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Flying a Cirrus SR-22 from Orlando to Grand Cayman over Cuba
The company where I retired after 25 years had built several projects in Grand Cayman over the years. As part of my package when leaving into retirement was the ability to keep my old clients in the Bahamas and Cayman Islands—great perk!
My newly created company worked for two and a half years on a project near Eleuthera, Bahamas that had me flying my Cirrus SR 22, LadyHawke, to North Eleuthera (MYEH) once or twice a month hauling my team and I and as many parts as we could fit in a Cirrus with life raft and life jackets close at hand. Our participation in that project ended and I have been working with an existing client in Grand Cayman to develop a project for several years. For those interested, we intend to take secondary treated wastewater (my firm had previously built the waste water treatment facility some years back) and treat the effluent with a membrane treatment system to produce water suitable for irrigation on the island’s golf courses and other large consumers of what is now expensive potable water.
So with a client meeting scheduled, and a sense of adventure, I decided that LadyHawke would take us to Grand Cayman rather than the normal commercial big bird.
With a client meeting scheduled, and a sense of adventure, I decided that my SR-22, LadyHawke, would take us to Grand Cayman.
Steps:
- Contract with Jim of Caribbean Flying Adventures for Cuban overflight permit—easy and very professional company that takes care of all the details.
- Contact your insurance company and verify that your insurance will cover you to fly over Cuba and into Grand Cayman.
- Determine route (Jim can help).
- Convince your friend, former employee, Cirrus instructor, and great CFI-I that this is a good idea (was easy!). Thanks Jonathon!
- Get LadyHawke ready. This was easy; just an oil change and a close inspection. Actually, we had longer overwater flight going to MYEH, but still I did not want to have to learn Spanish in a hurry and the search and rescue coverage gets a little thin south of Cuba.
We departed early on a Monday morning to fly from Orlando Sanford International Airport (KSFB (my home base)) and flew to the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (KMTH) to top off the fuel at 92 gallons. As MTH is non-towered, we intended to get our IFR clearance in the air after departing and heading south. Lesson learned: upon departure you are almost immediately in the “Contiguous U.S. ADIZ”, like right away! But ATC was very helpful and gave us our IFR clearance quickly and we were on our way without even a glimpse of an F-16.
We were passed from Miami Center to Havana Center as we approached Cuban airspace and the Cuban controllers were both professional and helpful.
We were passed from Miami Center to Havana Center as we approached Cuban airspace and the Cuban controllers were both professional and helpful as we went wheels dry only 40 minutes after leaving KMTH. From 8,000 feet (minimum to cross over Cuba), we saw lots of land under agriculture and a large road bisecting the island east to west but only one car on the road. We also saw several airfields of great length, like one might use for large military aircraft? Passing off to our left, as we went wheels wet again after only 35 minutes over Cuba, was the infamous Bay of Pigs. An easy flight and it was interesting to listen to the Cuban ATC speak to us and others in English and then immediately go back to Spanish for other flights.
As we passed Cuba and into Cayman Airspace, we were in contact with Cayman ATC who seemed fixated on measuring our distance from waypoints, report 45 miles out, report 25 miles out, report 10 miles out and also keep up your speed. We could hear commercial traffic behind us which just maybe was flying faster than our 170 kts. with both of us pedaling so to speak.
Grand Cayman had been in sight for a while and we were vectored to a five mile final for runway 08. at Grand Cayman Cecil Roberts International Airport (MWCR). After a near perfect landing (mine), we were on the ground in Grand Cayman! No taxiway so we back taxi to the General Aviation ramp. Island Air is the FBO and there were a few nice jets sitting on the ramp along with our Cirrus SR-22.
We were vectored to a five mile final for runway 08 at Grand Cayman.
Total air time (KSFB to KMTH to MWCR) was a little less than four hours.
Now this is where it gets interesting! After tipping the line guys and grabbing our luggage, we walk into the Immigration and Customs offices, and fill out the forms. After getting our passports stamped, we move over to the Customs officer who asks for our Landing Slot paperwork. Hmmm…Landing Slot paperwork?? What Landing Slot paperwork? We start the discussion.
First, I have had a great deal of experience working in Grand Cayman and entering and leaving on flights but never by private flight. I can honestly tell you that the Cayman people, in general, and specifically any interaction I have had with Cayman Immigration and Customs, has always been very polite, professional and helpful. There was even the time I landed with a horse saddle as a part of my checked bags for friend’s equestrian hobby. That took some effort to classify the saddle under the customs regulations as they do not often see horse saddles being imported with maybe five to six horses on the entire island, but it worked.
This is contrary to the power-hungry TSA staff in their pretty french blue uniforms that almost look like they have some authority, or the often overworked US Customs and Border Patrol people who seem intent to keep US citizens from actually coming back to their own country with questions like “Where did you go? Why were you there? How long were you away?” I actually remember an interview where I was asked all these and when I responded I was a contractor, I was asked “What did you do?“ I build things, you know construction. “What type of construction?” Aquatic parks and themed entertainment resorts. “What type of Aquatic park?” You know, the one with water and why does this matter?
That did not go over well, but I was allowed back into my country of birth after the interrogation. My wife generally goes to another immigration line when we travel back into the US after a trip out of the country.
