57. Bangor Main (KBGR) to St John's New Found
land Canada (CYYT) 6.07.2009 - 716 NM - 43:45Hrs.
Tuesday 07 July 2009
“47:37.1N
052:45.1W"
At
Bangor Main, we spent yesterday Sunday many-any
hours, to try to figure out the way,
how to check out of the US with the new Internet based eAPIS
System from
the US Customs
and Border Control.
It is now a requirement for all general aviation pilots, departing from
or
arriving in the United
States since the 18th of May 2009 to use this system.
What a b…. nightmare for us................
We planned to depart to St Jones just after Lunch yesterday, but were
unable to
do so,
as this system full of bugs, and no hotline support available to us,
we
finally headed
frustrated to the hotel bar for a few drinks to unwind.
What followed was a long walk to the International Terminal.
With the help of a few airline captains and the dispatching
organization there,
we finally got
a contact address and phone number of somebody, which might be could
walk us
through
the process to file our departure formalities on the eAPIS System on
the
Internet.
I recall, it was about 8PM, when we finally could successfully hit the
final "Submit"
button,
to file our departure formalities.
Seconds later received an email message that we could now legally leave
the United States
with HB-PON.
Hurry!
Today, Monday morning, take off time from Bangor to St John's in New
Found land
was scheduled for 10AM.
A number US Air force engine tanker Jets were in the circuit and
practiced
"touch and goes".
Due to this we were delayed, so we could only depart some 25 minutes
later as scheduled.
These days there resides still quite an active low pressure system with
resulting in low
clouds and fog in the north east of Canada, and the weather situation
required
careful flight
planning for us two World Rounder’s.
In the early morning of today, weather forecasts predicted IFR
conditions all
the way up to St Jon's
New Found land, and some possible low ceiling and possible fog on
arrival.
The alternates we had chosen were Halifax, Sydney and St. Pierre, in
case
we had to deviate
from our final destination.
As we moved on our way in north easterly direction, we were first in
solid
clouds at 9'000 feet
for about one and a half hour, and then broke out for a moment in
between cloud
layers.
To stay out of clouds ahead, we requested to climb to 11'000 feet.
Even this was not enough, and we picked up some rime ice, as we moved
on
between Sydney
and St Pierre Island and Miquelon Islands.
As
we got closer to St Jone's, our destination on
the most easterly point of the North American
continent, the Weather conditions improved to the point, that we could
proceed,
and make a
back course Localizer approach to Runway 34 and land safely.
Tomorrow Tuesday is partly an R&R day for us. Of course we will
spend some
time at the
airport to fuel up HB-PON to its full 220 Gallon, 18 hour flight
capacity, and
prepare for our
North Atlantic Crossing to Santa Maria on the Azores.
Stay tuned!