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Replying to Kevin's question about flying into Mexico . . .
I have 35 years of experience going regularly to Mexico, in fact I lived in Mexico City for over 2 years (but that was then and I wouldn't live there now). My flying experience is limited to the Yucatan penisula (Cancun and surrounding area). In my opinion, flying into the Yucatan of Mexico is quite safe and poses no danger as long as you take reasonable precautions.
Airport security is quite good. At a small uncontrolled field in the town where I have a home, Playa del Carmen, you can't even get onto the field after sunset. I had left some items in my plane and went back just after sunset to get them. The field closes at dusk and the guards wouldn't let me in. I explained that I was the owner of that nice plane right over there and just wanted to get some clothes out of it. No dice. I tried bribery (always works) but no go. I'm fluent in Spanish and did my best trying to just get a guard to walk with me to my plane. Nope. Brandishing his M16 he made it VERY clear that NO ONE was going onto that field until it opened the next morning at sunrise.
So, at least as far as the airports in the Yucatan are concerned (and I've been in and out of most of them), your plane is quite safe.
Now, we haven't discussed the endless paperwork and the hassles with officialdom. To keep this post from getting way too long, let me just say that you have to develop the "manana" attitude and not be in a hurry. Simply topping off your tanks can take an hour due to the paperwork. So, plan on plenty of time for ground operations, relax and smile, and have a good time.
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