Flying to Canada... for a man. Is it legal to bring him back?

Cajun_Flyer

Cajun_Flyer

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Cajun Flyer
Ok so there's this really old rich dude in Canada, we have mutual friends (not really, I'm just saying that to make this seem less creepy) and we've been talking online for awhile now (about a week, then I learned he was loaded). He's 90 and about to croak any day now. We were kinda joking around, but not, and he asked if I could fly up and get him to "hang out". I really just want to use him for his money before he dies, because he's mean to me and I am female and apparently that's what we dig (please feel free to argue about gender stereotypes down thread). What do I have to do to fly up there and bring him back legally? I don't want him to get Trumpt (Peace be upon @Rebel Lord 's savior). My homedrome - which I don't actually know what that word means - has a border patrol customs, can they process him there with like a visa?

Wait. I just pictured some wrinkly old dude sitting his wrinkly old bum on my furniture. Eww... what if my furniture touches his wrinkly old pe... you know what, nevermind. :confused: I'm not that desperate for extra money, even if I was just going to burn it all on my aviation addiction.

Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
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If you plan on doing it regularly I suggest CANPASS. Makes it VERY easy.
 
Probably easier than flying into Mexico and back. Lots of YouTube videos on the subject.
 
There's some discussion on a forum related to Experimental airplanes by a certain kit manufacturer (any guesses) that Canada has been adding extra restrictions for US registered aircraft in response to the US regulations.

I'm sure it's mostly formality, but be very familiar with those formalities before you launch.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Ok so there's this really old rich dude in Canada, we have mutual friends (not really, I'm just saying that to make this seem less creepy) and we've been talking online for awhile now (about a week, then I learned he was loaded). He's 90 and about to croak any day now. We were kinda joking around, but not, and he asked if I could fly up and get him to "hang out". I really just want to use him for his money before he dies, because he's mean to me and I am female and apparently that's what we dig (please feel free to argue about gender stereotypes down thread). What do I have to do to fly up there and bring him back legally? I don't want him to get Trumpt (Peace be upon @Rebel Lord 's savior). My homedrome - which I don't actually know what that word means - has a border patrol customs, can they process him there with like a visa?

Wait. I just pictured some wrinkly old dude sitting his wrinkly old bum on my furniture. Eww... what if my furniture touches his wrinkly old pe... you know what, nevermind. :confused: I'm not that desperate for extra money, even if I was just going to burn it all on my aviation addiction.

Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
Click to expand...


Honestly I was in a very similar circumstance but some of the details were slightly different. Honestly I wouldn't, you might get charged with elder abuse there and once you dish out the Canuck bucks to bail yourself out you'd have to face federal charges once you get back. (Elder abuse is a big deal apparently)

But if you really have to... I'd cross the border at night with all lights off with you wheels skimming the tree tops the whole way. Best of luck!:cheerswine:
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
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Your plane needs a customs sticker. AOPA has some information about it.

https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/destinations/international-travel/canada

<grin>.

It looked to me like you need a special radio license for Canada; but I think you can get it online.

Brad Z said:
Technically yes, but for the most part it's unenforceable. Unless you get ramp checked by the FCC re-entering the U.S., there is no chance of anyone saying anything.

Some folks have suggested filling out the paperwork and using the temporary station license included with the forms, absent-mindedly forgetting to send in the paperwork (& check).

I'd guess most folks in your situation just don't bother. If you're going beyond Canada or the Bahamas, having a valid FCC license becomes much more important.
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stratobee said:
Enjoy it, "takes only 5 minutes".

http://transition.fcc.gov/Forms/Form605/605main.pdf
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It also sounded like you had to land at the first airport in the US with customs, but that sounds inconveniently wrong to me, after all the airlines don't all land in Maine when coming from Europe. Maybe it was saying the first airport you land at must have customs and then you can fly on to another destination that doesn't have customs.
 
As long as your plane is certificated and not certified and you have AOA indicator, u r good. Oh, file a flight plan for the good measure.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Ok so there's this really old rich dude in Canada, we have mutual friends (not really, I'm just saying that to make this seem less creepy) and we've been talking online for awhile now (about a week, then I learned he was loaded). He's 90 and about to croak any day now. We were kinda joking around, but not, and he asked if I could fly up and get him to "hang out". I really just want to use him for his money before he dies, because he's mean to me and I am female and apparently that's what we dig (please feel free to argue about gender stereotypes down thread). What do I have to do to fly up there and bring him back legally? I don't want him to get Trumpt (Peace be upon @Rebel Lord 's savior). My homedrome - which I don't actually know what that word means - has a border patrol customs, can they process him there with like a visa?

