pilot who's done the cross border flight before - it has just been a while..

Reason I asked is I saw a reference that aircraft coming back into the US must talk with the controlling authority before crossing the border. I didn't quite recall that from my previous experience but thought I would check!
 
CMongoose said:
Plenty, that looks cool!

Did you take a routing over the lake, or stay over the shoreline? Also where did you clear customs on the way back into the US?
Click to expand...

That was earlier today. I plan to clear customs going back by stopping in Rochester (KROC) before continuing on my way. Right across the lake, descended through the overcast and popped out in time for a visual approach...

To the OP, just read the aopa page, there is a fair amount you have to know/do.

Greg


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Derek said:
I'm actually a US pilot who's done the cross border flight before - it has just been a while..

Reason I asked is I saw a reference that aircraft coming back into the US must talk with the controlling authority before crossing the border. I didn't quite recall that from my previous experience but thought I would check!
Click to expand...

So you are a US pilot and flew an N registered airplane across the border and you are flying it back now?

Procedure is similar to coming north with minor variation.

Your plane already has the US CBP decal on it if it came up from the USA.
You have to file an eAPIS, just like you did northbound.
You must telephone the US Customs at the Port of Entry airport after filing the eAPIS and before departing, to get landing permission.
You file a flight plan with Canadian FSS and they will give you a unique transponder code (I always call them to file cross border flight plans).
After that it's easy...:cool:
 
Also recommend clearing close to the border so if anything goes wrong you have more options, unless your home airport is an airport of entry...


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Looks like you had better weather!


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gsengle said:
Looks like you had better weather!


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Click to expand...

It was unbelievably good. It was also my first trip out of the country as PIC, and everything somehow went perfectly.
 
GRG55 said:
So you are a US pilot and flew an N registered airplane across the border and you are flying it back now?

Procedure is similar to coming north with minor variation.

Your plane already has the US CBP decal on it if it came up from the USA.
You have to file an eAPIS, just like you did northbound.
You must telephone the US Customs at the Port of Entry airport after filing the eAPIS and before departing, to get landing permission.
You file a flight plan with Canadian FSS and they will give you a unique transponder code (I always call them to file cross border flight plans).
After that it's easy...:cool:
Click to expand...

Yep I'm a US pilot - have flown to Canada before and will be doing so again (first time in several years) in a couple weeks.

Looks like the procedure hasn't changed - like I said earlier I saw conflicting info elsewhere that mentioned a need to contact the controlling authority before re-entering the US. I know this is a requirement for crossing any ADIZ (which doesn't exist between Canada and the US) so it didn't really make sense to me.

Cant wait to head up there again!
 
I used the Flashpass app for my eAPIS filing. At the time, it was far easier than the CBP website procedure. I completed the trip within the free trial period for the app, so I'm not sure what it costs to use long-term.
 
To answer the OP's direct question - When you talk to ATC during your flight to/from Canada you ARE communicating with 'them'
The only way to tell you have been switched to a foreign controller or not, is the 'eh' :)
Drill is to get a squawk for Flight Following here in the US. After that you don't have to talk to anyone special. And the controllers are all but unconscious from boredom when they do bother to call.
Obviously, if you file IFR you are 'communicating'
 
Dr. O said:
The only way to tell you have been switched to a foreign controller or not, is the 'eh' :)
Click to expand...

Do you get called a 'hoser' when you deviate from instructions?

ATC: Bugsmasher XXX I told you to maintain 360, eh ya hoser!

:)
 
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