So I was graciously invited by Oso Loco on a Baja trip in a few weeks. Any advice, cautions, recommendations, etc? The group I'm going with has been going for many years so they know the ropes well, but I wanted to ask what others experiences have been.

I'm also wondering about off airport landings in Baja. Any thoughts in regard to those for either landing near a gas station to get mogas or on a secluded beach, etc?

More interested in first hand accounts within the past few years. I've joined and read a lot on the Baja Bush Pilots web site and have Galen's Fly Baja book but that is about the extent of the knowledge I've gained. I do travel in Mexico on occasion but I've never flown myself or been to Baja. I'll take photos and give a trip report when we get back.

Just got back from flying my 206 to MMHO.
What do u want to know?

Check my thread in Trip Reports

Sierra Victor wrote:Just got back from flying my 206 to MMHO.
What do u want to know?

Check my thread in Trip Reports

Thanks SV, looks like a great trip and an excellent hunt. Bummer about the exhaust problems.

I'm looking more on information about flying in Baja, places to land, etc. It would also be good to know if landing on a say a beach is ok. We'll be flying along ht e Baja coast for nearly 500 miles so I'm sure I'll see some spots that would be fun to land. Also with only a few airports having fuel, it would be nice to know if there are any towns where I could land close a gas station and either taxi up to the pump or pack fuel back to the plane in fuel bags.

Also, any must see spots or places to stop along the way. We are going as far south as Lorretto. The only other place I've found with avgas on our Route is San Felipe.

Okay gotcha.
Not sure if u can land off airport....
U will have to be on a flt plan the entire time.

Are u going with Baja Pilots?

The flight plan thing seems like just a way for them to collect fees. From what I've been told, you file a flight plan and pay a fee. But you're not tracked and if you don't show up where your're supposed to, no one cares, and no one goes looking for you. We will be overnighting at some non-towered strips and no flight plans are needed to depart those, but the next time we stop for fuel at a controlled airport, Loretto in this case, and again at San Feleipe on the return, we'll be charged twice! Once for the flight plan for the flight we already took, and the other for the departure flight plan. That appears to be the only thing a flight plan is used for, a revenue generator. Maybe I'm wrong about that and someone can set me straight.

So how much freedom, or lack thereof do we have to depart from the standard point A to B flights and play along the way? I'm curious and hope to get some idea instead of lerning the hard way by doing something I shouldn't. Not that that gas stopped me before, though.

Sounds like you've done your homework.
You'll have a blast!
BTW the "fees" were numerous but i was surprised how inexpensive they were.
Take lots of fives [emoji57]

Going into San Felipe and Loreto bay won't be an issue at all. We have had planes depart out of San Felipe for support during races and they don't care if you go fly circles all day. If you do land somewhere without avgas, I'm sure it won't be a problem finding a local that sells gas by the jug. It is Pemex and not exactly going to be the best fuel but if that's all you have, it is what it is. Take cash.

Bdiazair wrote:I'm sure it won't be a problem finding a local that sells gas by the jug. It is Pemex and not exactly going to be the best fuel but if that's all you have, it is what it is. Take cash.

I would say take pesos as well as some US$. I've travelled a lot in Mexico, albeit by car not plane, and once you get off the beaten track it can be hard to use dollars.

Bdiazair wrote:... If you do land somewhere without avgas, I'm sure it won't be a problem finding a local that sells gas by the jug. It is Pemex and not exactly going to be the best fuel but if that's all you have, it is what it is. ....

A good argument for low compression aka low-octane-compatible engines.

Thanks for all the replies and great ideas/tips. Keep them coming!

Glidergeek also replied via PM since he wasn't able to post and he gave some great thoughts, too.

Should be a fun trip and not leaving for another two weeks.

Are you guys staying in San Felipe? If so, I have some contact info for a place down the road from the airport. It's a group of houses that are rented out when not in use. They are very nice and not expensive. There's also a place north of San Felipe called Petes camp, there's a guy that has an ultra light that he takes in and out of there. If you see him I'm sure he would be a good resource to find out where to go and where to get fuel. Also if you're a skydiver you can pay him to take you up as high as it will go and you can jump out and land on the beach!

