Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By G-SLOT
#1667684
I have asked this question of the good folks at AOPA USA but I wondered if anyone here knew the rules around flying a G-registered aircraft (light piston twin) in the United States.

I'm aware that one needs a US visa to enter the country by private aircraft (i.e. one cannot enter via the visa waiver scheme) but, once there, can I fly freely within the country both VFR and IFR? I'd be in the country for a couple of weeks before returning to the UK.

Other than (perhaps) an ELT, are there any specific equipment requirements? It'll be before ADS-B out becomes mandatory.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1667709
G-BLEW will be along shortly no doubt with the intacacies of entering and operating within the US in a G-reg aircraft.

Iceman 8)
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By Flyingfemme
#1667733
I, personally, wouldn't bother. The TSA want notice of each flight (when, where pax etc) and the joy of private aviation is that you can go where you want, when you want. Stick an N on the tail before the trip or rent when you get there.
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By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1667740
Flyingfemme, that was indeed the reaction that I got from Steven Day (who went to the US with G-BLEW in his G-reg PA46). On asking, he didn't elaborate, he just said "Don't".

Iceman 8)
By G-SLOT
#1667741
OK, so maybe it restricts a spur of the moment jaunt but can it really be that bad? How long in advance does one have to plan? I suppose I could fly to somewhere like Montreal or Toronto and continue the trip commercially or just plan to arrive and depart to/from a single location in the USA.
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By G-BLEW
Boss Man  Boss Man
#1667743
Hi

Brief comment as in a rush and it was a while ago…

At the time (prob still the same) a list of flights had to be submitted. The permission came back with the instruction that every flight needed to be IFR (and obvs on a flight plan).

- I am not entirely sure how connected their system is, so if you flew VFR I don't know if anyone would notice
- The controllers struggled with G-XXXX, and often referred to us as Canadian

To sum up, it's a pain, but the pain of compliance is forgotten long before the memories of the adventure fade.

HTH

Ian
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By Rob L
#1667842
G-BLEW wrote:Hi....
At the time (prob still the same) a list of flights had to be submitted. The permission came back with the instruction that every flight needed to be IFR (and obvs on a flight plan).

- I am not entirely sure how connected their system is, so if you flew VFR I don't know if anyone would notice....

To sum up, it's a pain, but the pain of compliance is forgotten long before the memories of the adventure fade....

Ian

(my snips in Ian's post above)

Ian, what about VFR-only capable aircraft (like the Silence Twister that Flyer reported a few months ago...or Colin Hales in his KR2?)

Shirley if you are ICAO compliant (which the above two weren't because they were on a Permit) then you could fly and just turn up (TSA requirements notwithstanding) ?
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By Flyingfemme
#1667853
Nope. All flights in have to inform the TSA beforehand and will be met and inspected. We had one flight where the ferry pilot used our company callsign instead of tail number (to help the Canadians send their airways bill to the right place). The callsign was "recognised" as British and the TSA didn't think to check the tail number and their list of informed flights. Pilot was met by many men in dark suits and black vans, carrying weapons. It was all sorted out but quite scary, I should think.
As G-Blew mentioned - all flights for "foreign" aircraft must be logged with the TSA and permission given beforehand - it used to take up to 10 working days to get the permission........that may have changed. We just don't do it; life's too short.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1667925
G-BLEW wrote:At the time (prob still the same) a list of flights had to be submitted. The permission came back with the instruction that every flight needed to be IFR (and obvs on a flight plan).


Hmmm... I wonder what would happen if suddenly the EU decided something similar was required for N-Reg flights in the EU...

:twisted:

regards, SD..