I want to fly to Courtenay from Nor Cal late spring. I am assuming that there are no customs available there. What is best bet for customs into Canada and back out.

Also is there anything like Air Nav for Canada

Tim

Comox CYQQ is an Airport of Entry.

FlightPlan.com has some good info on a lot of Canadian Airports.

I would clear at Abbotsford or Victoria first.

Courtney is downtown and super convenient, cheapest gas on the coast too.

Texada is a fun stop and I have a truck there if you need

Tim: triple check the gas. Canada doesn't have as many freeways to land on as the US.

Going in, first choice for customs would be CZBB, Boundary Bay Airport just south of Vancouver. GA airport, easy. Alternative is Victoria CYYJ, staffed by peckerheads that think they're JFK. YMMV.

Going out my pick would be KBLI, nice guys at customs, and the TWR there is friendly. Avoid Friday Harbor.

Comox is military and PPR. No avgas. All DND aerodromes are "PPR Only" so call ahead with 48 hours notice for permission to use this facility. NOTE: Since 9/11 permission for civil aircraft to use DND aerodromes has been routinely refused.

Courtenay is a sweet little airport. On the short side for non-backcountry pilots. Virtually in the center of town and with cheap gas.

Timmy,
Just leave your transponder off and go where you want!
Be sure to let us know how things went.

237

I was looking at Nanaimo CYCD for going in. Anybody do this.

Tim

Karmutzen wrote:Going in, first choice for customs would be CZBB, Boundary Bay Airport just south of Vancouver. GA airport, easy. Alternative is Victoria CYYJ, staffed by peckerheads that think they're JFK. YMMV.

Going out my pick would be KBLI, nice guys at customs, and the TWR there is friendly. Avoid Friday Harbor.

Comox is military and PPR. No avgas. All DND aerodromes are "PPR Only" so call ahead with 48 hours notice for permission to use this facility. NOTE: Since 9/11 permission for civil aircraft to use DND aerodromes has been routinely refused.

Courtenay is a sweet little airport. On the short side for non-backcountry pilots. Virtually in the center of town and with cheap gas.

The YQQ (Comox valley airport) website seems to indicate it is an accessible airport, but that only Jet A is available, and customs is "seasonal", whatever that means. The CAH3 (Courtenay airpark) website shows that it is a small public airport, 1800' x 60', paved. 100LL is about $6/gallon US, so about par for gas in the US, give or take. All very interesting. Not as interesting as the Courtenay I met at Princess Louisa in BC about 13 years ago--she was the sort that makes old men wish they were much younger!

Cary

Am I going to need a 406 MHz. ELT. From what I read it looks like I will.

Tim

qmdv wrote:Am I going to need a 406 MHz. ELT. From what I read it looks like I will.

Tim

No, you don't need a 406 ELT to visit Canada.

"Going in, first choice for customs would be CZBB, Boundary Bay Airport just south of Vancouver. GA airport, easy. Alternative is Victoria CYYJ, staffed by peckerheads that think they're JFK. YMMV.

Going out my pick would be KBLI, nice guys at customs, and the TWR there is friendly. Avoid Friday Harbor"

This is very solid advice, follow it and you will have an enjoyable trip. Remember to leave your guns at home.
There is nothing in Courtenay to fear, except maybe that one old lady but you can run faster than she can.

I've landed at Nanaimo once years ago, clearing in via Canpass. The flight service station (or whatever) people there seemed to think they were air traffic controllers-- they gave me plenty of direction regarding making my approach (which I didn't need), then watched me taxi right by the customs telephone area and all the way to the other end of the airport without saying a word. Having a little fun at a Yankee's expense, I guess. That was kind of annoying, but otherwise there was no problem.

You might know most of this, but perhaps our other members don't, so bear with me please.

File your eAPIS for departure, of course...
Check FAR 91.707 and Remember, not only do you need to file a flt plan when crossing the boarder, don't forget to OPEN it.
CanPass 1-888-CANPASS is a "one call does it all" for customs. I'd recommend departing from KCLM Port Angles Wa. ( Rite Bros Av FBO are great guys ). You can make sure everything is all set up with customs, get a "boarder crossing squawk code" open your flt plan, and cross the boarder.

Personally,... don't try to go through the Victoria/ Vancover area with out VFR flight following due to tons of float guys, and airliner departures/arrivals. The multiple airspace "shelfs" combined with clouds could make it quite unpleasant. Keep the flt following until you land.

