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Yes it’s easy within Schengen+EU as no immigration & customs are required * In southern countries like France, Italy…the flights are still “international” one still need to file mandatory flight plans, possibly gendec, make radio contact at borders…as these countries puts ICAO requirements above Schengen/EU laws, however, this is merely an ICAO reporting requirement: no restriction on where you can land and you don’t have to see anyone. * In northern countries like Germany, it’s easier as Schengen/EU flights are considered “domestic or national” (sub-ICAO): I flew Belgium-Germany-Austria without flight plan not talking to anyone except airport guys, this sounds more like “just go” UK (and Switzerland) need more planning: one have to comply with some immigration and customs rules like sGAR, these are not difficult once one gets used to them (it’s like eAPIS in US or Canpass in Canada) For fees (and Avgas), it’s manageable in small and medium airports in countries with light GA tradition Germany, Poland, France, Switzerland, Belgium…if you go to Spain, Italy…one tend to sick to private small airports while big airlines airports have pricy handling and are waste of time: imagine Signature price tag with bureaucracy and no red carpet. This is tough on GA flyers, you can’t fly north forever: you need to go south for sun, food, beach…

Canpass has been a convenient way to enter into Canada at a large number of secondary airports often simply by a phone call once you arrive if they opt not to meet you. Without then you need to first land and check in at a larger airport with a border patrol unit on field. More or less - Well I read the they are discontinuing canpass. Really?!! :-( And then they point at Nexus as the alternative - but that seems as if it is not covering the main function regarding GA which I was referring to above. Am I wrong? https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/menu-eng.html or does the wording mean - that I should not worry - what I want is the RABC which is continuing. " Discontinuation of the CANPASS Air and CANPASS Private Boats programs The CANPASS Air and CANPASS Private Boats programs have been discontinued. Current members will be able to maintain privileges until their membership expires. Check to see if you are eligible to join NEXUS instead as it offers similar or even greater benefits when travelling across the Canada-U.S. border. Other CBSA programs, such as CANPASS – Private Aircraft, CANPASS – Corporate Aircraft, and Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) are not affected by this discontinuation."

Does Canada/US allow GA to Tech-Stop (like airliners when you land and get fuel while staying airside in H24 international airport with permanent staff), can one get fuel while stretching their legs airside? assuming, one complies with eAPIS, CANPASS, CBP…and sends back-to-back flight plans in big airports Just personal curiosity, I am based in Europe and not planing to fly to Alaska anytime soon: it’s still in the dream phase (I did NYC-Canada and Florida-Caribbean with Mrs). In France/UK, GA is not allowed to Tech-Stop like airliners, however, some airports are relaxed with it, especially, for regular pilots getting fuel without passengers

Going north we cleared at Abbotsford and Northway. Going south, we cleared at Whitehorse and Bellingham. Followed the US eAPIS procedures with no issue. Waited half an hour on hold for CANPASS at Abbotsford. Waited an hour in Northway for customs to arrive from the border (road construction held them up). Canadian Customs cleared us in person at Whitehorse because they happened to be there and Bellingham was uneventful. Just follow the eAPIS online filing procedures for entering and leaving the US and all goes well. US Customs will initially deny entry at Northway because they don’t want to drive the hour + from the border and will try to talk you into clearing at Fairbanks or Anchorage, but after a phone conversation they will agree. Fairbanks was out of the way and we were not sure the weather would permit going to Anchorage. Just tell them you only have fuel to make Northway - shortens the conversation. They will only meet you at Northway at 9am or 3 pm. There is a FSS at Northway staffed by Fairbanks FSS personnel on a rotating basis.

Be careful with the canpass rules. I use a corporate canpass and i think thats the only one that allows you to bypass the customs call if they aren’t there waiting when you arrive. The general aviation canpass just opens up the additional airfields but you still have to call. The rules are pretty well spelled out but not perfect. I was “roughed up” a bit in kelowna last week even though I was following the rules perfectly (for corporate).

