Hello, my name is Ben Lovegrove and in this video I'm going to list 10 tips for private
pilots flying to the Bahamas from the USA.
This list was written by AOPA Technical Editor Jill W. Tallman and is reproduced here with
her kind permission.
Jill is an instrument-rated private pilot who owns a Piper Cherokee 140.
In the description below this video you'll find a link to her article on the AOPA website
where you can read more articles of this type.
This advice is aimed at US private pilots making the crossing from the US mainland.
The Bahamas loves general aviation pilots. And pilots love going to the Bahamas. It’s
a short flight from the Florida coast over the Atlantic Ocean that transports you to
beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, and so much more. A Bahamas flight requires a
certain amount of preparation, but with these tips you can make your trip without too much
stress.
1. Start gathering paperwork now. No matter when you think you might make the trip, it’s
never too soon to start gathering paperwork for the pilot and the aircraft.
Is your passport current?
Customs Sticker: These are valid for one calendar year. Order one at the start of each year
and it’s ready when you are.
Station License (airplane). This is valid for five years.
Restricted radiotelephone operators permit (pilot). This is valid for the holder’s
lifetime.
2. Beg, borrow, or rent. Life vests are a requirement for every person in the airplane.
Jill borrowed two from a colleague who had made numerous trips over water. He also had
a softcover copy of the Bahamas Pilot’s Guide, which Jill also borrowed, even though
she had downloaded it to her iPad.
A backup is always good. Jill rented a life raft (not required but a good idea) from Banyan
Air Services at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport for $35 per day, and considered it
cheap insurance.
3. Go with other pilots. During her first crossing as pilot in command, Jill wanted
the comfort of traveling with other pilots, some of whom had made the over water trek
and some who hadn’t. It’s great to be able to compare notes before and after flights.
4. Plan your exit strategy. You can depart from any airport within range. Jill chose
Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport because of Banyan Air Services, the fixed-base operator.
Banyan is known for its expertise in Bahamas travel. Why not launch from a place where
you have experts on hand for last-minute questions?
5. Set up eAPIS in advance, at home, with good Wi-Fi. Create your Electronic Advance
Passenger Information System (eAPIS) account well in advance; a confirmation email with
activation key from US Customs and Border Protection can take as long as a week.
6. File your eAPIS manifest and notices of departure/arrival in advance, at home, with
good Wi-Fi. Similarly, don’t leave it to the day of departure to complete the eAPIS
manifest or notice of arrival or departure. You can file this well in advance; the cutoff
time is one hour before the flight. Filing it as early as you can gives you a little
extra time to breathe while you prep for the flight.
7. Brief and practice ditching strategy with your passenger(s) in advance. Who will be
in charge of the life raft? Who’s going to hold the satellite phone? Do you have a
tool to break aircraft windows? Review ditching videos and articles at home before the trip.
8. Fill out Bahamas Customs forms online. Use the link below this video to prefill in
a Form C7A with everything except your time of arrival. Print out four copies; this saves
you from having to make duplicates when you arrive in the Bahamas at your airport of entry.
9. Speaking of forms... There are forms, forms, and more forms - not to mention receipts.
Jill brought a single folder to carry these items; next time she plans to use a thin binder
with pockets.
10. Know your position. Freeport’s Grand Bahama International Airport is a towered
airport but does not have radar. VFR and IFR pilots may be requested to give a position
report. Arriving at Freeport, Jill and her companions were prepared to give radial and
distance from the ZFP VOR, and they were watching their position relative to other fixes on
the Miami sectional. That concludes Jill's list of tips. Have you ever flown to the Bahamas
as a private pilot? Post a comment below giving your best tip!
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