Planning an international flight
International flying is getting more complicated, and pilots can easily be surprised by enforcement actions for things that may not have been an issue the last time they flew to that same country and/or airport in the recent past. US Federal Regulation 14 CFR 91.703 (a) (1) and (2) makes it clear that we are required to comply with the regulations in force within a foreign country and while enroute. First and foremost, it is important to point out that the person who is legally responsible, and will bear the consequences, for complying with all regulations is the Pilot In Command (PIC) of the aircraft. Both US and foreign regulations are dynamic and constantly changing and it is imperative to do the due diligence when planning an international flight. Therefore, we have produced a checklist that covers the 4 phases for conducting an international trip which includes important points that should be addressed. Using checklists can help avoid unplanned delays and/or penalties for regulatory violations. Even if you have a person/department that does the trip planning for you, these checklists give you a guide to ensure that the necessary topics are being addressed. After all, the PIC will ultimately be responsible.
The checklist is divided into 4 sections:
1. FEASIBILITY CHECK – POSSIBLE FUTURE FLIGHT. This is the phase when you learn of a possible/probable international trip and begin identifying and acting upon the “long lead time” items. This part of the checklist is generic as different countries may, or may not, have regulatory items that apply. It is up to the PIC to ensure that all appropriate items are being reviewed and acted upon.
2. ACTUAL FLIGHT PREPARATION. This is the phase of the planning process where the destinations and dates have been defined for each flight. In this stage, the aircraft, crew and PAX documents need to be obtained, required permits and approvals must be secured, electronic APIS manifests must be properly submitted and fuel availability and payment methods defined. Some items in this phase may need to be done weeks before the flight, others may occur immediately prior to the flight.
3. INTERNATIONAL ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE (Executing the flight). It is essential that all aspects of the flight comply with the approvals and clearances that have been granted and with any instructions or tolerances that may apply. The PIC should have a printed copy of the APIS (or similar) manifest that has been submitted to the departure and/or destination authorities. Compare this manifest against the people boarding the aircraft and their respective passports and ensure that all information matches exactly to what was submitted on the manifest. This is also a good time to ask each passenger and member of the crew if there is any chance that they may have unknowingly brought a firearm and/or ammunition aboard. Bringing firearms and/or ammunition to a foreign country can result in serious consequences including lengthy jail sentences. Have a printed copy of all permits, insurance policies and any other document related to the aircraft and avoid using electronic records. Ensure that the crew have access in the cockpit of the permit numbers for any overflight and/or landing permits if ATC were to request them. Record names/initials/badge numbers of all government officials with whom you interact.
4. POST ARRIVAL ANALYSIS (Debrief). This is the opportunity to review everything that has happened and identify what aspects of the planning and execution process went really well so that you ensure that they are repeated for future flights. It also serves to identify those things that were learned, or did not go well, so that the corresponding checklists can be updated to ensure that those issues are addressed on the next international flight.
Obtaining the specific regulations and procedures that must be complied with will require consultation with the corresponding international authorities, the FBO’s at the airports of landing and/or with a reputable International Trip Support company, like CST Flight Services. These checklists give you important questions that you can pose to the person(s) planning your trip and to your service provider(s).
The quality and thoroughness of their answers should serve as a basis for whether you wish to continue using that service provider or select a new one. Ultimately, the PIC will be the person legally responsible.