This was a VFR flight (as my IFR had lapsed). VFR should be simpler in some ways (you can fly without being vectored all over) but daunting in other ways (do you know for sure you got ALL the restricted zones?)
I had a knee board done up so that I can have a checklist of what to remember for US flying and all the frequencies all the way to destination (from my notes from my previous IFR flights. (I'll share that kneee board on the blog once I get it updated from this flight.)
Same drill (see my previous blogs for more details)...
- File eApis the day before
- File flight plan in Canada to US portion of the flight the morning of (with Canada)
- File flight plan for the US portion of the flight on the morning of (with US)
- Call customs at Alex Bay to tell them that you are arriving the next day at Watertown and give an ETA
- Get the NOTAMs, weather to expect, printed copy of the flight plans and eAPIS
- Depart
Once you land...
- Land (uncontrolled airport which is not busy so you'll have to figure out what the active runway is)
- Don't get out of plane till the customs officer comes
- Make a phone call to the US number to close your first leg of the flight plan
- Depart
- Open your flight plan on frequency (I had this written down as I had asked them for the frequency)
- Get flight following all the way there
- REMEMBER TO CLOSE THE FLIGHT PLAN (even towered airports won't close it for you - you'll need to call them to close your flight plan)
Flight back...
- File eAPIS at least two hours before (I did this before I departed knowing when I was going to leave) (the only nuance is to remember to select the closest customs airport for arrival airport, but where it asks for the specifics you can put in your non-customs arrival airport)
- Call Canada customs with CANPASS details (at least two hours before)
- Call to file US-Canada flight plan
- Ask for flight plan to open in X minutes (even towered airports don't open or close it automatically in the US, you'd have to tell them to open)
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