Trip To Costa Rica

[N201MKTurbo]

I have a friend who was just transferred to Costa Rica and He invited me to stay at his place anytime I wanted. It sounds like Mooney Trip to me!

Does anybody have any experience flying there?

[gregwatts]

I do...but not in a Mooney. I have been there many times when I used to fly Pt 135. It is beautiful and mountainous.......San Jose is the main airport and Iberia is another. There are smaller airfields....but I don't know about trying to clear customs and immigration. If you have to stop in Mexico....I recommend that you arrange a handler.....the extortion fees are high!

[kortopates]

I am looking to head down after the holidays myself. Costa Rica has 4 international airports, 2 of which are logistically feasible to clear and get fuel from, Liberia and Pavas. Pavas (MRPV) is the preferred GA airport that is the most efficient for us to clear and is right next to San Jose/Cocos (MROC). (However, it has no approaches, but is so close to Cocos that you can use an approach into Cocos to get below a reasonably high ceiling to cancel and then VFR over the less than 5 miles to MRPV).

However, the really big problem in Costa Rica right now is parking fees. All of international airports charge huge parking fees after the first free 90 minutes. I recently calculated approx $175 per 24 hrs at Liberia the cheapest with others going to $225+ a day ! So the only way to make it work is to fly into one of the international airports and then immediately fly into a national airport and park there. Another option I haven't seriously looked at is to call FBO's and discuss their hangar fees etc rather than park in transient. Costa Rica has a very large network of national airports. Most are all 800-1000 m x 10 m and uncontrolled without any services. Not large by any means, but many are serviced by one of the commuter national airlines like Nature Air. You can download their airport info from their DGAC site in English here http://www.dgac.go.c.../aip/index.html. I am sure you're in disbelief regarding the parking, so you can verify the fees for the different airports on BajaBush or even call one using the phone numbers from the AIP you’ll download.

Apparently Greg had a bad experience in Mexico as I don’t get his comments. I’ve flown all over Mexico – mainland and Baja – and have never even considered a handler, nor have ever felt extorted. Mexico is as easy as it gets. Coming back into the US is much bigger challenge! Just be prepared and know what to expect. It also helps to be able to speak a bit of Spanish. I don’t, but my pilot wife does and it has proven helpful at times but not necessary.

[FoxMike]

N201MKTurbo,

I will second all that Paul has said. I have been to Costa Rica in small airplanes (mostly Mooney) several times and have traveled most of Latin America. Last year I overflew Costa Rica as the parking fees were outrageous. All the countries in Latin America (not Mexico) are requiring that you request permission for overflight or landing. Almost all will furnish you a permit number when they approve your flight (by email). You need to start this process a week before you leave. A Jepp trip kit will provide all the details. I used to enjoy traveling in Latin America but the hassle and fees has worn me down. A trip like this while challenging and rewarding is 40% flying and 60% paperwork. Don't forget to stop in Tapachula, Mex. on the way home and take lots of cash.

Walt

[Piloto]

Some of the hotels have the Hot and Cold shower faucets reverse. In Spanish H is for helado (cold) and C is for caliente (hot).

José

[N201MKTurbo]

Thanks for all the input. It seems like the greatest challenge is going to be finding a cheap place to park.

[FoxMike]

N201MKT,

Piloto's post reminded me of another thing to keep in mind. Hot water in many showers is heated electrically. They have earned the name "suicide showers". Cold showers are not a bad idea.

[N201MKTurbo]

If I go I'll be staying at a friends house that is moving there. I assume he will have good plumbing, he has a good job with a very rich company.

[RobertoTohme]

If your friend is in San Jose then you're going to Pavas, period... Santamaria (El Coco) is to expensive for light GA airplanes. As to the approach in weather, you do the ILS-DME Rwy 7 at MROC and circle to Pavas rwy 9, which isn't much more than a sidestep to the right and keep trucking for 5 more miles. I'll dig my files to check how much I've been paying for ramp at MROC, but don't recall being as outrageous as mentioned above... Post to follow.

