USA Aviation Information

FAA - Graphical TFR list

FAA PilotWeb is a site for looking up NOTAMs.

US special use airspace mapped.  Find out here when the MOA will be active, or where the TFRs are.

Although you may have taken ALC-55 in the past to meet this requirement, you must now take the updated course ALC-405.

If you fly within the 60nm of the DCA VOR, this FAA course is MANDATORY.  Special procedures are required only within 30nm.  Due to the mountains, it is quite likely your flight with pass within the outer ring, and thus you need to take this course, and take with you the certificate you print at the end.

You will need to create a login, so they can track you took the course.  Enter NO for airman certificate, if you do not have a US pilot license.  You may need to enter a zip code as well - I chose 14225, the one for KBUF.

Lockheed Martin has greatly expanded their on-line services to provide flight planning and briefing services.

Check it out !

After you create an account and login, click the Account tab and update all of your information.

Submit passenger manifests for arrival into or departure from the USA.

Updated January 2015 to version 3.0

This guide to filing eAPIS manifests discusses in detail what information is required for each field.

You need to land at a Port of Entry for US Customs clearance. It is also necessary to identify the nearest office from your departure location in your eAPIS manifest (the "Departure Airport").

The information is sorted by state, which then brings up a list of offices.  A given office may cover a few airports, so it may not be obvious at all that Oakland County (Pontiac) is available, since it is listed under the Detroit Metropolitan Airport office.  Similarly, Watertown, NY is listed under the Alexandria Bay office. So choose an office vaguely near where you want to go, at look at the list of all the Facilities and Crossings they handle.

Note that the search box searches the entire CBP website, not just the ports of entry.  With a search for "Oakland County", the first result is Detroit Metropolitan Airport and clicking that gives you the office for that Port of Entry, so that is another way to find the office that handles the airport you desire.

Since the web site may be out of date, just call and ask questions.  The officers are very helpful !

This link can be used in conjunction with the CBP Locate a Port of Entry. If you search for a particular airport with customs services, you will find a convenient to print fact sheet about the customs services at that airport. The information may not be entirely up-to-date with day to day variances, so call the office ahead of time to confirm they will be open when you want to call them to make your appointment and that they will be available when you want to arrive.

You need to purchase a decal to pay the user fee for customs clearance into the USA and affix it to your aircraft aft of the pilot boarding entrance.

Your receipt includes your decal number.  The receipt is sufficient if you end up ordering your decal at the last minute, so do not pay for expedited air shipment of your decal.

Amateur-Built and Advanced Ultralight aircraft require a special flight authorization for flight in the USA.  You need only print the permit and take it with you.  Note: Basic Ultralight and Owner Maintenance Aircraft are not permitted to fly in the USA.

Current US aviation charts on-line.  A great resource for planning US flights.

The US Airport/Facility Directory is the equivalent of our Canada Flight Supplement and is available digitally.

The taxi diagrams and approach plates are available for large airports in PDF format.

Information to help you choose which airport to land at for fuel, food, hotel and maintenance. Member comments are particularly useful, as are the traffic statistics.

100LL.com is the site to monitor aviation fuel prices and most US airports.

NASA encourages reporting of unintentional violations of aviation regulations.  If you report your inadvertent error, penalties may not be imposed.  Read for details.

NOAA's National Weather Service  

Aviation Weather Center