I am from montreal and have done the trip to and from the US at least a dozen times. Like some have said, do not fly into CYUL, landing fees in the hundreds of dollars. I would clear customs either in Cornwall CYCC, Bromont CZBM or Mirabel CYMX. Call the canpass number and let them give you some options but those are the ones i use. If CYHU is an option for customs, go there and leave your plane there at the Pascan FBO. Someone mentioned something about not saying Mooney Nxxxx, I say Mooney Nxxx all the time and they are not phased by it. In fact, they will ask you what type you are flying and that just saves some time. Some people speak french on the radio in quebec which i find to be completely ridiculous given that lots of pilots on the radio can't understand it. Other than that, flying in Canada is virtually identical to flying in the states. If flying into an uncontrolled field, the pattern entry procedure is different. In terms of xpndr, only mode c is required, nothing else. When you land, you call the same canpass number (you don't need to be a canpass member, but that phone number is for all ga arrivals) and tell them you've landed, that's literally it. Going back to the US is the most annoying part. Filing eapis, calling customs at least 2 hours before, making an appointment, advising if the time changes, etc... Edit: just realized you said you are flying for work, if work is paying your landing fee then by all means, go to CYUL and spend $$$ parking at one of the FBOs there.

Not an expert, but I’m planning a trip to CSE4 Lachute. It’s listed as an AOE/CAN airport, so we are applying for Canpass private aircraft program. $40/person, good for 5 years. Opens more airports for entry, and from what I understand if an officer is not present at your designated ETA, you’re free to leave. CYHU looks like it’s an AOE/15 which I believe means you can arrive with up to 15 passengers. CYUL is AOE, but I don’t think you have to go there even if you aren’t a Canpass member. Canpass just opens up the AOE/CAN airports. I’ve also always found the Canpass folks to be more than helpful at answering questions. 1-888-CANPASS https://www.universalweather.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-canpass-for-business-aviation-part-1-what-is-canpass/

I have been to canada a few times recently and read that as well. I took it to mean that the GA and corporate air programs were not affected. I will say that i had my first negative experience going to canada and using our company Corporate Canpass. I’ve been doing it for a while and I follow the rules exactly as published on their website. When I arrived in Kelowna, I was ~10 minutes after my scheduled time and well within my 30 minute window. Iaw the corporate rules, we didn’t need to call, so we exited the airplane and headed to the fbo. About 15 minutes later, I walked out to supervise fueling and customs officers drove up. They weren’t pleased that I was outside the airplane. As politely as I could, I pointed out that I was on corporate canpass. No change in attitude. I pulled out the rules. The officer said, “The people running CANPASS are teenagers and don’t know what they’re doing. Get your passengers back here immediately.” Since he had the badge and gun, I complied by calling them and they drove back. They (but not me because I was “only the pilot”) were taken to the cbo office for about 15 minutes and then released. Funny, the next day I had to come back to pick up the pax. Paranoid, I sat in the airplane and called CANPASS (which you don’t have to do on corporate canpass). Officers (different ones) showed up while I was still on hold about 10 minutes later. I mentioned that I was on corporate canpass and they asked why I was calling and still in the airplane then?

it says that CANPASS - private aircraft is not discontinued so i think you are fine.

I have in laws that live in Canada and I have been driving there for over a decade, my excuse for not flying was not being IFR rated, got that years ago, and the weather was another excuse since they lived so far north (CYYU). Now my mother inlaw has moved a bit closer and is older and I can see my trips may be getting more frequent it only makes sense to fly, so I was wondering about CANPASS and if anyone on here uses it and how well that works.

Its not too hard to not land in Canada. Its been awhile so I don't recall if you still need a canpass for overflight. I don't think so. -Robert

We've been to KEPM once. "The Eastern most township in the USA". I've look across that bit of water at Grand Manan Island, in Canada which has an airport there that is a canpass airport, so you can fly to it. I mean to do that one of these days.

Soliciting ideas for a post-Oshkosh trip. Our route is DC-OSH-DC. We plan on leaving Oshkosh on Wednesday or Thursday of the air show. We're need to be back in D.C. maybe Monday, so we have 4 days. If it were up to me, I'd just make it a whole week at Oshkosh, but dear husband says he'll be fed up of camping and will have fully-shopped all the Pavilions by then and would like a nice hotel or B&B to recuperate in. I thought maybe Mackinaw Island, but am worried that that's more like a one-day destination not a 4 day destination. Other ideas within a couple hundred miles of our route? (We're not ruling out destinations in Canada either, we have Canpass and are comfortable making the border crossings).