Wait. I just pictured some wrinkly old dude sitting his wrinkly old bum on my furniture. Eww... what if my furniture touches his wrinkly old pe... you know what, nevermind. :confused: I'm not that desperate for extra money, even if I was just going to burn it all on my aviation addiction.

Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day, ey? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
Click to expand...


FTFY
 
Rebel Lord said:
Honestly I was in a very similar circumstance but some of the details were slightly different.
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Small world!

I should note that I'm a renter, not owner. So I guess I should first see if my place allows it. I know an instructor took one of the planes to Montreal, but she might have instructor privilege.
 
AOPA has a pretty good piece on flying to Canada. https://www.aopa.org/go-fly/destinations/international-travel/canada

There are a few aircraft documentation requirements. Apparently they rarely ask for the RT certificate, but it is one of the requirements. Although there are a lot of ports of entry shown on the chart, if you look at the hours of operation for some of them they are quite limited so i signed up for CANPASS Private.

Having said that, I've done all the paperwork but haven't had time to actually go do it yet. Hoping to get to Montreal this year though, given how close it is.

To be honest, the most complicated bit for me is the return to the US, with or without a foreign nonagenarian in tow. (Does your friend happen to have a similarly wealthy sister, btw)?
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
Small world!

I should note that I'm a renter, not owner. So I guess I should first see if my place allows it. I know an instructor took one of the planes to Montreal, but she might have instructor privilege.
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Let me know if you want to join forces on this, my time available for flying is starting to pick up again!
 
Crossing the border either way is a bit bureaucratic but not really a big deal with a bit of patience.

The US Customs and Border Protection requires you to file an eAPIS on departure and before re-entering the USA. You do this online and you will need to register (again online) if you have not filed one before. You can do that latter step any time, it's a once only registration so you can access the system. Google "eAPIS".

You will have to also go online to the US Customs and Border Protection DTOPS site and get an annual decal for the airplane. If you are renting check with them. They may have to do this as owners. The decal has a unique serial number and you must have that info to put in the eAPIS when you file for a border crossing.

After that it's pretty straight forward. You land at a Canadian airport that has customs service and taxi in to the marked Customs box (Ground can direct you). Customs and Immigration will either be there expecting you, or you will have a number to call.

Return is similar. File the eAPIS (If you know your return date and route you can file a return eAPIS at the same time as the outbound trip). Follow the eAPIS instructions exactly. You will have to declare your gentleman friend. You have to call your designated US Port of Entry airport before you take off to get landing permission. Call Canada Flight Service Station and they will give you a transponder code you must use when you cross back into the USA. Land at your designated Port of Entry airport and hope you don't get a difficult agent.
 
Canada is 150 years old this year.

Come for the Rich old guys, stay because your plane won't start
 
I know the Canadian border officers get a little upset if you show up with only one license plate on your car..... NM is cheap and only issues one plate for the rear.
 
GRG55 said:
Crossing the border either way is a bit bureaucratic but not really a big deal with a bit of patience.

The US Customs and Border Protection requires you to file an eAPIS on departure and before re-entering the USA. You do this online and you will need to register (again online) if you have not filed one before. You can do that latter step any time, it's a once only registration so you can access the system. Google "eAPIS".

You will have to also go online to the US Customs and Border Protection DTOPS site and get an annual decal for the airplane. If you are renting check with them. They may have to do this as owners. The decal has a unique serial number and you must have that info to put in the eAPIS when you file for a border crossing.

After that it's pretty straight forward. You land at a Canadian airport that has customs service and taxi in to the marked Customs box (Ground can direct you). Customs and Immigration will either be there expecting you, or you will have a number to call.

Return is similar. File the eAPIS. Follow the eAPIS instructions exactly. You usually have to call your designated US Port of Entry airport before you take off to get landing permission. Call Canada Flight Service Station and they will give you a transponder code you must use when you cross back into the USA. Land at your designated Port of Entry airport and hope you don't get a difficult agent.
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Thank you!
 
Ravioli said:
There's some discussion on a forum related to Experimental airplanes by a certain kit manufacturer (any guesses) that Canada has been adding extra restrictions for US registered aircraft in response to the US regulations.

I'm sure it's mostly formality, but be very familiar with those formalities before you launch.
Click to expand...

Typically, going into Canada goes something like this.

You land, call 1-800-CANPASS, and say:

"I landed, eh!"
"Any changes, eh?"
"Nope eh!"
"Welcome to Canada! Bob's yer uncle!"

So what I would expect is now someone actually shows up to greet you more regularly and looks at your plane. It's worth noting that in the US that's done every time you cross the border, and honestly the US side is far more difficult, even for citizens. I crossed the border enough for a while that I got to know some of the customs guys, which made it easier.

Real trick I find is telling the Canadians how much you love Canada. That gets questions to stop quickly.