Back to Grand Cayman, the Customs officer explained the landing slot process began under COVID restrictions and was kept in place. AOPA and AVweb have both written on the costs, landing slots, and general aviation stifling aspects of Cayman policies.
“Owens Roberts Airport (MWCR) is now the only airport in the entire western hemisphere that mandates slot times for private aircraft…only three airports in the US mandate slots for commercial aircraft: JFK, La Guardia and Washington National.”
Grand Cayman certainly doesn’t have the traffic of those large US airports so perhaps there is more to the story? Like jobs or money or both?
Landing slot? Sorry, what is a landing slot and how does one obtain a slot? The very courteous customs officer explains that in order to land in Cayman you must apply for a landing slot. And failure to secure a slot ahead of time can carry a fine of up to $2,000.00 Cayman dollars (CID) ($2,460.00 USD).
I explain that if I can get some fuel, I will just fly back to the US. No need I am told, just get with a broker and fill out the form and get a landing slot. Keep in mind this is after I landed. I go to the only FBO at MWCR, Island Air, and at the counter ask about getting a landing slot. Looking pretty stupid might be a technique needed to fix this issue as I am certain I looked pretty stupid. I get a form and, with Island Air acting as my broker, I fill out the small form with the needed information, mostly available in my flight plan, hand it to my new found broker who hands it to the fine, helpful and very patient Customs officer who then proceeds to add my plan to the list of approved landing slots. This is retroactive mind you and wham, I am legal?!
Not wanting to push any issues, we quickly get in a car and are off to our hotel. Before leaving, I ask the line guys to fill up my plane with fuel for a departure in the morning. But wait! I am now told that as my new broker, Island Air needs me to file my flight plan and my departure slot needs to be assigned. What the heck? Ok, so I go to the flight planning office and the young man carefully studying his phone looks up and I explain I need to file a flight plan. I fill out the flight plan form to depart in the morning and hand that to my new broker and he fills out a new form to get me an assigned departure slot. All done!
After dinner with friends, we made it an early night as Jonathon and I had to be back at the FBO early the next morning.
One of my friends, now living in Grand Cayman, worked for Cirrus delivering new planes so I ask if she wants to take my Cirrus out in the pattern before we leave. “Of course”, she says and we go into the flight planning office to see the same young man still studying his phone and ask him what we need to allow my friend to take my Cirrus out in the pattern.
He looks up to tell us that we need to file a flight plan. To go out in the pattern? Yes, you must file a flight plan so I start to fill out the flight plan on his counter he stops looking at his phone for a brief moment and says “you must file a flight plan at least one hour in advance of the flight.” I am familiar with island culture so I ask if there any way we can file now and go out to fly in the pattern. Looking back to his phone (I am confident that possibly his studies in obscure aspects of Russion literature of the 18th century compels him to spend inordinate amounts of time on his phone) he replies no, one hour minimum.
As this will take us past our so carefully assigned departure slot, I tell my friend that next time we will plan ahead, way ahead.
At the FBO we are told that you cannot start your engine until you have clearance from the tower so radio the tower to confirm your departure slot. Ok, maybe a few more steps and we could put a man on the moon again or leave Grand Cayman. We hand our immigration cards to the FBO guys and confirm we have been fueled up and go out to the plane. As the fees and other information had to go from the FBO to Customs, then to the airport authority and the Tower, then back to the FBO, we were unable to wait to get the bill for the fees and fuel so I had the FBO email it to me and received it a few days later.
I completed a very thorough preflight confirming fuel levels and life jackets, and we get in the plane to contact the Tower (without starting the engine as instructed). It is early, around 9:00am, so it takes a few radio calls to get the Tower to respond. With the flight plan filed, we request departure which is granted and start the engine. We are the only airplane moving at that hour so we taxi out onto the runway and depart. I contact Cayman Center and soon am handed off to Havana Center. After about two hours, we see the Florida Keys and are off to Miami Executive to clear US Customs and Immigration.
Oddly enough, I am not asked about a landing slot at this busy airport. We clear US Customs and Immigration and then are off to KSFB, our home port.
Well, it was a bit of an adventure, but always fun to fly to a new place. What did I learn? Cayman is unique British culture overlayed by West Indian Culture and moving towards a bureaucracy that would rival Byzantine, at least as it applies to private aircraft flying. People there are always kind and generous and unable to explain why you have to have a landing slot. Think shoulder shrug and you just move on. Oh, costs? Well Cayman is expensive and evidently flying is even more expensive than other aspects.
- Admin Fees (15%) $4.11 CID
- Ground Handling (landing slot broker) $175.00 CID
- Piston Security Fee $20.00 CID
- CIAA Fees $27.44 CID
- Concession Fees $10.95 CID
The total was $237.50 CID or $296.88 USD for an overnight stay with fuel purchase
Oh, fuel. Well, remember you are on a small island so there is limited competition (as in none) and so 100LL is $11.28 USD per gallon!
Would I do it again? I sure would and I will be better informed, prepared, and make sure I secure a landing slot ahead of time and that my wallet is ready!
Well, it was a bit of an adventure, but always fun to fly to a new place.
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David, did you get your “Article Slot” approved by the “air facts” Blog Commission (AFBC)? Just kidding.