Lycosaurus

Lycosaurus

Well Known Member
Back when we started in 2002 (around Sept. , 1 year after 9/11), I went to pick up the tail kit in Ogdensburgh NY, just across the border from Ottawa. A friend of mine had some time to kill so he tagged along with me.

Border Guard: Where are you going?
Me: Ogdensburg
Border Guard: For how long?
Me: About an hour
Border Guard: Purpose?
Me: Picking up a parcel
Border Guard: What kind of parcel?
Me: Airplane parts
Border Guard (in a alarmed and shrill voice): Airplane Parts!!!....Airplane Parts!!!!! Can't you just buy them in Canada?
Me: No. (I tell him about the airplane kit, it comes from Oregon, cannot be bought elsewhere etc)
Border Guard: Have you ever registered here?
Me: No.
Border Guard (in a stern voice): Park over there; go inside and get registered!

We then proceeded to have an old man at a computer peck and hunt his way on the keyboard to enter our passport information onto a computer database of some sort. My friend was not impressed... and actually never came along with me again for a border crossing:rolleyes:
 
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Agreed. The difference between Canadian Customs and US Customs is shocking...

They (US Customs) wanted to see my airmen's medical. She looked at it and said "it's expired!". I said, "it's 3 years old and i'm under 40." From the blank stare I got back I guessed that she hadn't ever talked to a private pilot under 40 before and wasn't familiar with the regs. You can't argue with a customs official and win... So, after a long conversation she decided to let me go but promised she would follow up with the FAA on the matter and I would probably be hearing from them.

Canadian Customs cleared me over the phone in 30 seconds. Canadian Tower asked lots of questions about my shiny red RV and I got compliments everywhere I went. Nice folks.
 
Back in the US with a Costco card!

In the summer of 2001 a friend and I flew my Aeronca Sedan up to the Arlington (Washington) Fly In. One day we decided to fly over to Victoria for lunch.

Before going to Canada, we made the required phone call, etc. We were told to call them back once we landed at Victoria, which we did. The voice on the other end welcomed us to Canada and we were on our way. NOBODY EVER CAME OUT TO THE AIRPORT!

During our couple hour stay in Victoria, my friend relized that he had left his ID back in Arlington. After our arrival at Friday Harbor, we were met by a very stern US Customs Agent who, after the typical probing questions, finally asked for IDs. My friend told her the story, smiled a lot, then pulled out a Costco card that had his picture on it. Welcome to the US!

I suspect things changed a few months later.
 
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My wife made it back from a Mexico trip using a Sams Club card, got a laugh out of the border agent. That was before 9/11, doubt that would work anymore.
 
Great topic, Alfio, and lots of good stories to be had.

One of my fav's came from the pre-9/11 era... I was travelling back and forth across the border with a complete EICAS system for the USAF chief's KC/VC135 which we were converting from steam gauges to glass. This "shipset" of hardware was worth about a quarter million and consisted of two big mil-spec CRT display units and two interface units that each weighed about 10lbs. I lugged it all around on a cart because there was no way I could carry it and my travel bag.

I was on my way home to Canada with all this gear to get a new load of software burned into it but of course I had to go see US customs at Syracuse airport to let them know it was leaving the country. I showed up just as the agents had cleared an inbound flight that had all kinds of problems with paperwork etc. I explained my situation to the customs agent and he simply said, "you were never here". Then I had the schutzpah to ask how I was going to get all this hardware back into the country the next morning after pulling an all-nighter in our labs working on it. His answer was, "I know who's working the morning shift. Just tell them it's OK."

Needless to say I was not comfortable with the "just tell them it's OK" response but I was under the gun to meet project timelines - that VC/CK135 had to fly, and soon!

The next morning, feeling a little apprehensive and VERY tired, I once again arrived at the Syracuse airport, this time southbound. As usual, I stacked the boxes on my luggage cart and headed over to the customs agent. He took one look at me and asked if I was going to Andrews AFB with "that pile of stuff". I answered in the affirmative.

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or not when he said, "Good! You weren't here last night and you weren't here this morning either. Now get out of here!"
 
Good topic Alfio. Now tell us the story how you invited CBP to Rangeley on a perfect flying day. :D


In my limited border crossing I was always greeted friendly on both sides. Once with live lobsters I tried to insert a joke about pets but agent was neither distracted nor smiling. One more thing I want to see Sir - he said- you know what it is. I had to show him my pilot license :D
 
Vlad said:
.....
In my limited border crossing I was always greeted friendly on both sides. .....
Click to expand...

I've never met a Canadian Border Agent.

It's been a control number of the phone each time I've crossed into Canada...:)
 
Vlad said:
Good topic Alfio. Now tell us the story how you invited CBP to Rangeley on a perfect flying day. :D
Click to expand...

I don't know Vlad, I though they were coming for you, but you were faster in getting up and flying away than we were :)

I remember seeing for the first time our Canadian Border Patrol coming to pay you a visit as you were landing at Carp (Ottawa). This is a very rare thing to witness and I asked them if I could take a photo. Seems that a Russian crossing the border in a tin can aroused some suspicion... yet again :rolleyes:

N666BKCBSA2.jpg
 
Going to Mexico

I recently attended a FAA seminar about crossing into/from Mexico. If anyone wants the Powerpoint presentation, just send me a PM and I'll email it back.
 
I tried sending you a PM, but got a pop-up message that says you have blocked incoming PM's. :confused:
 
Border crossing nightmare

Whenever I travel into the states on one of my passports I always get pulled off and all my bags gone through. Apparently I have a "smuggler" tag on my record. When I travel on the other nationality, its no issue.

Years ago I was picking up an old Commander 112 in Ontario and flying back to Oak City for Commander Aircraft who had just purchased the aircraft from the Canadian owner and were going to refurbish it and resell it to a US buyer.

Aside from the total lack off all instruments, the massive fuel leaks (think pickle buckets under the wings), intermittent gear failure, and the fire behind the panel when I turned on the lights that eventually led me to abandon the aircraft in Cincinnati (which is a story in and of itself), the worst part of the trip was dealing with US Customs.

Clearing back into Port Clinton you normally phone over to the bridge to clear in (or did). When I arrived there was an agent and an area supervisor waiting for me. Apparently someone had ticked them off. They went through the aircraft and my paperwork with a fine toothed comb. I was a UK citizen, with a US pilots license, flying a Canadian registered aircraft, owned by an American company.

I got the full third degree, sat in a chair, light in my eyes. No rubber hose though. They finally busted me because I didn't declare the aircraft on the customs dec. They impounded the aircraft which caused me to spend two miserable days in PC waiting on paperwork. What a nightmare.
 
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