Flight to Bahamas

Hankal wrote:

I live in SE florida and some of my pilot friends fly to the Bahamas. Now they
charge $15.00 per head just to land.

They've charged landing fees for years, but you can usually get around them if
you're (ahem...) creative with your "flight crew" (i.e. pilot, co-pilot, second
officer, navigator), etc. I can't remember us ever having to pay a pax charge over
there. :-)

Plus the hassle with customs and FSS.

Hassle? Haven't made the trip post-9/11, so I don't know what the norm is lately -
but it used to be that customs would only ask us to open a bag or two, would
sometimes ask for an estimate of how many US-registered planes were on the ramp at
our departure airport (I guess to get a gauge as to what their workload was going
to be later on), then told us to have a nice day and sent us on our way.

I've heard horror stories about customs ordering pilots to practically disassemble
the plane on the ramp, but for us they were always pleasant and professional.

Never saw anything in the Bahamas that I wanted.

You really should get out more often... ;-)

Great boating, diving, snorkeling, fishing, eating, island-hopping, etc. etc. etc.
Just a great place to get away from it all, plus the natives are really friendly.

All within an easy couple hours' flight from the US mainland. I'd go back tomorrow
given the chance.

--

GregR - Another Beemer Biker ...o&o

CA/IFR/BGI - KVNY

[This space for rent - inquire within]

You really should get out more often... ;-)

Great boating, diving, snorkeling, fishing, eating, island-hopping, etc. etc.
etc.

As I stated I live in SE Florida and we have great boating, diving,
snorkeling,fishing and eating right here. No need to take my hard earned money
over there. Besides I need it to keep my plane in the air.
Hank

Hankal wrote:

You really should get out more often... ;-)

Great boating, diving, snorkeling, fishing, eating, island-hopping, etc. etc.
etc.


As I stated I live in SE Florida and we have great boating, diving,
snorkeling,fishing and eating right here. No need to take my hard earned money
over there. Besides I need it to keep my plane in the air.
Hank

And you are packed like sardines in south Florida. My folks live in
Naples in the winter and I have driven thru the gretaer Miami metro area
during the high season. Go 150 mile east and you are virtually alone on
a miles long strand of beach.

And you are packed like sardines in south Florida. My folks live in
Naples in the winter and I have driven thru the gretaer Miami metro area
during the high season

You correct, I live 60 miles north of Miami. But the population has increased
also. All the folks from up north comming down. Houses used to sell for 80 to
90 K
Now they go for 300 and up. Guess the folks up north sell their houses for mor
than that and think they are getting a bargain. When I fly west I used to see
farms now the are building house next to the everglades,
Hank

Hankal wrote:
And you are packed like sardines in south Florida. My folks live in
Naples in the winter and I have driven thru the gretaer Miami metro area
during the high season


You correct, I live 60 miles north of Miami. But the population has increased
also. All the folks from up north comming down. Houses used to sell for 80 to
90 K
Now they go for 300 and up. Guess the folks up north sell their houses for mor
than that and think they are getting a bargain. When I fly west I used to see
farms now the are building house next to the everglades,

The snowbirds are not selling their houses up north. You'll notice
Florida gets deserted every April. They're all going somewhere.