Weather deviations through Mexico Airspace

[NCherches]

On a trip about a year ago I was at 41,000ft near El Paso and really wanted to go 20 degree's right (south) for weather. This would have taken me into Mexico so Center deny'd me and cleared to deviate north to stay in US airspace. I ended up deviating about 75-100 miles further simply to stay in US Airspace.

Anyone been lucky in deviating through Mexico Airspace lately or is this still a 3rd-world challenge?

 

[GravityHater]

No. I was told once that to do so would require considerable coordination.....ie possible - but if there are alternatives available (I suspect even if you have to divert so far north you have to make a fuel stop) you aren't likely to see it happen.

 

[Cat3C]

as DH described - just too many things to coordinate. Not as simple as us/canadian airspace as I am told

 

[NCherches]

...yeah, US/Canada is a non-event. Heck I talk to Minni Center while overflying Canada at times...

 

[svcta]

This used to be a problem for me in my cargo/charter days out of ELP. It's safe to say that you will not be allowed to deviate south of the border. I don't know about high altitude but I know that there is no RADAR coverage at the lower altitudes around the bulk of the border so it's not as simple as a center hand-off.

It's painted me in to a corner before, for sure. Northerly deviations one time meant that I had to go 120 degrees to the left to get around a line. Going backwards to go forward because a right turn was not an option.

 

[satpak77]

1. There is absolutely zero radar coverage until above 20000 AGL (not MSL) along the border, with the exception of possibly Tijuana.

2. Mexico is not really up to speed on "transiting thru the airspace" type activity

3. Just to track them down and coordinate from Houston Center to Monterrey Center, etc is gonna take 10 minutes.

 

[ultrarunner]

I ended up deviating about 75-100 miles further simply to stay in US Airspace....

It's days like that I'm glad I'm traveling at 500 mph! Takes what, an extra 15 minutes! No worries!

Ultra

 

[NCherches]

...15 minutes is a long time when flying from AZ to Florida and you have to take a pee!

 

[svcta]

1. There is absolutely zero radar coverage until above 20000 AGL (not MSL) along the border, with the exception of possibly Tijuana.

2. Mexico is not really up to speed on "transiting thru the airspace" type activity

3. Just to track them down and coordinate from Houston Center to Monterrey Center, etc is gonna take 10 minutes.

No doubt. It's taken me 10 or 15 minutes to get Mexican controllers on the radio in their airspace.

 

[Ty Webb]

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.

 

[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.