5th Annual Florida to Caribbean Trip

[GalinHdz]

We are doing the initial planning for the 5th Annual Florida to Caribbean trip. We are tentatively scheduled to depart South Florida (KTMB) on Friday 12/05/2014 and returning on 12/14/2014. The actual dates will be finalized during November. As of today there are 4 airplanes/crews signed up for the trip. 2 Experimentals, 1 Cirrus and a Grumman Traveler but we expect more to join in. Others that have completed the trip flew a Beech Sierra an RV-10, a Glassair Sportsman and a Mooney M20J.

The flight down and back is a BLAST and we make side trips (for those interested) to other islands in the Caribbean. We are NOT a commercial operation, just a group of pilots that love to take interesting vacations. My wife and I made two of the trips from Houston Texas, but this year we are already in Florida. You can read about the 2010, 2011 and 2013 trips at our web page since my wife wrote about those three trips. There is a short video of our 2013 side trip to San Juan, PR which one of the pilots posted.

If you are interested in doing something like this but want to go with others that have done it before, PM me and I will provide details.

[apkp777]

Sounds great. Put me down as a "maybe". I may be out of town but if not, I am in.

[GalinHdz]

Originally Posted by apkp777

Sounds great. Put me down as a "maybe". I may be out of town but if not, I am in.

apkp777; We finalize the details during late October and early November so there is plenty of time to decide. This is just for long range planning purposes.

The best part is that you don't have to make the trip during the dates we are going. If you need to go a few days before or return a few days afterwards, it is no problem.

[GalinHdz]

As of today we have a Cirrus, a Grumman Traveler, a Piper Cherokee, an RV10 and my KIS4 confirmed for the trip. We are looking at day trips to San Juan, PR; Tortola, BVI; St. Croix, USVI and St Martin, Dutch VI side during the week there.

For those that are also AOPA members, the trip is now on the December 2014 AOPA events calendar.

5th Annual Florida to Caribbean Fly In

[DEWATSON]

GalinHdz,

Please check your PMs.

David Watson

[GalinHdz]

Originally Posted by DEWATSON

GalinHdz,

Please check your PMs.

David Watson

10-4. Check you PM and e-Mail.

Also; Here is a link to our proposed flight route from Florida (KTMB) to Puerto Rico (TJBQ):

VFR flight KTMB - TJBQ

The longest leg is from Exhuma (MYEF) to Puerto Plata (MDPP) which is 398Nm but has several divert airports along the way if the headwinds are too strong for a particular aircraft's range. The longest over water legs are about 105 NM, from Florida to Andros Island and from Grand Turk to Puerto Plata. Other than that land is always available from a decent altitude, say 6,500-7,500 feet. WX during December is normally severe VFR all the way down.

[GalinHdz]

Our tentative schedule for the trip:

Thu 4 Dec Aircrew briefing KTMB (3:00pm)
Fri 5 Dec Depart KTMB - MYEF - MDPP - TJBQ - TJMZ
Sat 6 Dec Day Off
Sun 7 Dec San Juan, PR trip (TJIG)
Mon 8 Dec St. Croix, USVI trip (TISX) (Low offshore San Juan)
Tue 9 Dec Day Off (Beach day)
Wed 10 Dec Tortola, BVI trip (TUPJ)
Thu 11 Dec Day Off
Fri 12 Dec St. Martin, FVI trip (TFFG)
Sat 13 Dec BBQ Fly-in (TJMZ)
Sun 14 Dec Return trip TJMZ - MDPP - MYEF - KTMB

All flights are weather dependent and may change.

[GalinHdz]

We now have 3 Experimentals (RV10, RV8, KIS4), 2 Cirrus, a Piper Cherokee and a Grumman Traveler for a total of 7 confirmed as going. We expect more to join in as the trip dates get closer.

[GalinHdz]

We are now up to 9 "confirmed" aircraft with two more as very possible.

2 Cirrus
1 Cherokee
1 Traveler
1 Mooney
1 RV10
1 RV 8
1 KIS4
1 Bonanza

For the trip down we will now depart from North Perry (KHWO) to Aguadilla (TJBQ) with fuel stops in Exuma (MYEF) and Puerto Plata (MDPP).

This is a link for our planned route from KHWO to TJBQ.

[glenn654]

Are passports required?


Glenn Wilkinson