International flights landing anywhere in the USA should have minimal practiced homeland security and safety measures. Flights landing at small fields near the Norther border don't necessarily arrive from Canada. I've seen them come in from all over the world. I wish that the US would catch-up to the Canadians and create a program similar to "CANPASS" where you can just boogie if customs don't show up within an allotted time window upon your arrival. Hell, currently with a NEXUS card an international mariner can make landing ANYWHERE along the Great Lakes so long that they phone in their arrival. Using the CBP R.O.A.M. app a pleasure boater can do about the same. Hopefully the CBP ROAM app will become like CANPASS in the near future for aviators.

I’d think of the distances between search and rescue stations. Canada has a small Airforce and even smaller SAR capabilities to cover a huge land mass. Stopping in Canada is made very simple with Canpass, much easier than US Customs. Clarence

Preparation for our trip to Osh continues, with visas obtained, blobby suits rented, HF tested, customs decal bought, insurance arranged and annual completed The planned routing gets us onto Canadian soil hopefully at Goose (CYYR) but if the winds are a bitch, to Frobisher (CYFB), and then via an intermediate Canadian stop (probably Chibougamau-Chapais CYMT, but CYVO would also be an option) and then to Chicago Exec (KPWK) to clear US customs and pick up a third person flying with a schedule into O'Hare. Having never flown in Canadian airspace at all, and only ever having flown VFR in the US, if anyone can help us with some local knowledge it would be appreciated a) Does anyone have direct experience of CYMT or CYVO, or recommended alternatives to use? b) For IFR routing and flightplans in Canada, would eg CYYR DCT YMT DCT CYMT be acceptable, or would you have to file a route over published airways? If the latter, would you actually expect to fly that route or would you get (or have to request) directs to shorten the route? c) For Chicago exec, is there any logistical advantage to VFR or IFR? Obviously the weather may dictate the decision, but my current feeling is that being under positive control IFR versus 'sort it out yourself' VFR gives less chance of me cocking it up, and I really don't want to piss off people, particularly on my arrival into the US! We've also spent ages reading about Customs (CANPASS, eAPIs, ports of entry and exit) etc, but still very happy to hear any nuggets from those that have actually done something similar (flumag has been very generous with his time on the telephone already) Ben, Mark and Jean-Jacques

I’ve done it as a matter of fact we did our first trip in the airplane after new avionics to SE Alaska. We flew from Camarillo CMA to LMT Klamath Falls 3:40. (if your interested in cheap fuel BDN has great price. That would require a stop prior at half way to be comfortable).We then had a trip out of BFI in a business jet for a few days. On return to Seattle we flew up to Orcas Island Eastsound KORS for fabulous lunch. Nice walk off the airport to the trail south on a path into town. Many fine places to fuel your tummy. Nice flight to check into Customs in Canada using CANPASS in Nanaimo BC. We then flew up to Terrace BC CYXT we took an overnight there. Next day we flew out the beautiful fjords and up to Juneau for customs and lunch but too many tourists. So we departed to Gustavus stayed at Gustavus Inn which is a James Baird awarded restaurant and inn. We had a wonderful time sightseeing and kayaking in Glaicer Bay. On our return we flew down to Ketchican and spent the night. We met a couple fro Germany that was just returning from the North slope in a 182. We had dinner together and shared great hangar banter. Leaving Ketchican we had a little help from Mother Nature and 3:40 to PAE Everett WA no custom stop this time. We were not really pressed for time but after a fuel stop in Redding CA our home and bed was calling us back to Malibu. Another fun adventure with not a hitch. M20C N611BR Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Greetings folks, I used the search function but came up short. My wife and I are planning a quick trip to Toronto (Billy Bishop CYTZ) the second weekend in April. Do any of you who cross the border frequently have a favorite resource for planning such a trip? I want to ensure that everything goes well as it will be a short trip and any issues will eat into our short weekend. Does Canpass make the trip significantly easier? The US feds already have my personal info and fingerprints several times over so I'm not concerned about being vetted by our friends to the north. I tried to call the CA customs number listed for CYTZ but I cannot access the general question line because I am in the states. I read a 5 year old AOPA article but would feel better with more updated information. Any and all advice appreciated.

