Flying to the Dominican Republic in the Kodiak

Just here for the PR footage. MY @ss may be in Tejas, but my heart is in Isla Grande!

Dominican Republic does benefit from cheaper cost structure than PR, even though the flora is damn near identical. That's why places like Punta Cana are so popular with the anglos, tourist trap as it may be.
 
If you have the time and have made it that far, might as well start island hopping all the way to Trinidad.
 
Trinidad is the leader among the most GA-unfriendly jurisdictions in the eastern Caribbean.

PiperW said:
If you have the time and have made it that far, might as well start island hopping all the way to Trinidad.
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islandboy said:
Trinidad is the leader among the most GA-unfriendly jurisdictions in the eastern Caribbean.
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I kindly disagree, I found St Kitts to be the least friendly of all the islands I have flown and I have flown most of them over the past 5 years.

Now if you had stated Trinidad is the most expensive including the handler fees than the other islands, I would agree. I landed at POS in a PA24 in 2017 and found the experience to be nothing but pleasant. Stayed a day and night and flew out with no issues. Key here is having a decent handler which cost me about $300. Also, with the current issues in Venezuela, I would not travel past the island of Grenada.

St Kitts is a British island and absolutely a rude awaken every time I flew in there (10 times or more). Not only do they require the usual 3 in, 3 out general declarations and flight plan, they also require you to fill out an EAPIS. Makes absolutely no sense, skip St Kitts and land at the island of Nevis which is a delight and a short boat ride to St Kitts.

Fly to Grand Case airport, French side of St Marten. As easy as landing in any small airport in the USA.

Once I get established on this board, I will post pics and island recommendations of where to fly and not fly.

I am not being boastful, just willing to share my experience with folks heading that way.
 
Great Vid as always, Shamir. My ride's in Santo Domingo right now taking paint.

Shamir said:
Hey guys.

If you're looking for a cool spot to vacation in the Caribbean, Samana offers great hotels, food and airport fees are super low.

Here's my trip to MDCY from San Juan in the Kodiak.


Enjoy.
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If you need to make a fuel stop, say between PR and SE Florida, which would be the easiest and/or cheapest: Bahamas, T&C or DR?


Tom
 
cheapest: Bahamas, DR, TC, in that order....with TC trailing so far behind the other two it gets lapped twice.

easiest (for non-Spanish speakers): Bahamas, TC, DR (I'm assuming Puerto Plata here when I say DR).

In the end it all comes down to range. You need an honest 600NM range with IFR reserves when going east in order to bypass TC. My Arrow II doesn't have the IFR range for a DR to FL, or Bahamas to PR leg. I can do Great Inagua, but their avgas availability is all over the place and they're cash only, plus getting stuck AOG in Inagua is not my idea of a leisure trip. For those of us with short tanks, TC becomes a necessity if one intends to do the crossing without incurring a third leg (which incurs ATC overflight fees for the intl to intl legs). Which is why I won't do that bucket list trip until I have a longer legged airplane. Most people with 4 bangers and at least 60 gallons usable should be fine bypassing.
 
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hindsight2020 said:
cheapest: Bahamas, DR, TC, in that order....with TC trailing so far behind the other two it gets lapped twice.

easiest (for non-Spanish speakers): Bahamas, TC, DR (I'm assuming Puerto Plata here when I say DR).

In the end it all comes down to range. You need an honest 600NM range with IFR reserves when going east in order to bypass TC. My Arrow II doesn't have the IFR range for a DR to FL, or Bahamas to PR leg. I can do Great Inagua, but their avgas availability is all over the place and they're cash only, plus getting stuck AOG in Inagua is not my idea of a leisure trip. For those of us with short tanks, TC becomes a necessity if one intends to do the crossing without incurring a third leg (which incurs ATC overflight fees for the intl to intl legs). Which is why I won't do that bucket list trip until I have a longer legged airplane. Most people with 4 bangers and at least 60 gallons usable should be fine bypassing.
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Before I put on my tip tanks I had 86 gallons useable and would fly Florida to T&C, Osborne tip tanks gave me another 30 gals and I would fly from Florida to Aguadilla PR.

Bahamas there is no radar so careful of storms.
 
PiperW said:
Before I put on my tip tanks I had 86 gallons useable and would fly Florida to T&C, Osborne tip tanks gave me another 30 gals and I would fly from Florida to Aguadilla PR.

Bahamas there is no radar so careful of storms.
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Indeed. A comanche 250/260 with 86 usable gallons (stock 4 tank setup) would make it non-stop from FL to PR at 10gph (Arrow speed). Even a stock Arrow III/IV with 72 usable can make it on 8gph (archer speed). Legacy Mooneys with the extended cavity sealed would also be able to make it non-stop. The big draw for that of course is giving CBP the finger. No eAPIS, no customs stop, like the good Lord intended :D.
 
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