[Username Protected]

I am flying the family to St. Thomas TIST in a few days and am looking for information regarding the flight through NY & Miami Oceanic airspace (Communications, Routing, Altitude). We plan to fly direct to/from Charleston which takes us pretty far off shore and away from the Bahamas. I have HF with a SELCAL but have not used it. We also have a Iridium sat-phone as well as a 10-person recently recertified life raft.

I've spoken with the FBO (Standard Aviation) and the COVID and customs are not much of a concern.

[Username Protected]

Phil, it is pretty easy and non event. File via JAINS L451 LETON. Your clearance on the ground will be your Oceanic clearance, and as you approach NY Oceanic W airspace you will be asked for your requested Mach speed. Then you call NY on HF assigned frequency. (Tune the HF by pressing the PTT for a few seconds), and give them your position report in the standard position report information. They will send you a SELCAL check to which you acknowledge it being received. Then make you standards position reports when over the fixes until you exit into Miami airspace. It is fun and no sweat.

[Username Protected]

I've learned oceanic flying recently.

First few times I flew oceanic I took a mentor. Yes, it's easy once you have done it a couple of times but not so your first time out. I found this video to be helpful. .

In a non-radar environment you have to be prepared with the altitude and mach number you will be able to maintain.

Also, I've had atlantic trips where I had no HF reception for good chunks of the flight. I had to relay on 123.45

Last time I was out there was an American flight where the radio operator had no clue what to do for position reporting. "ATC: American XXX report time at RESQU." "American: what is rescue? How do I look up the time? Standby..." "ATC: Is something wrong with your FMS?" That went on for the 10 minutes I was on the frequency...

I use this document as my cheat sheet for atlantic coms ops. I fill out the table at the bottom as I'm going along so I know what to say.

[Username Protected]

Thanks for the information, very helpful! I flew up to Chicago this morning and called NY Radio (ARINC) to verify my HF and SELCAL was working; all good.

Question - What output power are you all using (Low, Med or High)? I have the Honeywell KHF1050.

Question - What does pushing the lit SELCAL indicator do; does it send a SELCAL received acknowledgement?

[Username Protected]

Phil, it is pretty easy and non event. File via JAINS L451 LETON. Your clearance on the ground will be your Oceanic clearance, and as you approach NY Oceanic W airspace you will be asked for your requested Mach speed. Then you call NY on HF assigned frequency. (Tune the HF by pressing the PTT for a few seconds), and give them your position report in the standard position report information. They will send you a SELCAL check to which you acknowledge it being received. Then make you standards position reports when over the fixes until you exit into Miami airspace. It is fun and no sweat.

Do you typically get your requested/filed altitude? On the way out we'll be fat on fuel but the way back requires that we receive a high flight level to maintain reserves.

[Username Protected]

HI Phil, pushing the SELCAL button does nothing. It is not an active button. If you get called via SELCAL you go to the HF and reach out to the facility via voice saying you are responding to SELCAL. To acknowledge a SELCAL check you verbally say "SELCAL check ok". I have done that route a handful of times only. Every time I got my requested flight level.

[Username Protected]

HI Phil, pushing the SELCAL button does nothing. It is not an active button. If you get called via SELCAL you go to the HF and reach out to the facility via voice saying you are responding to SELCAL. To acknowledge a SELCAL check you verbally say "SELCAL check ok". I have done that route a handful of times only. Every time I got my requested flight level.

Thank you for the feedback. I was curious given it is a button and an indicator.

[Username Protected]

We did it last month and aren’t HF equipped and filed PITRW Y436 OGGRE DIZNY CARPX NUCAR Y355 RENAH Y585 ELMUC JETSS. Not much difference in times for the winds that day when I looked at route times unless we took the coastal FL route which added 25 min. Good on you using Standard as Signature/St Thomas Jet was a shit show. You will have to wait on someone from the National Guard to verify your Covid clearance upon arrival whether it’s in person or via phone.

I haven’t looked into how the new 24 hr prior test requirement affects inbounds from USVI. In the event it does plan ahead if you’re departing back to the US on or or directly after the weekend. There’s not much availability to get a test on Saturday and pretty much nothing on Sundays.

[Username Protected]

We did it last month and aren’t HF equipped and filed PITRW Y436 OGGRE DIZNY CARPX NUCAR Y355 RENAH Y585 ELMUC JETSS. Not much difference in times for the winds that day when I looked at route times unless we took the coastal FL route which added 25 min. Good on you using Standard as Signature/St Thomas Jet was a shit show.

I haven’t looked into how the new 24 hr prior test requirement affects inbounds from USVI. In the event it does plan ahead if you’re departing back to the US on or or directly after the weekend. There’s not much availability to get a test on Saturday and pretty much nothing on Sundays.

Thanks for the route, I will check into it. The wife is handling the COVID protocols and the FBO is being very helpful as well.

[Username Protected]

The Abbott’s BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag At-Home Test is accepted by the CDC. It is NOT the same as the as the standard BinaxNOW self-test since this one requires Telehealth supervision, but is fully self-administrated and they email you the testing results.

https://www.emed.com/products/covid-...pack?hsLang=en
https://store.optum.com/shop/product...st-kit-2-pack/

[Username Protected]

Thank you all for the help with my recent flight to TIST St. Thomas USVI. Screwed up my 1st HF position call but quickly got into the groove. The P300 is an amazing machine; 3 hours direct from JZI to TIST and 3.5 hours on the return. We parked at Standard Aviation and the service was excellent. CAA fuel was very reasonably priced. Customs at both ends was a non-event; no need for a COVID test to return to the US.

While in the USVI's we chartered a catamaran sailboat called Whiskey Business; couldn't have been better. Great owner-operator couple, amazing food.