Bdiazair wrote:Are you guys staying in San Felipe? If so, I have some contact info for a place down the road from the airport. It's a group of houses that are rented out when not in use. They are very nice and not expensive. There's also a place north of San Felipe called Petes camp, there's a guy that has an ultra light that he takes in and out of there. If you see him I'm sure he would be a good resource to find out where to go and where to get fuel. Also if you're a skydiver you can pay him to take you up as high as it will go and you can jump out and land on the beach!

Thanks for the tip and offer. That would be great and you never know, we could always get delayed in San Felipe for weather on the return.

We are staying at Alfonsina's mostly with one night at Hotel Serinidad near Mulege.

Not sure about the jumping thing. Looks like fun, but.... Never tried it though.

Blackrock
Take plenty of pesos, arange with your local bank for the exchange. Take plenty of smaller denominations because they don't like to make change down there, he prepared for them to round up .
https://www.google.com/search?q=exchang ... 20to%20MXN.

Acquire a Mexican insurance policy thru your ins broker, should cost about $100, make sure you have a US custom sticker for the side of the plane, ID plate on the left lower rear of your plane.

I like to check in through San Felipe myself, upon landing if you're going to fuel tell them at the tower and they will instruct you to taxi to the fuel pumps. Don't be surprised when the guys in uniform walk up to your plane and their guns are taller than they are. They most likely will want to look inside your plane. Make sure you leave any guns and ammunition at home. Don't be surprised if they make you take all of your luggage cooler and everything out of the plane to inspect, Sometimes they do sometimes they don't. In the terminal there is looks like a traffic lite red and green and a button to push for inspection, don't touch it unless instructed to.

One year multi user fee is about $110, Single trip user fee is $110. You can buy one of the other, if you buy a single year you're covered for all year. If you buy a single trip you're only covered for the Single trip for the same amount of money will make more sense to buy the multi use permit. You will need a passport of course, pilot license, medical cert, aircraft registration, airworthiness cert. Make copies of these items before you walk through the door, when you do provide them with the originals and the copies you will get smiles from them.

Landing fee is about 10 bucks, Visa I think is about $27, flight crew does not have to buy a visa Will try and bullshit you though. I forget how much but I think a flight plan cost about $50. You have to file to an airport that is "open" that means they have paid their fees and have a permit to operate. Where you buy your flight plan there's a map on the wall that shows all the open and permitted airports in green. Ask but don't tell him that you might be going to a closed airstrip. One of my favorites is called Alfonsino's at Gonzaga bay. About 90 miles south of San Felipe. Restaurant motel and some camping, for the motel it is like a, let me see nice Motel 6. Cost about $90, Cantina and restaurant has very good food mostly seafood plenty of booze n beer.

Airstrip is about 2800 foot long by 75 wide, North south, at high tide over 12 foot it will be covered with seawater. Suggest landing there more than four hours after the tide uncovers it so that it's dried out. Dries quickly and it's hard as a rock. I'd refer to a tide chart for San Felipe area. Go to my photo Library you'll see
some photos from back in about 1999 my old 170 parked up against the motel.

Just to the south of Alfonsina's is a airstrip called Rancho Grande there is a store on the West End and a Pemex gas station on the north side of the airstrip. They sometimes have gas and diesel there. There is a yahoo group called Alfonsia's and I put in a question as to if they have gas there lately. I'll let you know when I get a reply. This place is pretty cool too they have palapas on the East End of the airstrip right on the Bay for camping you can pull your plane up right next to the palapa I think it's about $10 per night. This strip is not affected by the tides. Camping is primitive but they have showers and drinking water at the store. Filtered drinking water in Mexico is pretty safe, avoid drinking tap water and any other source that has not been filtered.

A Little further south is a airstrip at Punta San Francisquito, I haven't been there in years but when I did go there I had a great time, A little fishing village right on the Sea of Cortez. No gas but if you fuel up at San Felipe or Rancho Grande you will have enough gas to make it to Mulege or Loretto.

