Changing Plans for Weather : From KCTB (Cut Bank, MT) to KMLS (Miles City, MT)

After clearing with customs, we entered the old airport building that brings back memories of times long gone. There are even showers and beds available, should you need them. We always seem to meet interesting traffic at Cut Bank, but today we were the only aircraft on the ramp. The Chinook Arc that had been present when we left Lethbridge was very prominent here, and the winds seemed to be increasing, so we were keen to get going.

Close to the ground, the going was bumpy, due to the high winds. We were seeing great ground speeds, due to the westerly flow over the Rockies behind us.

Just before this trip, we acquired the ability to download live weather updates via satellite into the cockpit (For the pilots reading this, we use a Garmin Aera and XM Weather). We were not sure that the investment would be worth it, but this leg was the first of many that made us grateful for this tool.

Our plan had been to fly to Miles City, MT (KMLS), where we would refuel, then on to Pierre, SD (KPIR), before heading to Lincoln, NE (KLNK) for the night. A low that was blocking our route to the east was expected to move on as the day progressed, but this did not seem to be happening. We would be able to get to Miles City, but not much further, it seemed.

Using our on-board weather, we could evaluate multiple plans and contingencies. We were headed southeast, so if we could not go east, we figured, we may as well go south. Having weather in the cockpit meant we could see beyond the rain showers that were visible ahead, and make informed decisions that improved our ability to continue flying and making progress in our journey.

A very handy tool to complement our weather decisions is a new product from the FAA: a VFR planning map. Covering the entire continental USA on a single sheet at a scale of 1:3,100,000. It worked quite well in the cockpit, once we had it folded sensibly.

Our weather-enabled GPS could tell us where to fly, and perhaps more importantly, where not to go. The planner gave us a quick reference to what airfields, terrain and airspace lay on our new course. We could then use that information to further refine our plan, by using the identifiers to find more weather on the GPS. Voila!

RegularNut was suffering from a bad flu bug. Ear aches and a headache made the first few days of flying uncomfortable for her, and piloting out of the question. She remained an able and very helpful co-pilot despite being unwell. It is always easier with two pilots in the cockpit, even if one of them is under the weather!

By the time we landed at Miles City, we had our new plan well formulated, and I went into the FBO with the portable GPS already loaded with our new route.

It was as well, as the FBO had no Internet connection, only a tired telephone with which to call Flight Services. The lady behind the counter gave me a funny look when I explained that we had pulled up at the self-service fuel, but then taxied over to the FBO when we saw there was one, as we try to always support local business. She told us that they owned the self-serve as well. I was not willing to taxi back to the self-serve bowser, so I asked her to top JYMmie off, although it seemed we were imposing somehow.

Fortunately, all I had to do was make the call, ask about TFRs, Notams, and file a flight plan, while RegularNut settled the fuel bill, and we were ready to go.

On our return flight, we were happy to be able to overfly Miles City for Lewistown, which is a very friendly little airport.

Back to Leg 1

Dancing with EAPIS: Crossing the USA border - CYQL to KCTB

Today was the first day of our new adventure, and we were eager to get going. After loading up JYMmie, we did our preflight checks and run-up, and departed Lethbridge (CYQL) at 13h31 Zulu (07h30 local).

It was -1 C on the ground, and we were happy to have fleece sweaters to keep us warm until the big Continental 0-470 started producing heat after take-off. There was a broken cloud base at 10 000 feet, and the winds on the ground were around 13 knots, almost straight down the runway.

Approaching the border, we managed to obtain our squawk code without difficulty.

The thin yellow horizontal/diagonal line on this image taken from our portable GPS shows the Canada / USA border.

Our track from CYQL to KCTB. (Download KML here)

We landed at Cutbank Airport uneventfully after a 38 minute flight. The customs officer, who needs to drive out from Sweetgrass, was already there. After clearing customs, we filed our next leg, and departed. The temperature in Cut Bank was +4 C, and we were anxious to find warmer climes. RegularNut was under the weather with a bug that made her dizzy, and plugged her sinuses, so it was up to BigNut to fly the first several days.

What do you need to do if you want to cross the Canada / USA border in your private plane?

It’s simple, really. All you need to do is:

• Obtain an EAPIS access account with the Department of Homeland Security
• Obtain a customs decal from USA Customs and Border Protection services
• Submit a crew / passenger manifest, and flight details to EAPIS via the web
• Obtain permission to enter (or leave) the USA via an email from EAPIS
• Make arrangements with the customs office where you intend to clear
• File a flight plan
• Depart from an Airport of Entry
• Open the flight plan on departure
• Obtain a transponder squawk before crossing the border
• Arrive at the pre-arranged Airport of Entry within 15” of planned time of arrival
• Clear customs

Phew! If it sounds complicated, it is, although not as much as one would think at first glance. We follow a checklist to (hopefully) ensure that nothing is missed. Fines for even unintentional non-compliance START at $5 000 USD, and include incarceration, so it adds significant stress to flights to and from the USA. Things that make it difficult to comply is the fact that one needs to file electronically, have access to an email account, and that making changes have lead times of 2 hours. Small plane flights are very dependent on weather, and plans can change rapidly. The rules seem to have been made for the folks who fly airliners who usually can fly above the weather. Another problem is the fact that we tend to fly a lot lower than our bigger brethren, so contacting ATC for a squawk code timeously can be problematic.

Despite the above, things usually run remarkably smoothly. We like clearing at Cutbank, MT (KCTB). It is only 64 nautical miles away from Lethbridge, Alberta (CYQL), our home base, making timing easier. Lethbridge is also an Airport of Entry. The traffic at KCTB is not heavy. The building housing the Customs offices also houses a remarkable FBO run by the Cut Bank Municipal Airport Authority. Besides flight planning facilities and fuel, you can have a shower, or even a bed, if you need. It is a feel-good place for folks who like a feel of how it was to fly in the good old days. Our kind of folks.

On to Leg 2 of our trip