Weather deviations through Mexico Airspace

[CX880]

Have you guys been inside any type Mexican ATC facility? Then you will know never to ask this question again.

There is one guy doing his laundry inside the radar scope, and there's a large box that resembles a communication device of some kind along with the binoculars so they can see.

 

[svcta]

Do what you need to do. Planning ahead goes without saying, but every now and then, you get dealt a crappy hand.

We had a 737 CA holding over a south FL airport, waiting for the destination to open, or the alternate, or any south Florida airport, for that matter. When nothing did, he diverted to Freeport (Bahamas). Nothing came of it.

Very different situation in my experience. The Bahamians are used to people coming and going in and out of their airspace. Miami handles the airspace over the Bahamas, as well, and routinely make hand offs to Bahamian approach controllers. Not the case with traffic near the Mexican border. Once you cross the Rio Grande you are essentially cut off from American controllers as a matter of policy, and they don't accept responsibility for you. The problem is that neither do the Mexicans unless you are on a flight plan to a Mexican destination and even then it can be less than seamless.

All that having been said, I agree with the spirit of your point. Do what you have to do to stay safe. However, I wouldn't make a turn to the south unless it was th ONLY way out.

 

[satpak77]

Bahamas is NOT Mexico. Trust me.

 

[Ty Webb]

Bahamas is NOT Mexico. Trust me.

Really? After 20+ years of flying on a commercial certificate, I appreciate you finally clearing that up for me. :laugh:

Hopefully, I would not not allow myself to get painted into a corner between cumulogranite, and non-Gringo airspace, but if I did, I know which one I would choose.

 

[satpak77]

Really? After 20+ years of flying on a commercial certificate, I appreciate you finally clearing that up for me. :laugh:

Hopefully, I would not not allow myself to get painted into a corner between cumulogranite, and non-Gringo airspace, but if I did, I know which one I would choose.

Your welcome, glad we see things the same way. Thanks for letting us know how many years you have been flying on a commercial certificate. Nobody asked, but hey, to each his own, we have all types on this board. Since you have 20 years+ flying on a commercial certificate, it should be pretty obvious to you then that landing in Freeport, Bahamas due to WX divert is not the same as landing in Mexico due to WX divert.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Capt Ty, divertin' for weather to land in Mexico because dispatch didn't pack on enough fuel and he aint hittin granite after 20 yrs on a commercial certificate.



Good to see you back Ty! Hope all is well!

 

[Ty Webb]

Thanks!

I've been lurking . . . . . Most of it seems to be the same conversations, only the names/places/small details change!

 

[Ty Webb]

Your welcome, glad we see things the same way. Thanks for letting us know how many years you have been flying on a commercial certificate.

To be more accurate- I've had a Commercial cert for over 20 years, but I have been actually been flying on an ATP for the past 11.

Since you have 20 years+ flying on a commercial certificate, it should be pretty obvious to you then that landing in Freeport, Bahamas due to WX divert is not the same as landing in Mexico due to WX divert.

I think we covered the Commercial thing . . . no one said landing in Mexico, the subject was deviating into Mexican airspace, but I would land there, too, if I needed to, as opposed to suffering a catastrophic airframe failure or high altitude upset in a CB. . . .

Since you seem so bound and determined to tell us all you know about Mexico, and how different it is than the Bahamas, don't let me stop you. :laugh:

My point, once again, was that do what you have to do. I would, however, be a lot more cautious over Cuban airspace. . . . or any place that ends in "_stan", although I don't personally have any experience in the latter (and don't care to have any, either).

 

[svcta]

I don't think that anyone ever claimed that a deviation anywhere precluded safety. The point was that a divert to Freeport is not the same things as a deviation in to Mexico. And it's a valid point.

Everyone agrees with you in regards to safety. That's not what this is about.

 

[NCherches]

I like to like to deviate to the Bahama's vs. landing anywhere in Alabama ... well at least some of the Bahaman Islands...