MEXICO Bound ? (not u Don)

[Bob Cook]

http://www.bajabush.com/

all u wanted to know and more when you visit Don and Chachi.

GMAS can get "boned up" on the Baja fly-in.


Bob

[Don Hickman]

Yes, Baja Bush pilots is a good group. I've been a member for about a year and they have all the info on flying into Mexico.

[jimmuse]

I just received my annual "pass" to Mexico from the Mexican government and am looking forward to a first flight south in the next 60 days...

Viva Mexico y los pilotos de Baja (how do you say Bush).

Jim

[kevin]

We made a trip to Hotel Serenidad in Mullehe (probably spelled that wrong) several years ago and thorougly enjoyed it. I guess the hotel closed a few years ago, then opened again (some sort of land dispute between anglo owner and locals) recently, I don't know its status now.

I have been scared off of flying to Mexico due to news stories I have read about aircraft theft. Anybody have any comments about this risk, either reinforcing or refuting? How about further south, into Central America?

Thanks,

Kevin

[jimmuse]

Kevin,
Check out the Baja Bush Pilots website. There is a lot of info and you can post the question there... they are a bunch of very knowledgable folks about all things aeronautic south of the border.

They even do a Central american trip nearly every year.

www.bajabushpilots.com

I think there was a theft of a 210 last year, but it was in North Central Mexico.

Jim

[rick bell]

it's is a good org. joining for 75 gets you the airport directory and in surance for about 120 (smoking deal as aig/skysmmith charge 475, so much for agents). i personally have not heard of any planes stolen for a long time (mostly happens on the mainland of mx) my plane has never been tampered with and i'm in a semi-isolated spot.

[Don Hickman]

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.

[Mitch Taylor]

Rick or anyone:

I've got an O2-A based in Los Angeles that I'd like to take down to Baja. Are ther problems taking an ex-military bird down? It's painted in the original Air Force paint scheme, and has the hard points, gun sight, etc. In the past I'd heard it wasn't a good idea to take it south of the border, but I'd sure like to go down there.

Mitch Taylor
N5251Z