Please note as of November 1, 2015 the U.S. Customs Office has a new location: 100 First Street S.  (on the corner of First Street and Spring Street)

Canadian Flying Procedures
Assumes a VFR flight from Friday Harbor Airport to Canada

Checklist before you start

  • Register on eAPIS
  • Passport
  • Canadian Currency
  • Canadian Charts – especially The Vancouver VTA — VFR Terminal Area Chart
  • Canada Flight Supplement
  • Obtain DTOPS Sticker

Leaving USA / Friday Harbor

  • File eAPIS
  • Call 1-800-WX Brief and file flight plan or file online with Lockheed Martin Flight Services. If you file online choose “domestic flight plan.” It allows a Canadian destination. It’s counterintuitive; but it works
  • Call Canpass 1-888-226-7277 (1-888-CANPASS) 2 – 48 hours prior to depart to let them know where you are landing and arrange for customs. Be prepared for “why are you coming to Canada?” and background questions
  • Open Flight plan on Mt. Constitution 122.3. Get transponder squawk code
  • Contact Victoria at about Roche Harbor. If you’re below 2,500’ call Victoria Tower on 119.1. If you’re above 2,500’ call Victoria Terminal on 127.8
  • Close flight plan upon landing in Canada. Tower usually does it
  • Upon landing call CDN Customs / CANPASS 1-888-226-7277. They will check you in on the phone or arrange for customs agents to come to your airplane and check you in
  • If going on in Canada, create new flight plan

Returning to USA

  • File eAPIS – 2 to 48 hours before flight
  • Call Kamloops 1-866-541-4101 / File flight plan to USA. They talk you through it
  • Call FHR customs 360-378-2080 day of flight. They open at 8 AM. Arrange for arrival time. Avoid arriving at FHR when the international ferry arrives in Friday Harbor. If you don’t want to or can’t go thru FHR, then Bellingham is a good alternate. They need a one-hour notice before arrival. 360-734-5463
  • Contact tower of departure airport to open flight plan and get transponder squawk code. Tower will hand you over as you progress back to the US
  • Close flight plan
  • Upon landing have these docs ready for customs: Passport, aircraft registration, your medical, DTOPS decal, and pilot’s license