The next place I've been to that I would recommend highly is called Hotel Serinadad (sp) great airstrip hotel, pool, great dining, pig roast on Saturday nights. Reasonable prices, great accommodations. No gas on field but a Pemex close and they most likely will help u get there and back.

Expect everywhere you go to see a humvee loaded with short little Mexican federalies with guns that are taller than them stopping to check you out and wanting to see your paperwork. They will be looking for your flightplan and most likely your pilots license. Doesn't matter what your flight plan says you just Gotta have a valid one in possession. They will write your information down on the log may be poke their head in your airplane and then they will leave you alone. Expect a language barrier.

As far as landing off the field, I would avoid it's a long walk home.
PM if you need more info. Bush Pilots international is a good resource also, they have a eAPIS registration plan that is free I have never used it but it's supposed to be quite the thing to use.


Russ

Thanks Russ, That is excellent information!

Mike

More info from the yahoo group at alfonsinas and a short video from the last time I was down there. The motel is at the end of the strip it is red. Wish I could join you guys I just had a surgery yesterday and not sure I'll be airworthy in 2 weeks.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/92735867[/vimeo]



I got an email from Barney and he said that a C182 would not have any trouble getting to the palapas from Rancho Grande’s strips. He said they also had done a super job on the airstrips. So it sounds like all is OK down there.
Bruce

Glidergeek wrote:More info from the yahoo group at alfonsinas and a short video from the last time I was down there. The motel is at the end of the strip it is red. Wish I could join you guys I just had a surgery yesterday and not sure I'll be airworthy in 2 weeks.

I got an email from Barney and he said that a C182 would not have any trouble getting to the palapas from Rancho Grande’s strips. He said they also had done a super job on the airstrips. So it sounds like all is OK down there.
Bruce

Thanks Russ, Good to see what it looks like; beautiful spot. Fixed the link.

Thanks Mike hernia surgery yesterday, the Norcos are working and a crotch full of ice is making it tough to do things right

Russ, hope you get well rested so that heals up good. I'll bring back photos for you as entertainment. Maybe some videos, too.

Glidergeek wrote:Thanks Mike hernia surgery yesterday, the Norcos are working and a crotch full of ice is making it tough to do things right

I've had two of them so I feel for you brother.
Second time wasn't so bad as I knew what to expect, but no one told me before the first one that my balls would be black & blue and extremely painful for a week or so.

Blackrock,

Just a couple recommendations.....

I would avoid the same time frame/weekend that Baja Bush Pilots does their Whale Trip..... Feb. 25 - 28 this year. They have a tendency to over tax most all of the services; customs...both getting into Mexico and getting back into the US, fuel, hotel rooms..... with the number of rigs their trip brings in and out all at once. Sometimes takes a couple weeks after for San Felipe to get fuel after a BBP trip weekend. I have also seen US entrance customs backed up for hours at Calexico on a BBP return day.

You will need Pesos to pay for your official Mexican Fees: Entry, Flight Plans, Fuel at airports... They used to take US dollars, but they are not suppose to now. Most all other normal things can be paid for in US cash, you just have to watch the conversion rate they are giving you. Should be in the 15 pesos/dollar range.

You do not have to have a separate Mexican Insurance rider, that used to be the case..... now if your US Insurance lists Mexico as covered territory, which most of them do, that is all Mexico requires.

The biggest thing to be sure to have in order is your US EAPIS account and exit and re-enrty filings in place. Kind of a cumbersome web-site, and multiple pages of entry requirements. Biggest thing is do not come back into a US entry airport without your EAPIS entry filing in place for that day. They say there is a $5000.00 fine if you show up with out it being filed properly...

It is said that landing off approved landing sites is not allowed, biggest problem would be if Federalies showed up with guns and you had to try to get them to understand why you were there.

Seems like every time you go into Mexico, something is a little different than the last time you went, or how you were told it would be, but just keep a smile, and you will get through the process.

It can be a very enjoyable place to travel in our little bug-smashers...Enjoy!

NVflyer.....Dave