CYYJ Victoria, or CYCD Nanaimo will make it easy for us "Yankees". Just say "unfamiliar", and they will take good care of you.
Don't expect to find VFR sectionals, or the Canada version of the US A/FD for sale at local FBO's, because they normally don't carry them.

CYQQ Comox? Your most likely not going to get permission to land there. Although they have acres and acres of ramp, they are not set up for civil GA aircraft other then scheduled airlines, and medevac flights. Forget Comox.

1-888-wxbrief for Canada FSS/weather. If your using a cell phone make that 1-866-541-4101 in BC. VFR flt plans are req'd up there.

Again, just tell them "I'm new up here". They will give you plenty of help. Super service up there in Canada. You will like it.

Don't forget the appropriate chart(s) for where you're going. I bought a Vancouver terminal area chart years ago, and there were some ATC lines on there that don't show up on the US sectionals.

Unless rules have changed recently, VFR flight plans are NOT required for flights in Canada, other than for the border crossings themselves.

You actually have three choices.

1) VFR flight plan with flight service. ICAO form, and used pretty much like in the US, except that when you file a proposed opening time, that's when it's going to be opened by FSS unless you open it sooner.

2) A broader flight notification, filed with flight service if you're going to be out for several days and not sure exactly when you'll be checking back in. You and FSS agree on how much past your check-in time you want before SAR is notified. I use this when I go to my BC property for several days at a time. I usually give myself an extra 24 hours in case wx is shitty.

3) A flight itinerary left with a "responsible person" who will notify authorities if you fail to check in. Again, you decide who to use, and when they should call FSS/SAR if you fail to show.

And, if your flights are less than 25 NM out, nothing is required.


Gump

GumpAir wrote:Unless rules have changed recently, VFR flight plans are NOT required for flights in Canada, other than for the border crossings themselves.

You actually have three choices.

1) VFR flight plan with flight service. ICAO form, and used pretty much like in the US, except that when you file a proposed opening time, that's when it's going to be opened by FSS unless you open it sooner.

2) A broader flight notification, filed with flight service if you're going to be out for several days and not sure exactly when you'll be checking back in. You and FSS agree on how much past your check-in time you want before SAR is notified. I use this when I go to my BC property for several days at a time. I usually give myself an extra 24 hours in case wx is shitty.

3) A flight itinerary left with a "responsible person" who will notify authorities if you fail to check in. Again, you decide who to use, and when they should call FSS/SAR if you fail to show.

And, if your flights are less than 25 NM out, nothing is required.


Gump

Thems are still the rules up here!

BladeRunner wrote:.....I'd recommend departing from KCLM Port Angles Wa. ( Rite Bros Av FBO are great guys ). You can make sure everything is all set up with customs, get a "boarder crossing squawk code" open your flt plan, and cross the boarder. ......

I wouldn't. Rite Bros are good people and they have a nice pilot lounge (if they're open), and fuel is available, but Port Angeles is about 40 miles west of the central Puget Sound routing most people are gonna be using. Going to P.A. first also means a 20 mile over-water flight to get to Vancouver Island, instead of following the shoreline and island-hopping your way there so that you are somewhat closer to dry land should a problem develop.
If you have to stop, stop at Pt Townsend-- Tailspin Tommys there has a pilot lounge, fuel, wi-fi, AND there's a great eatery (Spruce Goose Café). But I don't see why a special stop has to be made to file the int'l flight plan, e-apis, etc -- just do it from your final normal US stop, or from home if it's a one-day flight and you can get the ETA close enough.

HotRod...Well then I hope he stops in Port Townsend and has a cup of coffee with you. Sounds like Ol' Jefferson Co is quite a great little place. But, I didn't say a special stop was needed. He can do it from the South Pole if he wants to, or better yet, your airport.

Just be aware that Canada Customs require two hours notice. What I do now is give my best guess from my Southern Washington fuel stop (usually Kelso - nice guy and cheap gas) and then make a stop at Friday harbour or Bellingham to fill up and adjust time of arrival/wait.


Waiting two hours at Bellingham for a ten minute hop to Abbotsford sucks.

BCPilotguy wrote:

qmdv wrote:Am I going to need a 406 MHz. ELT. From what I read it looks like I will.

Tim

No, you don't need a 406 ELT to visit Canada.

On the other hand, it may be an incentive to get one installed, anyway. The older 121.5/243 ELTs aren't monitored by satellites, and the newer 406's are. Having a SPOT or other isn't a substitute, nor is a 406 PLB. Granted, there are potential issues with installed 406 ELTs, but the sooner one can be found, the better. With a 406, the chances of being found sooner are better, and the search area is narrowed down a lot.

Cary