I see there are some guys on the site that head South for the winter. Do you guys take your plane? Can anyone describe the procedure for flying into Mexico or possibly farther South? Also, do you have to stop right at the border for customs or can you get a little farther South before you stop? With all the BS going on near the Border I'm not sure I want to chance loosing my plane. I have a timeshare at Puerto Penasco too and I have never been there yet. I was thinking of flying down this winter, maybe just keep going!

When I was in ground school there was a class that someone was teaching on how to fly South of the Border. I cost a lot! Wondering if it is really that complicated.

Jerry

I've been down there a bunch of times in various airplanes. What type of aircraft do you fly? I would not take a 200 series Cessna down there now as these airplanes are in high demand by the contrabandistas (the druggers) and they will stop at nothing to take them. If you are serious to actually make the trip to down there, I highly recommend you buy a membership in the Baja Bush Pilots so you can access their complete site where you will find out everything you need to know. www.bajabushpilots.com
Phil

Thanks Phil, I'll check that out. I have a Cessna 175/180 Avcon conversion.

AOPA has a ton of info on their site as well as mucho input from folks flying down there in the AOPA Forum. They have checklists and procedure lists. Rocky Point should be a piece of cake. The Utah Backcountry Pilots fly down there each year as well.

Hey Leemer, I'll check it out too. Thanks

Great question, I'm crossing over too & had a few questions about it. Going to fly chase spotter for a Trophy Truck in tthe Baja 1000. The helicopter company will take care of all the details, but I'm curious what to expect.

I was in Baja a few years ago in the 182 and lost my passport, mexican insurance, flight plan and just about everything. Did not discover this tell we got to Hotel Serenidad when the local army child with an automatic weapon asked for it. I was scared crapless.

I got ahold of Baja bush Pilots and they called San Felipe (airport of entry) and they got copies of everthing faxed to the hotel. They gave it all to me and that made the army child happy. I wonder what would have hapened had I decided to save the 35 bucks and not joined BBPs. Also lost most of my money and Jack offered to loan me a handfull of cash if I needed it. I know we are not supposed to be telling folks to visit other sites but in no way would I go to Mexico without a BBP card in my wallet. They saved my ass.

Tim

Took you guys advice and joined both Utah Back Country Pilots (they have cool stickers) and Baja Bush Pilots. Tim, thanks for the heads up on BBP. They sell Mexican charts, insurance and everything. Looks a lot easier than I was led to believe. I think the school wanted $400 for a class on how to fly there.

wow, if your bird is worth any kind of $ at all, mexico is worse than east L.A....why not take the cash and go somewhere fun and clean, minus the nutballs of mexico! a few of my employees have lived in mexico, and after getting the real picture, no place i need to be! have been involved in a few baja m/c races there, and they were o.k....

Gotta have a passport, everybody. Gotta file a flight plan. Gotta make your first stop in Mexico at a Port of entry. Gotta pay a landing fee usually $8. Gotta have your insurance papers showing coverage in Mexico (if your insurance does not say that you have liability insurance coverage in Mexico you can buy extra insurance from your agent that covers you there or from Baja Bush Pilots), airplane registration, airworthiness cert, pilot's lic and currant medical cert.

Gotta buy a Mexican airway fee $50 per trip or you can apply for a full annual fee first time going in same price. Gotta buy a Visa good only for that trip used to cost $22.50 per person you surrender it on the way out. Then you gotta buy a flight plan to your destination (thinkin $30)....first stop after the port of entry has to be an approved airport....means that airport or airstrip has bribed, I mean paid there taxes...I mean fees to the Mexican government. Say for example one trip down we wanted to go to Punta De San Franciscito is what I told the flight plan person, she looked on her list, "oh no senior you can not go there they have not paid there taxes" she said. "ok we will go to Gonzaga Bay instead" I replied and moved onto the next money taker.

Oh I forgot don't be surprised about the green light red light thing in the terminal (might not be using that anymore) when you get into the terminal they push a button and if it goes red you have to empty the plane and bring everything into the terminal so they can look into your bags. A real bitch when it's 110 out. Tipping used to be encouraged.

Almost every where you land from then on you will be met by the child soldiers (I like that one) you must have you paperwork with you and they will ask for it they for the most part don't speak any English, give them sodas. They will be 5' 2" tall and there guns are about 4' 8". After that you must have fun to make up for the bull shit.