For Cajun, I'd point out that if he's rich in Canada that's like, what, $10 US? That won't get much flying time. But the trip is pretty easy as others have outlined. The real thing is figuring out which airport to fly into. I'd avoid Montreal if you can, that gets to be expensive and a pain.
 
Zeldman said:
I know the Canadian border officers get a little upset if you show up with only one license plate on your car..... NM is cheap and only issues one plate for the rear.
Click to expand...

I think your info is a bit out of date. In Canada only four of the 13 Provinces & Territories still require a front plate on their registered cars. And I've crossed recently by car from the USA into two of those with only a rear plate on my vehicle with no issues. The border cameras going either way are set up to shoot your back plate.
 
Hmmmm.... We might be talking to the same guy. Did he say anything about being a Nigerian prince?
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Typically, going into Canada goes something like this.

You land, call 1-800-CANPASS, and say:

"I landed, eh!"
"Any changes, eh?"
"Nope eh!"
"Welcome to Canada! Bob's yer uncle!"

So what I would expect is now someone actually shows up to greet you more regularly and looks at your plane. It's worth noting that in the US that's done every time you cross the border, and honestly the US side is far more difficult, even for citizens. I crossed the border enough for a while that I got to know some of the customs guys, which made it easier.

Real trick I find is telling the Canadians how much you love Canada. That gets questions to stop quickly.

For Cajun, I'd point out that if he's rich in Canada that's like, what, $10 US? That won't get much flying time. But the trip is pretty easy as others have outlined. The real thing is figuring out which airport to fly into. I'd avoid Montreal if you can, that gets to be expensive and a pain.
Click to expand...

Yep, if you are going into a secondary or regional Canadian airport and there's no Customs officer there, you call a number on your cell phone and after a few questions you are cleared. Canada Customs almost never comes out.

"Rich" in Canada, given the current exchange rate, means many more zeros than rich in the USA. A US$ goes a long way in Canada as it'll buy $1.37 Loonies. So you are correct. A Canadian Millionaire couldn't afford to order a new Cirrus.
 
GRG55 said:
Yep, if you are going into a secondary or regional Canadian airport and there's no Customs officer there, you call a number on your cell phone and after a few questions you are cleared. Canada Customs almost never comes out.
Click to expand...

Generally they don't even come out at the big airports, although it does depend on which airport as they all have their different customs (no pun intended).
 
GRG55 said:
I think your info is a bit out of date. In Canada only four of the 13 Provinces & Territories still require a front plate on their registered cars. And I've crossed recently by car into two of those with only a rear plate with no issues.
Click to expand...

In March 2016 I went through BC. I had issues, but quickly resolved. He thought it was a little strange that a pilot would drive so far for a summer job instead of fly. He was unaware that NM only issues plates for the rear, the other officer showed him were to find that information. Maybe a new guy?

On the way back no issues.

Both times I mentioned I really enjoy visiting BC.
 
Does he have large baggage? Better make sure you're ready to accommodate that... on the flight
 
CMongoose said:
To be honest, the most complicated bit for me is the return to the US
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US customs can be a pain. Ground, "60R park in the blue square customs will be there shortly". Don't get out of the plane when waiting for them, or you will be chastised. Me: "sorry I got out of the plane, I stayed in the blue square, can I go to the restroom now", Customs "not till we do the paperwork"
 
AKBill said:
. Me: "sorry I got out of the plane, I stayed in the blue square, can I go to the restroom now", Customs "not till we do the paperwork"
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I hope you "watered" the tires right there.

Last summer there in Juneau a business jet with a foreign "N" number was in the blue square. Man, they went over that thing with two dogs, the luggage came out and was opened on the ground, then went through every outside door, then inspection panels were removed, then interior parts started coming out, then the cowlings on the engines and I don't know what else. I went off duty and they were still working on it. It was parked there all the next day, then the day after it was gone.
 
GRG55 said:
I think your info is a bit out of date. In Canada only four of the 13 Provinces & Territories still require a front plate on their registered cars. And I've crossed recently by car from the USA into two of those with only a rear plate on my vehicle with no issues. The border cameras going either way are set up to shoot your back plate.
Click to expand...

I got barked at by customs because the car dealership where I purchased the vehicle put a perimeter advertising frame around the plate. The dealership name overlapped the top of the plate enough USA customs computerized system did not recognize the state on the license plate. Officer was obviously having a bad day and blew up that he had to manually search for my history crossing the border. Told me if I came across in the future with a state ID covered on the plate he would give me a citation.
 
Zeldman said:
I hope you "watered" the tires right there.

Last summer there in Juneau a business jet with a foreign "N" number was in the blue square. Man, they went over that thing with two dogs, the luggage came out and was opened on the ground, then went through every outside door, then inspection panels were removed, then interior parts started coming out, then the cowlings on the engines and I don't know what else. I went off duty and they were still working on it. It was parked there all the next day, then the day after it was gone.
Click to expand...