CANPASS shouldn't really be needed at CYTZ since it is an AOE/90 8:00am to midnight. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/812-eng.html So, if arriving during the regular hours at an AOE/15 or better it isn't needed... If you are going to arrive off-hours (weekends many places) or at the AOE/CANPASS only airports, then you would want it. Just look at the CFS in fltplan.com for the classification and hours. I have the radio station and operator licenses.. even though nobody ever asks for them. and I have heard rumors that you should "NOT" tell them you have them unless they ask. If they don't know what they are, it is then something to question. If they ask as a "gotcha".. you have them. (There was someone on beechtalk who had run into this). It is one of those weird things, every aircraft registration should also just be "the radio station license".. but the radiotelephone agreements says that the FCC needs to issue it, not the FAA. Same thing with the pilots license.. it should be "pilot and radiotelephone" license.. but the international agreements don't seem to allow that solution.

I think those are both canpass. I am willing. :-) ...but ask Yves..."last time" (a few years ago) I flew to his home airport CRKD to meet him and another pilot from Montreal. And Yves said next time he would come south...

I went to Fredericton, NB this weekend for a conference...and came back. Friday when I went I left a bit earlier in the day than I might have, to beat the storms that were going to blow in, which turned out to be a good call. There were a few storms building up enroute and cloud layer with bases at 2-3k and tops at 9k, and I was at 15500 which was a nice place to enjoy the sunshine and easily steer clear of any build ups to a severe clear arrival at CYFC. Yay CANPASS. I had never been but Fredericton is really a nice town on the river. Lot's of nice shops and restaurants and classic but well kept old homes. And I brought my folder bike and there is a really nice rails to trails bike path for miles and miles along the river. Plus across the river there is a dedicated walking/bike bridge. The town is actually half and half on both sides of the river. ...and I got some work done and went to the conference. There is a picture of bacon wrapped scallops by the river. Another picture of sushi at a Korean restaurant - bacon sushi! Everything is good with bacon. Plus spicy-bim-bim-bap. Returned this morning - there is a picture of me looking across the wing right at the border between New Brunswick and Maine. Then I did customs at Bangor, ME. And I borrowed the car and went and got some lobsters. Bangor is really a nice town too with canals running through town. E

For Vancouver island...my favorite is Nanaimo....airport of entry with canpass...recommend y

All I know is we technically it’s not legal but we do that, we’ve never had anybody ever say anything all they want is the number off of that sticker. In fact you can print off the receipt that you get from Customs when you apply for the sticker and you can use that. Oh yeah and get canpass it’s totally awesome you land, wait a few minutes until past your ETA and then you just go on.

Hello to our Canadian friends. I have to meet some work friends at Niagara on the Lake this weekend. I'll fly into CYSN from Erie (KERI). I have done the towered Billy Bishop (CYTZ) many times, but this will be my first trip to a non-towered Canadian airport. I will file IFR, I have CANPASS, and will do the eAPIS stuff. My Questions: 1) When I land, do I have to call and close my IFR flight plan? Do this with FSS? 2) Can I close in the air? Do I still have to call and report landing? 3) On departure, what is the best way to pick up my clearance? London rdo? Toronto approach from the ground? FSS? 4) Anything that I haven't though of? Thanks for the help! Brad

I just returned from a trip to Banff. I can answer questions from a US perspective since they are quite fresh on my mind. I flew into Cranbrook, BC (CYXC) from Lewiston, ID. I called Canpass on the ground after landing at Cranbrook and it was all handled on the phone. Very straightforward. Nobody met me, perhaps because of the holidays. I rented a car at Cranbrook and drove to Banff, Jasper going through Fernie, Sparwood towards Calgary (22). Stayed a night at Kananaskis (campsites were mostly full) and tourists everywhere. Then west to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise (very crowded) and then on to Jasper (went up to the Columbia Icefields as FBCK mentioned). Athabasca glacier is an easy trek off the highway. Much less crowded in Jasper NP but very few places to stay in that area. Returned via the other side through Radium Hot Springs and other small towns on 93. Camped a couple of days and stayed in hotels for a couple of days. Nice trip, weather was hot, but the scenery and the overall beauty of the region made up for it. The return to the US was a pain and stressful, partly my fault, but also very poor information/documentation and not streamlined at all in my experience. They are neither friendly nor helpful.