On the way out you are supposed to stop again at a Port of Entry (any Mexican PoE unless you're leaving from one) they look at all your papers you turn in your visa pay landing fee $8 (unless you're a twin engine)? Hope they've got a computer so you can file back into the states you must file back don't show up unless you have, unless you're running from something more lethal than our feds. Your next stop has to be at a U.S. Port of Entry, you will have to either have a $25 customs sticker (good for the year) on your plane or be ready to buy one & you gotta be on time.

I've had a lot of fun down there only made 8-10 trips, nothing is any cheaper down there anymore. Food, lodging, fuel, booze and everything else is about the same as here. The cost per trip for "FEES" and fun to me isn't worth the potential for disaster if you F up or have "bad luck". Down there if you mess up you go to jail and they ask questions later if somebody doesn't steel your plane. Here in the U.S. if you mess up at least they ask questions first then you go home.

I have heard that same story from several other pilots and the common theme is "FEES". Also there is no way I could get a good nights sleep while worrying about if my plane would still be at the airport in the morning. For the guys who think planes are just another insurance claim thats one thing........... I spent wayyyyy too many hours building mine to have it get ripped off. .

Altho they would no doubt kill themselves on take off with it.

Ben.

Yea, I know about the "fees". My brother and I rode our motorcycles down Baja and then took the ferry to Mazatlan a few years ago. We rode down to Burger King one day from the hotel and the manager came out and was talking bikes with us. He had a new Haybusa. He said every Sunday there were a bunch of guys around there that went riding and invited us along.

We were leaving Friday so he told us a great canyon nearby so we headed up there. Well, neither one of us had taken our papers but we did have the stickers they make you put on your bikes. We went about 30 miles up in the mountains and it was great. My brother was getting worried so we headed back.

When we went up we passed what looked like an agricultural inspection station but no one had us stop. I was thinking we should just drive around it on the way back. Well, we were driving by and got flagged over. This large guy in a yellow shirt wearing a gun came over and asked for our papers. I speak enough Spanish just to get in trouble so I explained the situation and offered to stay while my brother went to the hotel and got them. He just kept shaking his head and saying "this is bad, this is very Bad". He told us there was a large fine and asked how much money we had. While he was saying this he kept rubbing his thumb and fingers together and explained his boss will need some money if we were to leave.

I explained we had about three dollars between us. He started yelling at us so I gave him the $3. He gave me a look like he just got screwed in a poker game and told us to get out of there. I guess you can't blame him for trying. I myself love Mexico.

I guess I have a different opinion on traveling to Baja. We have had a place in southern Baja since '85 and we have spent the winters down there since '97. Yes, 200 series planes are at risk, my '77 T-210 was stolen in '04 and the following Jan thieves tried to steal the 185. They siphoned fuel out of a Cherokee 6 that was parked next to mine and topped me off. DO NOT RELY ON LOCKS TO DISABLE YOUR PLANE!!!!!! Insure your plane for actual replacement value. I have had radios stolen out of a 206 while parked on the ramp in Mammoth Lakes, no place is totally safe, just like life.

Clearing customs in Baja is easier than in Canada. While you may not be inspected in CA, they are serious about not bringing in any undeclared merchandise, liquor, or guns. Baja is much more relaxed except for drugs or guns, duh. The "child soldiers" that look at your papers are just doing their job and have never hassled me over anything. As a tourist vs a resident lke me, you won't be taking anything into the country to worry about. I often bring in solar panels, tools, etc and so far, no problems, and this is after well over 100+ flights.

Your first stop in Baja must be an AOE but after that you are pretty much free to land at any airport. I seldom file a flight plan to my actual destination unless it is another AOE. I know before I fly south what airports I will visit and if they are operational. I don't care if they are "officialy" open just whether or not they are not closed. (Different than not registered). Fuel is only available at an AOE unless you get jugs of mogas. BBP is a very helpful organization and I get my Mex insurance thru them as an additional thank you for their efforts on our behalf.

We will be crossing into Baja about Oct 26th and look forward to another great winter and will return to the US in the spring. So if you have a little curiosity how others live and have common sense, come on down. PM me if you think you will head south of Loreto.