[N201MKTurbo]

Thanks! Just the info I was looking for!

[N201MKTurbo]

FYI, my friend works for Intel in Heredia in the suburbs of San Jose. I don't think he has found a place yet. He may want me to ferry his Bonanza down there.

[RobertoTohme]

Well, according to my last Universal Weather Aviation bill from my last flight to MROC in january this year, for about 68 hours of parking a Lear 55 came to a whopping $375.76 that include the Nicaragua overflight permits inbound & outbound (actual cost not disclosed on bill), and about $90 on fees for UWA. If you consider that this is for a mid size jet, the rates for light piston GA aircraft should be much less. I emailed a friend there with connections to Pavas airport to find out what their landing and parking fees are for a Mooney; as soon as I get the info will post it.

Cheers.

[Piloto]

N201MKT,

Piloto's post reminded me of another thing to keep in mind. Hot water in many showers is heated electrically. They have earned the name "suicide showers". Cold showers are not a bad idea.

You are probably referring to the in line shower heaters. You adjust the temp by the amount of water flow. I hate those because if the flow is not right you either get a cold snap or a hot slap, specially when the guy on the next room is taking a shower at the same time. To insure that you do not get an electrical shock verify the unit is attached to metal tubing that is properly grounded. You see these in very old hotels in Latin America and some countries in Europe where there is no hot/cold plumbing.

Another thing that I hate is the dry toilet. Unlike the US traditional wet toilet in many suburbs towns in Europe they still use them with the tank way high and the actuation chain. On a wet toilet your deposits fragrance is attenuated by the water in the bowl but on a dry one it makes you feel like you are in gas chamber. Not to mention that you have to flush more than once because it sticks.

José

[carusoam]

The USA has some unadvertised benefits that we become aware of by leaving it once in a while.

Thanks for the reminder José!

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

About 15 years ago I was working at the national laboratory (GUM) in Warsaw Poland. This 1930s era soviet building had the dry toilets you described, they were just weird. I wondered how they could afford the $800,000.00 piece of equipment I was installing but couldn’t afford an $100.00 toilet!

[Piloto]

The USA has some unadvertised benefits that we become aware of by leaving it once in a while.

Thanks for the reminder José!

Best regards,

-a-

You are very right about that. When I was in Moscow just after Perestroika I had to carry chocolate bars and toilet paper in my briefcase. The only decent place to had a good meal was at the Moscow Mc Donalds which is huge BTW. It is so popular that my comrade engineer took his wife on his first date to it for a 1/4 pounder. You do that in the US and you don't get a second date. My friend also grows potatoes on his backyard because it is hard to get food in the winter.

I also notice several of my colleagues had visible cavities. Unlike in the US potable water in Russia has no fluoride that helps prevent cavities specially on children. And many only take a shower once a week even when they come to Florida US.

But I had to admit that Moscow has the best car wash I have seen. You line up your car along the Mockba river and these cute young girls in hot pants wash your car while you are inside. They drop the buckets with ropes into the river to get the water. They had a sign on their bust saying: "US Dollars Only". So much for the Russian pride.

If you are complaining about paying your taxes in the US try living abroad.

José

[fantom]

Shades of the future for us, I fear.

[Oscar Avalle]

Just to let you know that there is no overnight parking available for GA at MROC.... that is the international airport of San Jose... 

[AmigOne]

The reason why you'll find H and C on some faucets in latin america is because they date back to a time when all this plumbing stuff was imported from the US thus H for hot and C for cold.  Today they would show F for fria and C for caliente even if they are made in China.

[Piloto]

The reason why you'll find H and C on some faucets in latin america is because they date back to a time when all this plumbing stuff was imported from the US thus H for hot and C for cold.  Today they would show F for fria and C for caliente even if they are made in China.

Still confusing. Now C for Cold and F for Flame. When in doubt try both. Don't forget to bring your Charmin toilet paper. I never got  used to the brown bag paper type or the news paper.

 

José