Regulatory and Certification Policy
U.S. Customs and Border Protection NPRM Member Action Center
The Issue
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is proposing a series of changes that will make it a lot harder for general aviation pilots to fly to and from international destinations, particularly popular landing facilities off the beaten track in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
AOPA needs your help to ensure CBP understands that these additional requirements just won't fly in the real world.
CBP wants to require pilots to submit arrival/departure notification and passenger lists (manifest) over the Internet before leaving or returning to the United States. In addition, CBP would mandate the use of its electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS)—similar to what's already used by charter companies—to screen general aviation passengers against terrorist watch lists. Under CBP's proposal, you'd log onto a Web site at least one hour before departing to fly across the U.S. border, provide information about you, your aircraft and your passengers', and then get an approval to fly.
Follow AOPA's step-by-step guide to filing your comments
Step 1: Read AOPA's Issue Brief for more information
Step 2: Write your comments using AOPA's guide
Step 3: Submit your comments to Customs and Border Protection
What AOPA members are saying...
"Simply finding an operational telephone in rural Mexico, much less one that can be utilized for international calls, is frequently impossible. And the idea that Internet access will be available is a pipe dream."
"It is nearly impossible to get a decent weather report, phones are unreliable, and the only Internet connection I've found was in a coffee shop."
"If this proposal becomes law it will put an end to this humanitarian medical service [in Mexico] because it depends entirely on volunteer pilots... With the need to sometimes change our route or time schedule due to weather or mechanical problems, it would appear that it would be impossible to abide by the new requirements."
But the reality is that pilots don't have universal access to the Internet inside the United States, much less from a Baja airstrip, Bahamian Cay or Canadian lake. And requiring pilots to land at another airport with Internet access before crossing the border just to be able to file an arrival notification and passenger list is impractical and an unreasonable burden.
We need you to help CBP understand the operational environment of general aviation. Pilots can't rely on having the Internet available for filing their arrival/departure notifications.CBP must continue to allow pilots to use the existing methods of phone or radio to provide their arrival notification. CBP must also allow the passenger information to be provided in person upon landing as we do now. And tell them in the real world of general aviation flying, we sometimes have to change our schedules for weather or other operational considerations. Using the Internet isn't an option for letting Customs and homeland security folks know about changed plans for entering or exiting the United States.
If you ever have or ever will fly a GA aircraft across our borders, please comment now on the CBP's notice of proposed rulemaking "Advance Information on Private Aircraft Arriving and Departing the United States." All the information you need to do so is available through the links below.
Updated Thursday, October 25, 2007, 3:06:00 p.m.
