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Flying a Super Cub from Alaska to Montana

D

Dave Roberts

Registered User
Eastern Montana
I have a friend that is planning on flying his Super Cub from Alaska to Montana sometime in the spring of 2011. I know some of you make the trip from Alaska to the lower 48. He is wondering what paper work he needs to get taken care of. There is no transponder or 406 Elt in the airplane. Also, which month would be generally the best? We are hoping April will be okay.

Thanks,
Dave Roberts
 
trans-Canada requirements

I've only done it once about 16 months ago, and I'm sure someone will add to or correct my information, but here it goes:

Register with e-APIS online, purchase a U.S. customs sticker online to put by the door, proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance, FCC Radio Operators License, Transponder is Required for the border crossings, file your flight plan on e-APIS before you enter Canada with a 15? minute window. You must be on a flight plan while in Canada. The Canada Supplement tells you everything you need to know about operations in Canada. I also filed a "Declaration of International Operations" with the FAA, but I'm not sure if this is a requirement for the transit. Oh, and don't forget everyone needs a passport now.

Like I said, you more experienced guys let me know if any of this is wrong.
 
Just did Anchorage to Atlanta in September. You've got to do e-APIS for USCIS and I suggest CANPASS for the Canucks http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/privateair-eng.html

Bottom line: Pray for good weather and be VERY proactive in communicating your route of flight, intended destinations, possible divert fields, and ETAs to both agencies. The Canucks were pretty laid back but want you to be + or - 15mins of your ETA. If you run into weather they expect you to communicate with them. Now try that flying 500'AGL trying to stay out of the goo while flying through the Canadian Rockies with no VHF reception, no cell phone reception, and not a lot of airports!
Oh yeah, fill out the Canuck gun form and prepay your "fine" if your packing a long gun. Don't try to bring a pistol.

Good luck,
KC
 
Oh yeah, there's no "best time" to fly. It can be gorgeous, crappy, or a both anytime of the year but June-Aug tends to be the best. SE Alaska is always a challenge but a viable option.
Watch the weather patterns a week before you want to go, plan the "minumum rocks route" through White Horse, and remember you only have too much fuel if your on fire......
KC
 
36 gallons and a head wind will be concerning. We flew the highway. Pretty easy and nice. Things are still very frozen in late april. Only real weather we hit was north of the Laird River into Ft. nelson.Gets flat if you follow the river but No ELT? At least a SPOT. We cleared Canada at Beaver Creek,phone call only. No other problems with canada.The US on the other hand was a bit more thorough at Kalispell. Dave chim in hear you did the paper work. I'd take those nifty 5 gallon gas containers from ABW. extra ten just might come in handy.
 
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My suggestion is to go the coastal route ie: Cordova, Yakatat, Sitka , Prince Rupert, Smithers, Williams Lk , Nelson BC and do customs at Porthill.
April would and should be good but like Forest Gump used to say "It's like a box of chocolates"

ps: no fuel at Prince Rupert
 
ckellems said:
Register with e-APIS online, purchase a U.S. customs sticker online to put by the door, proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance, FCC Radio Operators License, Transponder is Required for the border crossings, file your flight plan on e-APIS before you enter Canada with a 15? minute window. You must be on a flight plan while in Canada. The Canada Supplement tells you everything you need to know about operations in Canada. I also filed a "Declaration of International Operations" with the FAA, but I'm not sure if this is a requirement for the transit. Oh, and don't forget everyone needs a passport now.
Click to expand...

Ckellems covered it pretty well, I would just add to make sure the $1,000,000 coverage covers Canada ops, BOTH the aircraft and the airman need to have an FCC radio license, and there is an exemption you can file ahead of time for no transponder.

Mind you, I'm no expert. After daughter Allie's grad from USAFA in June, we flew up from Minnesota via the Alcan, back down through SE, skipping Canada. Caught the Johnson Creek flyin on the way home. Hope to do it again in the Bearhawk in a few years. Lots of great folks along the way.

Mark Johnston
 
ckellems said:
I've only done it once about 16 months ago, and I'm sure someone will add to or correct my information, but here it goes:

Register with e-APIS online, purchase a U.S. customs sticker online to put by the door, proof of $1,000,000 liability insurance, FCC Radio Operators License, Transponder is Required for the border crossings, file your flight plan on e-APIS before you enter Canada with a 15? minute window. You must be on a flight plan while in Canada. The Canada Supplement tells you everything you need to know about operations in Canada. I also filed a "Declaration of International Operations" with the FAA, but I'm not sure if this is a requirement for the transit. Oh, and don't forget everyone needs a passport now.

Like I said, you more experienced guys let me know if any of this is wrong.
Click to expand...

Been thru Canada to AK several times and i can't remember doing all the stuff referred to above. Go thru Porthill for customs and all they do is wave you thru. Never used a transponder or show FCC license, flight plans are optional if you can notify another responsible party so screw the Flight plan and carry a Spot because dodging weather is necessary. Canada has a real good perspective on flying and not as anal as US. File several e-Apis plans one for every option and just don't get there before your arrival time.
 
