The International Cessna^® 170 Association

With the article in the last C170 magazine discussing the flight from Alaska through Canada, enroute to Texas (still waiting on the second part), I thought this would be relevant.

Another group I belong to, Baja Bush Pilots (http://www.bajabushpilots.com/ ), recently highlighted a proposal by homeland security to change procedures and requirements for private aircraft leaving and entering the US.

Under the proposed change, pilots would be required to verify travel documents of each passenger, electronically submit detailed information on each passenger 60 minutes prior to intended departure, and await approval prior to departure.

While the concept of letting DHS vet who is aboard inbound and outbound aircraft is good, the specific implementation poses issues for pilots flying to Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Reliable access to the Internet is more challenging than finding fuel in many airports, especially in Mexico. The amount of traffic could easily overwhelm DHS, resulting in travel delays.

I’m all for DHS getting the information they need to vet pilots and pax, I just prefer a more practical method be devised.

I’d respectfully suggest that any pilot who flies internationally, or ever hopes to fly internationally, read the proposed rule for them self, draw their own conclusions, and comment if they so choose.

The proposed rule is:
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/eAPI ... 091107.pdf

Instructions on how to comment on the proposed rule are here:
http://www.bajabushpilots.com/news-pop.php?NewsID=207

AOPA's article about this matter at:
http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/arti ... 6rule.html

Comments about the proposed rule may be made to:
http://www.regulations.gov

14 PAGES - THREE COLUMNS WITH ALL THE HIDDEN "BURACRACYESE" THEY CAN STUFF IN IT. IT NEEDS A LAWYER TO DEFINE.

BOTTOM LINE - THEIR CRITERIA - -LETS MAKE JOBS FOR OURSELVES AND HELL WITH CITIZENS AND THEIR RIGHTS. PEOPLE, IF WE LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS S###T CARS BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS WILL BE NEXT AND IT WILL COST TAXPAYERS MILLIONS MORE THAN THEY GET IN THESE "HIDDEN USER FEES". NOT THAT IT MATTERS TO THEM BUT THIS IS A BOONDOGGLE OF ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS.

CALL, WRITE OR E-MAIL YOUR REPS!!

I agree Flyguy - I have a major issue with the concept of having to get permission in advance from the government to leave the country.


...and why only airplanes? They don't have similar requirements for boats or cars...yet.

It sounds a lot more like old Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia, than the United States I love.

If they were only as thorough when it came to letting people in...

The good news is they have over 300 comments so far. They rarely get even triple digits for comments. So, if you disagree with the rule, I would definitely comment on it.

If you're flying around England, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Mann (those are separate countries), there's a routine like this. You have to phone in or FAX your passenger manifest some number of hours before the flight. I think it's 24 hours, but my memory is fuzzy on that. After landing on an international flight, not only is there customs and immigration, but you also have to check in with Scotland Yard, to whom you sent the manifest. This was started in response to IRA terrorism. I'm not sure if the terrorists always comply with these regulations, but the honest people do.