VFR from Florida to Cuba

[GS Pilot]

Any members on the forum have recent experience flying into Cuba from the US?
I have conflicting info regarding VFR flights being allowed.
If anyone has been there in the last 18 months or so, please PM me with an email address that I can reach you at.
Thanks

[MightyGem]

Would not the FAA have the definitive answer?

Looks like the best way might to be to go via another country.
Cuba landing permit ? International Ops 2018 (http://flightservicebureau.org/tag/cuba-landing-permit/)

[vaqueroaero]

A friend of mine was the first person to fly from the US to Cuba a few months ago in a helicopter. Give me some time to track him down and I'll try and help you out. They were in a Bell 230.

[vaqueroaero]

That didn't take long. PM sent.

[albatross]

Also I believe you may have to file with this system
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/us_restrictions/airspace/
Had to use it on a ferry flight to Brazil from the USA a couple of years ago.
Once joined it was easy to use.
If you already know all this carry on and have fun!
Find me a nice 57 Chevy please.

Strangely enough there is a similiar site required in the Caribbean ...something that we discovered late in the flight... "Thanks "Handling Agent from Hell!" LOL

[[email protected]]

Strangely enough there is a similiar site required in the Caribbean anything to do with the battle against drug smuggling........

[albatross]

anything to do with the battle against drug smuggling........
I assume so
: we proceeded trouble free via Bahamas, Turks and Cacaos the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia happily filing paper IFR flight plans at the airports using paper manifests ect until we arrived in Tobago for refueling where, even though we were staying on the airside, they were much upset because we had not efiled a manifest.
By Happy coincidence a "Local Handling Agent" suddenly appeared and for a fee took care of the problem. LOL
We then proceeded via Georgetown BG, Cayenne French Guiana and onward to Brazil.

[GS Pilot]

Also I believe you may have to file with this system
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/us_restrictions/airspace/
Had to use it on a ferry flight to Brazil from the USA a couple of years ago.
Once joined it was easy to use.
If you already know all this carry on and have fun!
Find me a nice 57 Chevy please.

Strangely enough there is a similiar site required in the Caribbean ...something that we discovered late in the flight... "Thanks "Handling Agent from Hell!" LOL

Flight completed and the short version is that flight in Cuba requires an IFR flight plan. Searching the web, I found a few examples of groups who arraigned VFR flights from Florida, but I'm guessing these were planned well in advance and required substantial logistics.

I was also told by CBP Officer at Key West that pilots departing Florida must also submit a General Declaration form at their office and that this form must be "approved" by CBP before you can depart. This departure GenDec requirement was completely separate from the APIS and news to me. Anyone else heard of that before? I have yet to find it in writing.

[albatross]

Flight completed and the short version is that flight in Cuba requires an IFR flight plan. Searching the web, I found a few examples of groups who arraigned VFR flights from Florida, but I'm guessing these were planned well in advance and required substantial logistics.

I was also told by CBP Officer at Key West that pilots departing Florida must also submit a General Declaration form at their office and that this form must be "approved" by CBP before you can depart. This departure GenDec requirement was completely separate from the APIS and news to me. Anyone else heard of that before? I have yet to find it in writing.

From the link to the FAA website I posted. It appears Gen dec is required for revenue flights.
As I recall I intialy found out about APIS in Jepps.
We were also lucky enough to run into an old friend in West Palm when we arrived. He was flying a private 92 and did lots of trips from there to the Carribean so took the time to help us out. The folks at US Customs were also most helpful making sure we had all our ducks in a row. There was a lot of paperwork! Especialy as we were exporting the aircraft and the Co-pilot was a Thai national ..we ( including the US Customs almost forgot to get his passport stamped as leaving the US )

Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)
The Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) is a Web-based interface designed by CBP, for international travel into and out of the U.S. See the CBP online web-based training for additional information.
The main objective of this program is to obtain a passenger and crew manifest for every aircraft entering or departing the U.S. Pilots, or their assigned agents, must enroll online before filing an international flight plan. They will receive a password and sender I.D. An activation key also will be sent for first-time APIS login.
Flights arriving from or flying to a destination outside the U.S. must electronically transmit the following information to the CBP:
Traveler manifest information for each person on board
Notice of arrival information
Notice of departure information
The information must be received by the CBP no less than 60 minutes prior to takeoff for flights departing from or arriving in the U.S.
Flyers may submit departure as well as subsequent arrival information with APIS before leaving the U.S. Having filed both flights, if there is a delay, it is possible to amend the flight plan with Customs or Flight Service by phone, or if in flight, by radio. If there is a change of date, a new manifest must be filed.
APIS will take the place of Customs Form 708; however, revenue flights are required to fill out Form 7507 (General Declaration). Each person on an inbound flight will have to submit Form 6059B (individual declaration card).
The U.S. CBP Guide for Private Flyers (PDF) is available online. It contains information on current CBP policies, regulations, and requirements as well as links to pertinent information for the international pilot.