Oops... flew into US airspace
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Oops... flew into US airspace
Can anyone comment on the severity of accidentally flying into US airspace? I remember years ago (pre 2001) it wasn't a big deal as long as you didn't touch down. Having been absent from aviation for the last 10+ years I'm not sure of what has all changed since then. During today's mission we got a little sidetracked and strayed a couple miles south of the border before realizing our exact location. Oops.
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Conquest Driver
- Rank 6
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Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
As far as I know it's still legal to overfly normal U.S. airspace. I'm not sure if you need a working transponder or not (I've always had one).
This doesn't include TFR's, restricted airspace, control zones and, I'm sure, a few other places.
If you have any idea you got into one of those you need to fill out a NASA ASRS report within, I believe, 10 days from the incident.
This doesn't include TFR's, restricted airspace, control zones and, I'm sure, a few other places.
If you have any idea you got into one of those you need to fill out a NASA ASRS report within, I believe, 10 days from the incident.
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
From http://copanational.org/files/AOPACOPAC ... Manual.pdf:
"Overflights
U.S. and Canada permit aircraft to overfly their territory and subsequently land in the
country of departure without requiring Customs notification or filing an eAPIS report.
Examples of this are a flight from Detroit to Buffalo or Fredericton to Montreal during
which you overfly foreign territory but do not land.
The following are required for overflights:
a) A VFR or IFR flight plan must be filed and activated to cross the border.
b) A transponder code unique to your flight must be obtained prior to crossing the
border unless you have a waiver for no transponder.
c) You must be communicating by radio with a controlling agency (FAA or Nav
Canada) when you cross the border.
Failure to do any of these actions may result in interception."
So if you didn't have a flight plan or didn't get a unique transponder code, it might be worth phoning ATC and telling them what happened, although to be honest I suspect they won't really care.
"Overflights
U.S. and Canada permit aircraft to overfly their territory and subsequently land in the
country of departure without requiring Customs notification or filing an eAPIS report.
Examples of this are a flight from Detroit to Buffalo or Fredericton to Montreal during
which you overfly foreign territory but do not land.
The following are required for overflights:
a) A VFR or IFR flight plan must be filed and activated to cross the border.
b) A transponder code unique to your flight must be obtained prior to crossing the
border unless you have a waiver for no transponder.
c) You must be communicating by radio with a controlling agency (FAA or Nav
Canada) when you cross the border.
Failure to do any of these actions may result in interception."
So if you didn't have a flight plan or didn't get a unique transponder code, it might be worth phoning ATC and telling them what happened, although to be honest I suspect they won't really care.
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Don't worry, if they know of your transgression, they'll let you know. I knew a guy who flew out of bounds once, he thought they wouldn't notice, they did and he had to sacrifice a lamb to the regulatory gods.
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Not to mention probably being shadowed by F16's with orders to shoot you down if you even fart!!!
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Yeah, I'd follow the rules. I once navigated carelessly VFR near Sault Ste Marie, crossed US territory, and got firmly told by Sault Canada tower when I contacted them. Nothing more happened, but they left an impression with me.
In 2009, I was flying a borrowed 182 from central Texas to Tucson. I stopped in El Paso for fuel. When I took off the smaller El Paso airport, to continue west through the busy El Paso International airspace. The manager at the smaller airport had given me a faded photocopied sheet, describing the easy way through the airspace. It essentially said follow the Rio Grande.
The only thing I did after takeoff was to climb up, and get radar identified before I set off off course. After a few minutes, the ground was not lining up well with the chart, and I had yet to see the Rio Grande. The center controller came on and asked: "99Y, do you know where you are?" (I have learned to never lie, or bluff when asked this). "Um, no, I'm really not sure any more.". "Well, you're about 5 miles inside Mexico, suggest heading 330". Oops!
A saw a Mexican 182 sent to chase me, but I out ran him, and he stopped at the border as I crossed back. The controller did not see troubled by my navigational failing. By the way, what no one told me is that the Rio Grande is a ditch, not this wide flowing torrent of water brought to my mind by the terms "Rio", and "Grande". My return passage eastbound a few days later was much more professionally accomplished....
In 2009, I was flying a borrowed 182 from central Texas to Tucson. I stopped in El Paso for fuel. When I took off the smaller El Paso airport, to continue west through the busy El Paso International airspace. The manager at the smaller airport had given me a faded photocopied sheet, describing the easy way through the airspace. It essentially said follow the Rio Grande.
The only thing I did after takeoff was to climb up, and get radar identified before I set off off course. After a few minutes, the ground was not lining up well with the chart, and I had yet to see the Rio Grande. The center controller came on and asked: "99Y, do you know where you are?" (I have learned to never lie, or bluff when asked this). "Um, no, I'm really not sure any more.". "Well, you're about 5 miles inside Mexico, suggest heading 330". Oops!
A saw a Mexican 182 sent to chase me, but I out ran him, and he stopped at the border as I crossed back. The controller did not see troubled by my navigational failing. By the way, what no one told me is that the Rio Grande is a ditch, not this wide flowing torrent of water brought to my mind by the terms "Rio", and "Grande". My return passage eastbound a few days later was much more professionally accomplished....
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
A Mexican 182 to chase you?? BWAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAAA!
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Yeah, the Mexican one was an all black ''wide body" 182, and I was flying a "D" model, which is a smidgen faster, so I out ran him. I also had the altitude advantage, and "home" across the border he could not enter.
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floatplanepilot
- Rank 3
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Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
The US will send helo's and jets up to track you and you won't even know they are there as they will stay in your blind spots.
For fun start throwing sacks of flour out the door and see what happens.
For fun start throwing sacks of flour out the door and see what happens.
Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Flying from Vancouver to any Canadian destination south of Active pass we cross the US boarder twice in each direction. I believe we are in US airspace for 2 minutes and it takes 3 minutes to scramble an interceptor, so they can't catch us. Not even a high speed Beaver.
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Meatservo
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Re: Oops... flew into US airspace
Other than tell you not to come back anymore, which might cramp your style a bit, what exactly are the Americans going to do to you now that you're back in Canada? Write you a nasty letter? I think if you didn't get told off right away, you probably aren't going to hear from anyone.