Flying Thru Canada

AOPA has a lot of good information on flying through Canada. Here's the link: http://www.aopa.org/members/pic/intl/

You need an ELT, but the old 121.5 ones are still OK. Canada requires a flight plan for every flight beyond 25 miles. It is pretty easy to do, and you should be doing it anyway. You can update your progress or get weather info on 126.7 in most places. Sometimes you may have to relay a message through another plane, but that works.

You need to do the eAPIS thing, or risk getting in some serious trouble including big fines. As long as you have the day of arrival covered you can update arrival time over the radio or by phone as you go. It is best to not be early if the customs agent has to come from somewhere else to meet you. It all sounds like a pain in the rear end, but it works fairly well in practice, at least most of the time.

I have never had to present a radio license or known anyone else who did. If you don't have one I wouldn't bother to get one for either yourself or the plane.

If you want to take a rifle or shotgun you have to pay a fee and register it when you enter Canada. It pays to download the form and have it already filled out when you get there. Here is a link to the form annd the info you need: http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/weapons_into_canada.asp

Forget about taking a handgun through Canada.

I would recommend against taking the coastal route. The weather is unpredictable and some of the distances can stretch your range to the max forcing you to fly into situations you may nto want to. BTW, the water is very cold. How do you feel about ditching in 40 degre water? Quite a bit of the coastline will not offer you a landing spot, especially if you are pushed low by weather.

Just my thoughts after 4 trips.
 
borders

Jerry Gaston said:
Been thru Canada to AK several times and i can't remember doing all the stuff referred to above. Go thru Porthill for customs and all they do is wave you thru. Never used a transponder or show FCC license, flight plans are optional if you can notify another responsible party so screw the Flight plan and carry a Spot because dodging weather is necessary. Canada has a real good perspective on flying and not as anal as US. File several e-Apis plans one for every option and just don't get there before your arrival time.
Click to expand...

Ya, I don't think anyone gets checked for the FCC license, and I received the same advice. The U.S. customs guys did carry some extra stickers for purchase upon re-entry. The Canadians searched my plane in Kelowna, and the Americans checked it for radiation. I guess I'm a pretty shady character. U.S. customs also wanted to see my current medical! Seems like they were a bit out of their lane.
 
I know the OP was an AK pilot mainly asking about paperwork, but since this has evolved a bit and others may look for other reasons...
Depending on your starting point in AK, I would make another vote for thinking of the coastal route or some variation on the theme as it gives you many options with weather. Once you arrive in Cordova, the beach is landable for much of the trip east until you get to the Alsek. From the coast you can head inland via the Alsek (to Whitehorse), the Taku (S. of Junea to Dease Lake) and the Iskut (near Petersburg to the Cassiar s. of Bob Quinn L. and then onto Stewart,BC) or from Prince Rupert along the highway.
On a recent trip south I stopped on the beach a couple times to reevaluate the weather before heading on. The line of sand and breaking surf also gives a good course line when vis is minimal. When I got to whitehorse, via the Alsek and Tatshenshini, there were folks that had been there for 5 days waiting to head toward Northway. They were still there waiting when I left.
As others have pointed out, from somewhere between the Alsek and Junea (is it Pt. Spencer?-dont have map handy) the coast becomes rocky and inhospitable. On floats there were plenty of protected bays, but on wheels the distance between landing sites is significant if you are pushing weather. The Trench, Cassiar and rail grade S. of Dease all have loads of unmaintained but useable strips to wait out weather or even for planned camping stops. Many of these may still be snow covered in April/early May. When the weather's bad it's nice to have plenty of landing options at hand, but if the weather's nice break out on your own trail - it's all beautiful country.
I guess a thought would be to plan on a route, but one will be much more successful if familiar with others to allow deviations for major weather patterns.
Glad to hear Porthill's nice for some. Patrol Guy and I had to deal with uptight individuals. If you're an upstanding citizen like Jerry, it would be a good place to cross given your lack of a transponder. Spokane has been very good for me with pleasant CBP officers.
I have not had or needed the radio station license.
CANPASS is helpful if everyone on board is registered ahead of time as it allows you to enter at many non-POA airports (such as Dease Lake). You would need to also preregister firearms to do this.
In the past I have entered eApis into the computer for the shortest possible time it would take me and then simply updated my arrival time and date by phone when I call ahead. This fall they were demanding that I update the eApis with at least the proper date of arrival before I land. As weather can cause significant variation in your trip across Canada, it is nice to have someone you can trust with your eApis password to update for you. Depending on where you go, not all airports have internet access.
When crossing into Canada from AK: 1. File eApis for departure 2. File and ACTIVATE your flight plan 3. Call Canpass
When entering Lower 48 from CA: 1. File eApis(if you didn't already from home) 2. File and activate flight plan - you will be given a squawk code unless you have addressed this... 3. Call US CBP at the airport of arrival. Have a list of the CBP numbers for a variety of airports. I had to change my arrival airport because of weather and even the CBP main operator couldn't tell me the number for the station at Porthill!!!
Good luck with the trip!
 
