ADDS US Weather

NOAA's National Weather Service  

Aviation Weather Center

Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS) 

This is the official US aviation weather source. The Java tools are especially useful.

FAA - TFRs

FAA - Graphical TFR list

FAA - Notams

FAA PilotWeb is a site for looking up NOTAMs.

FAA - Special Use Airspace

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

Washington DC Special Flight Rules Area - Mandatory Course

New Course Required as of June 2014 !

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.

NASA Air Safety Reporting System

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

Lockheed Martin On-Line Flight Planning and Briefing

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.

eAPIS

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

CBP Private Air APIS Guide

Updated January 2015 to version 3.0

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

CBP Locate A Port Of Entry Website

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 at all.  So choose an office vaguely near where you want to go, at look at the list of 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.  Well sometimes.  The port information for the Alexandria bay office is still missing its list of Facilities and Crossings, so you need to call them to find out Watertown is a valid Port Of Entry.

Since the web site may be out of date, just call and ask questions.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

CBP List Of Airports Where Inspection Services Are Normally Available

Updated January 2015

The previous link is the CBP's Port of Entry website.

This link is to a document, updated January 2015, that is a convenient list of airports.  There may be clearance charges at some airports - call and ask !

Phone 1 is the number of the local office to call.  Phone 2 is an alternate, such as a main office, when the local office is closed.

While Watertown made the list, the phone number appears to be the Agriculture Questions phone number.  Calling Alexandria Bay's Private Aircraft Reporting number 315-482-2472 x2640 may work faster.

Order your CBP Clearance Decal On-Line

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.

FAA Flight Permit for Amateur-Built and Advanced Ultralights

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.

Sky Vector - on-line US Charts

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

US Airport Facility Directory

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

US Airport Taxi Diagrams & Approach Plates

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

AirNav - Detailed Airport Information

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.

US Aviation Fuel Prices

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

Operations at Towered Airports

AOPA Air Safety Foundation publication on operations at towered airports in the USA.  It covers procedures, signs etc.

Operations at Non-Towered Airports

AOPA Air Safety Foundation publication on operations at non-towered airports in the USA.