AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 56
their passengers also must bring current passports, and pay a $25 departure tax. The United States requires that pilots file electronic eAPIS customs screening forms for both departures and returns. But even that sometimes-intimidating process has become less cumbersome, and iPad and iPhone users can download applications that make eAPIS clearer to navigate. Fifty minutes into the Caravan’s eastbound flight, Fuller checks in with Nassau Approach, and the controller’s unmistakable Caribbean accent (“Turn soud-east now”) is a reminder of the fact that we’re in Bahamian airspace. It’s midmorning, and eight more GA airplanes are on the way to Stella Maris from Fort Lauderdale. Jack McCormick, head of Baja Bush Pilots, is leading 16 people on a circuitous tour of the Caribbean and Central America. The group’s first stop outside the United States happens to be the same as ours.
“Caravan Three-Nine-Four-GolfAlpha, there are lots of airplanes going to Stella Maris today,” the controller says. “When does the party start over there?” “As soon as we land,” Rolle quips. Looking down Miles of shallow water after Bimini reflect dazzling blues and greens, and steady southeast trade winds of 15 knots or so at sea level give a rough texture to the ocean surface. The water is so clear that the contours of the white sand and rock and coral reefs underneath are easily identifiable, and constantly changing. The sky has been mostly clear except for puffy cumulus clouds over each island during the first half of the trip. But the clouds thicken, and we climb to 11,500 feet to top a broad stratus layer. About 75 nm from our destination, the clouds break up, and we start our descent in clear, smooth air with a few rainshowers visible to our north.
The ocean is deep blue and thousands of feet deep, but it shallows and becomes an iridescent turquoise and sky blue as we approach the low sandstone cliffs at the northwest edge of Long Island. Stella Maris is visible 20 nm away, and we’re aligned for a straight-in approach to Runway 13. But we take a quick aerial tour of the island by circling at 2,000 feet in a series of wide right turns. Stella Maris Resort is situated on the rocky and dramatic windward side of the island. Wind-driven swells crash into the craggy shoreline in endless succession. On the protected lee side of the island, vast sandbars provide miles of shallow water ideal for bonefish, a prized quarry for fly saltwater fishermen around the world. And a series of protected harbors provide ideal anchorages for sailboats, yachts, and fishing boats. The unicom frequency, 122.8 MHz, gives a hint at the aerial activity throughout the island chain as a de Havilland
AOPA PILOT •
56 • MARCH 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
Contents
President’s Position
Hangar Talk
AOPA Media
AOPA Action
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Pilot Briefing
Rally GA: Rights for Pilots?
Keep ’Em Flying: New Voices for GA
Another Day, Another Island
Wx Watch: The Whys of Wind
Avionics: Angle of Attack Indicators
Products: There Are Accessories for That
Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: Happy Birthday
Never Again
Fly-Outs
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Hangar Talk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Media
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilot Briefing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Rally GA: Rights for Pilots?
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert001
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert002
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Keep ’Em Flying: New Voices for GA
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Another Day, Another Island
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 63
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 65
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 73
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 83
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 85
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert003
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert004
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Wx Watch: The Whys of Wind
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Avionics: Angle of Attack Indicators
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Products: There Are Accessories for That
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: Happy Birthday
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover4
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