Get extra lift from AOPA. Start your free membership trial today! Click here

When you need to clear customs

New webinar helps pilots prepare

Editor's note: This story was updated January 4 to correct the time of the upcoming webinar. AOPA regrets the error.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will team up with CST Flight Services for an FAA Safety Team webinar January 6 at 9 a.m. Central time and is called “Morning coffee with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”


Photo by David Tulis

Rick Gardner, director of CST Flight Services, and CBP program managers Eric Rodriguez and Drew Wescott of the General Aviation Office of Field Operations, will conduct the webinar that’s hosted by FAAST, to educate pilots on best practices, common causes of penalties, and tips to follow when clearing customs. Laura Hermann, volunteer lead from FAAST, will chair the webinar with Gardner. The format is framed as a one-hour discussion and will also touch on topics like the Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS), clarifying permission to land, how to handle itinerary changes, and overflight exemptions, among others.

CBP is actively trying to raise awareness of the requirements among enforcement officers and pilots alike, emphasizing the phrase “reasonable and responsible” on both sides. Officers are being better educated to understand GA and pilots, while pilots are encouraged to prepare for their trips by gathering information early in the planning process in order to improve the experience.

A link to the webinar can be found on FAAST’s website.

Following the webinar, CBP will continue to reach out to pilots throughout the year. AOPA plans to host quarterly webinars with CBP beginning in February, discussing similar issues. In addition, members can look forward to an in-person AOPA seminar with CBP at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin in July.

Here's a link to the session.


Sylvia Schneider Horne
Digital Media Editor
Sylvia Schneider Horne is a digital media editor for AOPA's eMedia division.
Topics: Advocacy, Travel, Cross Border

Related Articles