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I am more or less a flat land pasture flyer & have trouble not saying "10 -4 & good buddy" when talking on the radio , how ever I did just do a round trip, Kansas to Alaska to Kansas , in September. I like Jerry did not have the need for all that the other posters talked about. I did however make sure I had insurance coverage for Canada, but I do not have 1,000,000, and did file E- APIS on line & got my sticker for 25$ . Oh and for sure, had my pass port!!
Because I was unsure of my return date ,I called DHLS and was told that I could file for , lets say Sept 25th crossing and if I for some reason was a few days late, say Sept 30? , I'd be fine and did not need to refile. DHLS say I should also call the boarder stations and talk to them ahead of time . When I called and told them I was unsure of what day I'd be crossing both Northway, going up and Scoby Mt for coming home.both said not trouble. I crossed both at nortway and scoby a day or 2, or 5 off from my E-Apis and had no trouble at all, just told them the date I had filed for so they could look up my E-Aips . I did all my E-Apis fileing from Kansas before leaving.
This is not what AOPA has on their site but is how it worked for me. I don't think you could get by with a chang in crew or passengers from what you filed for.
Also even with E-Apis you still have to file a flight plan when crossing boarders and call boarder station 2 hr head of time!!
Also I think you can only file E-Apis 30 days ahead of time.
must me eazy caz I did it
Doug
 
Don't bring a gun it is a hassle. My port of entry was Lethbridge. They waived me on through with a number I wrote down. With a gun I would have had to wait for a customs agent. Canadian ATC is friendly and laid back. You can use your cell phone in the air to change your flight plans if you want. AOPA has all you need to know about flying through Canada.
 
Thanks for all the responses and information. This is what we were looking for.

This is a great group,
Dave Roberts
Montana
 
In 2010 Greg and I went up from Idaho at Port Hill. It is a grass strip. Don't arrive after 4:00. We had to spend an extra night.
http://vimeo.com/14915935


We did not do a Canada flight plan either way, other then one for crossing the borders. We felt that gave us more time to explore and land when and where ever we wanted without having to show up on time. What you need is a friends name and phone number. I have gone 8 times and never had a radio license. I don't recall proving I had insurance either?? I did have two hours of extra hassle having a gun at Lethbridge once. Had a gun this year and it was no problem.

On the trip back south, we stopped at Chicken, AK so that we could taxi up the road a mile to the cafe and park with the cars. We did the Canada customs at Dawson something, maybe Creek. It was a piece of cake.

Going back into the US at Montana, we used Scobey (guessing the spelling), anyway it is a hoot. It is also a grass strip that literally is on the border. I landed and taxied on the north edge, so not to cross into the US without the blessing. They told us that they only get 10 cars a day passing through. I ask how many airplanes? They said 10 per year! We were two, or 20% of the yearly trade.
http://vimeo.com/16032590

In the future, this is where I am going to cross.
 
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First, you will have more paperwork than you think, do eapis well ahead of time, as it is frustrating if you are not a computer guru... and put the username password where you can find it easily!!!!!!j

Transponder required, or waiver... get ahold of homeland security with a month to spare so that you can get a waiver if you do not have a transponder.

If just buying the plane, you CAN NOT fly with just a pink slip, if you just bought the plane, you need to either not change the registration until you get out of Canada, or, send your paperwork to one of the companies in Oak city and have them hand carry the registration through and send you a "fly-wire" by fax (used to cost about $75).

You will be showing your pilot license and medical, and passport. The little border cards are not legal for air travel (don't ask how I know), and aircraft registration

Use 888-CAN-PASS for canadian questions. hey are very helpful. If you want to carry rifle/shotgun, register ahead of time and pay with Credit card.

If you lose time, or make up time, call the customs folks on your last fuel stop before the border and give them a heads up. I have been able to change destinations and dates over the phone if I had an EAPIS on file... customs guys seem to realize that our small plane schedule is fairly fluid with weather.

Go the route with the best weather!!!!!!

No fuel in Northway! You need to call ahead to Sifton Air in Haines Junction for fuel there.

Customs will sometimes meet you in Haines, where there is fuel (but call ahead so they are available- fuel and customs)

As earlier stated, no fuel in YPR, so top off in Ktn, then you have to stop in YPR for customs, (cell phone with canpass). Often in april, the coast is balmy and clear!

Give a shout when you get close

George
 
Check Notams before getting fuel at Yakutat. There was no fuel for "purchase" at Yakutat in mid-Sept. Local 135 operators have some kind of say in who gets fuel when their supplies are running low. Consider calling a fuel vendor there before going if you need fuel.
 
Eaphis a must do! US customs decal or proof of purchase also.
I've never had to prove Insurance, or show a radio license.
I don't have a transponder and have never filed a flight plan in my Cub.
Canada's pretty friendly, trying to come home is when you're guilty of something,
They just need to figure out what.:evil:

Brad
 
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