pilotviolin said:
The boss wants to go to Grand Cayman, lucky me. We are coming from the NW. This is my first time so a couple questions come to mind. Do we need hf, life rafts, cuba overflight permit? What about coming back to Texas? tsa waiver? Good fbo, and customs on both sides? Anythings I missed? We are flying the beechjunk over, so it shouldn't be too long of flight as long as the engines don't flame out.
No HF is not required or needed
Liferafts not only required, but why would you want to make a flight like this without one? Also, make a contingency plan for loosing your pressurization system or an engine.
No Cuba Overflight required, but you'll have to fly around their airspace, and I don't know that you'll want to do that because it will add an additional 45 minutes (at least) to the flight. Easiest way is to call BaseOps, Universal, or whoever and get the overflight permit. You'll also get a bill at a later date for Commuications. That'll be a bill for talking to the folks in Cuba enroute. Get the OVERFLIGHT permit.
No TSA waiver is required from the Grand Caymans and don't let anyone tell you differently. TSA will issue you a waiver to fly from Dallas to Austin if you call and ask them to, so just becasue someone says it's required does not make it so. Call NBAA or TSA directly if someone tries to sell you a TSA waiver. A piece of advice would be to apply for a blanket TSA waiver so it will not be an issue if you do go someplace it is required. You'll already have it. Regardless, you can apply for all of this on your own, and I would not pay someone to do it for you.
Since this is your 1st time going over, use a handler. Pay attention and in the future you can make the arrangements on your own. Customs is easy on the Grand Cayman side, just make sure you let them know you are coming, and I think they go home at 10pm local. As for coming back to the States, if you do not have a Custom's overflight permit, you'll have to stop at the 1st point of entry and clear customs. You can get a waiver, but it takes a few weeks, so get on the ball. You can get a 1 time permit, or you can get a blanket waiver. Get the blanket waiver and you wont have to apply again for a year I think it is and you can enter the states all you want without stopping at the 1st point of entry for customs. If you are able to get the permit, send a fax to your local customs office 5 days before your expected arrival letting them know your plans, and follow it up with a phone call. Also, if you return on a Sunday, call Friday afternoon (early) and confirm your meeting with them and give them any access codes they'll need to enter your facility if that is applicable. If you are coming back during the week or on a Saturday, call them the day before and confirm your meeting. Also, and this is a big deal, get the pager/cell # of the agent that is going to be on duty when you return. No need to call them the day of unless you are going to be late or early. Arriving 15 minutes either side of your ETA is prudent, as you do not want to keep them waiting. Finally, if you show up and the agent is not there, DO NOT get off the plane unless it is on fire. Have the line guys hook up a GPU, but do not get off plane just because he is not there. You'll be looking for trouble if you do, especially since they don't know you.
One last thing I learned, when you fax them a week before, include a completed Custom 178 form. You can get an Excel or Word (I have them both and can send them to you if you need it) based form and use your computer to fill it out and fax it. Keep that form and have it on the airplane with you (he may or may not want it, but probably will), and the only thing that should be blank is the Time of Arrival and Departure, which you will fill in by hand once you arrive or the agent will fill it out. The rest of the form should be neat and complete. If you have someone on the ground that can be a contact, use that person. Have them call the agent 2 hours out and let them know everything is on time and confirm the meeting location. Also, give the groud contact a copy of the 178 form and he can give it to the agent once he arrives. If they have that form in advance, they dont have to call in and see who's been naughty or nice. Have that ground contact meet the agent and be sure to offer him free softdrinks, snakcs, ect. Also, I would make sre if he has to wait the customs agent has access to private high speed internet service, even if you have to let him sit in at someone desk. I'd just make sure he knows it available to him to use if he would like. You'll also need GenDecs (General Declarations) that have to be filled out by each family (not family memeber), so the pilots and each family will need to fill one out. Your flight planning service can give/sell you the forms before you leave the states, which I would suggest. Have them filled out before you arrive back in the states, so be sure to have extra pens on board. That is all I can think of, but if you need anything else or have anymore ?s that I did not cover or someone else did not cover, PM me and I'll send you my email or PH #.
Everyone does it differently, but I have found the above description will keep you out of trouble and you'll spend a minimal amount of time with the customs agent and your folks will be on their way with minimal interruption. Good luck.