My guess is there was some extra level of suspicion surrounding that particular aircraft. Do you recall the country?

In my experience they can be a pain, but have never gone to those lengths. A few Mexican citizens I know have had issues crossing the border, but it wasn't anything more than extra questioning and verbal intimidation, no searching of the aircraft like that.
 
I think the mechanics of bringing an old man with a wrinkly bum from Canada is fairly straightforward
Cajun_Flyer said:
Ok so there's this really old rich dude in Canada, we have mutual friends (not really, I'm just saying that to make this seem less creepy) and we've been talking online for awhile now (about a week, then I learned he was loaded). He's 90 and about to croak any day now. We were kinda joking around, but not, and he asked if I could fly up and get him to "hang out". I really just want to use him for his money before he dies, because he's mean to me and I am female and apparently that's what we dig (please feel free to argue about gender stereotypes down thread). What do I have to do to fly up there and bring him back legally? I don't want him to get Trumpt (Peace be upon @Rebel Lord 's savior). My homedrome - which I don't actually know what that word means - has a border patrol customs, can they process him there with like a visa?

Wait. I just pictured some wrinkly old dude sitting his wrinkly old bum on my furniture. Eww... what if my furniture touches his wrinkly old pe... you know what, nevermind. :confused: I'm not that desperate for extra money, even if I was just going to burn it all on my aviation addiction.

Better, more serious, question - how easy is it to fly into Canada and hang for a day? I am pretty close to the border and kinda want to do that this summer. I have a passport.
Click to expand...

I think that the mechanics of bringing in an old Canadian man with a wrinkly bum in to the US is relatively straightforward, unless you intend to legally marry him, in which case he would need to obtain a visa.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de.../residents/landed-immigrants-entering-the-u.s.

However, him being an old man with a wrinkly bum, I would say that in any case, I would plan that the situation Depends.
 
I haven't flown to Canada, but the customs process of going to/from the Bahamas is enough of a PITA to make me reconsider that as a destination. I could instead go to Key West or Marathon, not file anything, not have to unpack my airplane for customs, not pay $200 in fees to the bahamian government, and have the luxury of nexrad, TAF's, AWOS, LPV approaches..
 
Briar Rabbit said:
I got barked at by customs because the car dealership where I purchased the vehicle put a perimeter advertising frame around the plate. The dealership name overlapped the top of the plate enough USA customs computerized system did not recognize the state on the license plate. Officer was obviously having a bad day and blew up that he had to manually search for my history crossing the border. Told me if I came across in the future with a state ID covered on the plate he would give me a citation.
Click to expand...
God forbid they actually have to work . . . customs is rife with idiot stories of guys who just want to sit in the booth all day and wave people through after the software tells them to
 
Ted DuPuis said:
My guess is there was some extra level of suspicion surrounding that particular aircraft. Do you recall the country?

In my experience they can be a pain, but have never gone to those lengths. A few Mexican citizens I know have had issues crossing the border, but it wasn't anything more than extra questioning and verbal intimidation, no searching of the aircraft like that.
Click to expand...

No, I just noticed that it was a business jet with letters instead of numbers. And our speculation was that someone may have notified the customs office to suspect this plane or a passenger was on some sort of list. There was at least 10 guys and two dogs working the plane.

One year I bought a car in Anchorage and was driving back to New Mexico and they wanted to search the car and check deeper into the registration. That took an additional hour.

Even with the minor delays I have had I still thank the agents for their duty, USA and Canada agents. Never know when someone may be on the verge of having a bad day and being cheerful and friendly might make the difference.
 
Sac Arrow said:
However, him being an old man with a wrinkly bum, I would say that in any case, I would plan that the situation Depends.
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That was a lot of work to set up an awful joke... LOL.

comanchepilot said:
God forbid they actually have to work . . . customs is rife with idiot stories of guys who just want to sit in the booth all day and wave people through after the software tells them to
Click to expand...

I always feel safer when a computer is doing the job of security, don't you? :p hahaha.
 
Zeldman said:
No, I just noticed that it was a business jet with letters instead of numbers. And our speculation was that someone may have notified the customs office to suspect this plane or a passenger was on some sort of list. There was at least 10 guys and two dogs working the plane.

One year I bought a car in Anchorage and was driving back to New Mexico and they wanted to search the car and check deeper into the registration. That took an additional hour.

Even with the minor delays I have had I still thank the agents for their duty, USA and Canada agents. Never know when someone may be on the verge of having a bad day and being cheerful and friendly might make the difference.
Click to expand...

I guess you can say those sort of things are customary.
 
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