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Mar de Cortes International Airport, near Puerto Pe?asco Mexico

rvbuilder2002

Legacy Member
Mentor
I haven't taken the time to do any searching in the archives (yet), but wondering if there is anyone that can share recent experiences flying from the U.S., into Mar de Cortes International Airport, near Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) Mexico.

I have never done any personal fly that included crossing the border, and all that is involved with that (customs both ways, etc.) so I have to get educated on that as well.

Planning for possible trip right after OSH 2020
 
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Scott, you might want to read some of the many threads about flying to Mexico in a small plane over on the BeechTalk forum. A lot of those guys have made trips to Mexico and there is a pilots group called Baja Bush Pilots https://www.bajabushpilots.com that you might want to investigate as well. Lots of threads over there about issues like bribes, sudden "problems" that can only be addressed with American dollars and the like.
 
Penasco airport

Scott, I've been there a number of times in the last couple of years; it's super easy. As mentioned by others, everything you need to know about crossing the border can (and should) be obtained through Baja Bush Pilots. It's worth the price of admission just to use their on-line eApis filing for both countries.

Basically: 1. get a CPB sticker for your plane (do that ahead of time, and if the sticker doesn't arrive before you leave, a copy of your order/receipt will do). 2. File your eApis manifest (on BBP site is best, IMO), within 24 hours of departure. 3. File a flight plan, open it, and go! Sometimes I use flight following and have a squawk code crossing the border southbound, but sometimes I don't, and it seems to be no big deal. 4. Contact Puerto Penasco tower 50 miles out, or as soon as you get service. 5. land, purchase your single or muli-entry permit, do customs and immigration, pay your landing fees, fuel, etc, and you're off to enjoy Mexico.

I recommend contacting Victor before you leave ([email protected]). He'll have you email him copies of your paperwork (registration, airworthiness, license, insurance, 406 registration etc.) If you do that, they'll have all the paperwork ready and it'll save you time. But if not, no big deal; you'll learn that time slows down in Mexico - that's why you go there!

Before returning home, you need to file your return eapis, flight plan with USA, letting them know approx when you'll be crossing the border northbound. Within 50 or so miles of the border, call in to FSS and amend your plan to the exact time you'll be crossing and when you'll be arriving at your AOE (I prefer Calexico or Yuma). They'll assign a code. You land, and are cleared incredibly fast. Don't forget to close your flight plan.

BTW, when you're in Puerto Penasco, I recommend Lucas and El Combo Taco! The airport is quite a way from town (unless you're staying at the Mayan Palace, which is close), so you'll want to arrange ahead for a rental car or other transportation.

Have Fun!

Kurt Goodfellow
RV9 / Wilksch diesel, 700 hours
Sportsman / CD155 diesel, 730 hours.
 
Very easy. Just the normal cross border stuff. I had a breakdown there 2 years ago and the army guys at the airport helped me fix the plane and lent me tools! Another time a group of about 12 of us went there. We all emailed our documents to the commandante and he had all of our multiple entry permits ready to go . Long ride in the taxi to town. They used to have an airport in the middle of town but local officials built this giant airport far away.
 
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