VFR in S. America.. info needed!

Winglet

Winglet

Well-Known Member
Hello,

I have recently been requested to ferry a Cessna 152 from the USA to Brazil. I recommended shipping it but the client insists on me flying it.

Normally I fly IFR if going international but this plane is not IFR capable.

Could somone point out to me the "need to know" rules for flying VFR in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil?

Are flight plans required?

Where can I get VFR charts for those locations?

Is Handeling Mandatory or can I just "wing it" upon arrival?

Do the locals at the smaller airports speak english?

Any any other information that you think is pertinent...

Thank you so much!
 
BenZwebner said:
Any any other information that you think is pertinent...
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Turn the trip down? Charge three times as much as you think it'll cost?

I don't have anything useful to say, other than "good luck." You'll undoubtedly have some good stories after a trip of this magnitude. I don't have the balls to fly over that much terrain, that many potentially unfriendly people, in that small of a plane!
 
I met a guy that did the reverse trip over the islands entered the US through Florida.

As mentioned, the cash required may exceed the useful load.
 
Flying 121 down there is a disaster enough. I wouldn't even imagine VFR. Half the time at night Amazonica doesn't even answer me. Like the others said, Good Luck.
 
I have a friend that recently ferried a 152 down to a flight school in Brazil (probably for the same place). He island hopped from Florida. I think it is actually safer that way as I have heard too many horror stories flying the other way through central america. I can't offer any advice on charts but I would definitely get a personal locator beacon, a nice life raft and plenty of other survival equipment. There are some places between islands that you are over water for a long time.
 
miller_time said:
I have a friend that recently ferried a 152 down to a flight school in Brazil (probably for the same place). He island hopped from Florida. I think it is actually safer that way as I have heard too many horror stories flying the other way through central america. I can't offer any advice on charts but I would definitely get a personal locator beacon, a nice life raft and plenty of other survival equipment. There are some places between islands that you are over water for a long time.
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miller_time, could you ask your freind if he minded if I called him? I would like to know which handler he used (if at all) and how the VFR works once you get in to Guyana and onwards.

Thanks for your assistance!
Ben
 
I fly between the Caribbean and the Northern portion of South America, have also flown all over Brazil.

Send me a PM and I will give you all the info you need..

For most of Brazil, Guyanas and Suriname you can get e-charts online for free, there is also a Brazilian APP for iphone/ipad that lets you navigate with the local WACs
 
miller_time said:
I have a friend that recently ferried a 152 down to a flight school in Brazil (probably for the same place). He island hopped from Florida. I think it is actually safer that way as I have heard too many horror stories flying the other way through central america. I can't offer any advice on charts but I would definitely get a personal locator beacon, a nice life raft and plenty of other survival equipment. There are some places between islands that you are over water for a long time.
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Did he just flew down last week? I think I saw him here at SMZO
 
jrh said:
that many potentially unfriendly people
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Are you crazy?

It`s really funny the point of view many people have of this part of the world...

Yes there are many illegal things going on, guns and drugs, but from personal experience if you mind your own business you will never have a problem.

We got a ferry pilot landing here in SMZO the other week, I dunno he looked surprised when I told him this is actually a very nice city, clean, little to no poverty and safe!

Most of the Amazon region is filled with airports, the Brazilian portion alone has more then Alaska, the indians are really nice and to your surpise they will have an iphone and an LCD tv..

It`s really an easy trip if you stay in VFR weather and maybe don`t try short cuts, Brazil is not all rain forest there are massive areas of desert, anything south of Belem I would take the much longer route along the beach..
 
I have recently been requested to ferry a Cessna 152 from the USA to Brazil. I recommended shipping it but the client insists on me flying it.

Normally I fly IFR if going international but this plane is not IFR capable. IFR would be better and easier, but not in a 152

Could somone point out to me the "need to know" rules for flying VFR in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil? Pretty much the same rules as the US, but you don`t really need to worry about airspaces, if you bust one....really nobody cares, just keep two way comm or the right freq set on listening and just make sure at all times you know where you are and how to explain where you are, not many radars down here. Do not land in Venezuela, go to Trinidad, do not land in French Guyana, it`s Europe there and they will give you an headache, you should be able to make it from Suriname (btw I live there) to Macapa` in the Northern state of Amapa`,Brazil..from there you have a ton of airports and most have AVGAS, The main airport of Guyana and Suriname do not have AVGAS you gotta land in the small bush operators airports (<2000 feet runways), Brazil you can get fuel anywhere..but fuel is given on a schedule

Are flight plans required? Yes always, even to fly around the pattern. Look up the ICAO format

Where can I get VFR charts for those locations? I have all the charts and AIP info you need

Is Handeling Mandatory or can I just "wing it" upon arrival? No, most charter companies will allow you to park the plane at their location for a small fee

Do the locals at the smaller airports speak english? Yes for most of the Caribbean, Guyana and Suriname, forget it in Brazil, if I`m off I will take the ride down with you as I need to go to Rio..

Any any other information that you think is pertinent...
You won`t be able to cut straight down over the Amazon, from my location to Belem it`s a 3.3 hour flight in the Chieftain, you will need to fly along the coast

Thank you so much![/quote]
 
BenZwebner said:
Hello,

I have recently been requested to ferry a Cessna 152 from the USA to Brazil. I recommended shipping it but the client insists on me flying it.

Normally I fly IFR if going international but this plane is not IFR capable.

Could somone point out to me the "need to know" rules for flying VFR in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil?

Are flight plans required?

Where can I get VFR charts for those locations?

Is Handeling Mandatory or can I just "wing it" upon arrival?

Do the locals at the smaller airports speak english?

Any any other information that you think is pertinent...

Thank you so much!
Click to expand...
FAA just changed the rule with ICAO, YES a flight plan is required for any international trip whether it's VFR, IFR, or DVFR. English in Brazil? No, probably not. In fact, in Brazil they are probably going to speak french. Good luck crossing the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone).

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tropics/itcz.htm
 
KHanson said:
English in Brazil? No, probably not. In fact, in Brazil they are probably going to speak french
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French?

In Brazil you can forget English from most of the smallest fields, and that`s where you wanna stop. I will list you some good fields in the e-mail Ben, but the best places are where they have flight schools (Aeroclube), they also have accommodation and cheap fuel.

I would say all of airports in the north will not speak that much English, they will speak English on Center and at the intl airports with lots of foreign traffic, as far as ground handling it will be really hard to impossible to find anybody that speaks English, unless you go to FBOs like Colt..
 
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