Flying into Canada

On 15-Mar-2004, "O. Sami Saydjari" wrote:

Exactly what, if anything, do I need if I want to fly into Canada?
Does the answer change if I want to land in Canada or if I am just
flying through their airspace? I expect to be on an IFR flight plan, so
I will already have a squawk code...if that helps.


First of all, the simple stuff. Discrete transponder codes are required for
cross-border VFR flights, but, as you correctly surmise, if you are IFR that
is not an issue. If you are just flying over Canadian airspace and not
landing in Canada, customs is also not an issue. However, if you use
Canadian ATC services (which are semi-privatized), you will later receive a
bill for a few bucks, payable by credit card.

If you want to land in Canada, you need to do so first at an airport of
entry, i.e. one with customs service. Canadian customs is really fairly
simple. Before departing the US (at least 1 hour in advance) call Canadian
customs at 1-888-226-7277 (888-CANPASS) to advise them of your intentions.
They will want to know stuff like the aircraft number, point of departure,
airport of arrival, ETA, number and nationality of occupants, etc. When
filing your US flight plan, under "comments" note that you will require
customs service. (This really doesn't do anything, but it's apparently
still in the regs.) When you arrive at the Canadian destination, ask ground
control for taxi to customs. (At uncontrolled fields, there should be
signs.) How customs is handled from that point seems to vary by location,
but the process is fairly painless and free. I strongly recommend that you
bring passports for all aboard -- not STRICTLY required for US citizens, but
makes things much easier. Customs will give you a registration number that
you should write down and keep in the airplane. This provides evidence of
clearance if any issues arise.

Unfortunately, returning to the US is not nearly as simple. First of all,
you have to alert US customs in advance where and when you will be arriving.
It has to be an airport of entry, but such a designation does not mean that
customs service will be there, even during normal business hours.
Furthermore, unlike Canadian customs, there is no central number to call.
Instead, you have to call the customs office at the airport you intend to
land at and negotiate a time of arrival. What's the phone number for that
customs office? You would think that the US Customs service would make that
information available online, but I've never found it. Fortunately, AOPA
members can find a complete listing at
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/guides/custaprt.html. This calling ahead
can sometimes be challenging because, as I noted, the customs offices at
smaller airports are often unmanned. Then, you need to arrive precisely at
the negotiated time, give or take a few minutes, to assure that the customs
agent will be there. File a Canadian flight plan, and be sure to check the
"ADCUS" (advise customs) box.

When you arrive for US Customs inspection, you will have to fill our two
lengthy forms. Customs charges an annual $25 fee for each airplane, for
which you get a very ugly decal that you are supposed to plaster on the
outside of your airplane near the passenger door. If you don't have the
decal, the customs agent will collect the $25 and you will be sent the decal
by mail for any future (same year) use.

The bill for Canadian ATC services will come some time later. For light
aircraft, the charges will typically be around US$13 or so.


--
-Elliott Drucker