Will Depart From Stuart, FL February 1

Flying the Bahamas in an AirCam is one of the most sensational flying experiences you will ever have. There are numerous white, sandy, uninhabited beaches to fly and the color of the water is intoxicating. You can fly these islands a hundred times in a regular airplane and still not know what you are missing until to do it in an AirCam.

If you already own an AirCam on floats or wheels try to make this trip. If you have been wondering what it would be like to own an AirCam then come join us at Stella Maris on Long Island, Bahamas. Whether you fly out in a conventional aircraft or pick up a charter from Nassau, there are several ways to make the trip. Plans call for an arrival at Stella Maris the afternoon of Saturday, Feb 2nd and depart the morning of Feb 6th. Each evening the group gets together for dinner. Owners enjoy the camaraderie and social time as they share experiences and common love of aviation and AirCam flying in particular.

Our Adventure begins on the afternoon of Thursday Jan 31st, when we will meet at Witham Field in Stuart FL (KSUA). All AirCam owners should arrive in time to fuel before dinner so as to be ready for a 7:00 am departure the following morning. There will be a planning session at 6:00 pm followed by a group dinner.

The group will depart for Freeport (MYGF) at 7:00 am Friday morning where we will clear Bahamas customs and take on fuel. Plan to bring a snack for lunch to save time. The next stop will be Marsh Harbour (MYAM) where the group will gather for dinner and spend the night at the Abaco Beach Resort and Marina.

Saturday morning, Feb 2nd, will see a departure from Marsh Harbour for North Eleuthera (MYEH) for a fuel stop. From there plans call for a flight to New Bight (MYCB) on Cat island where, time permitting, the group will stop for lunch at the beautiful Fernandez Bay Village Resort located near the New Bight airport. Then, its on to Stella Maris on Long Island (MYLS). That will serve as a base from Saturday afternoon through the Wednesday morning departure.

Stella is located within a relatively short flight of many great AirCam destinations. Each day, weather permitting, will feature a day trip to one of the local islands. There will also make a trip to the Blue Hole, which is located on Long Island. Known as Dean’s Blue Hole, it’s a favorite dive spot surrounded by shallow clear water and a white sandy beach. The hole is 663’ deep.

Some FBOs in the Bahamas charge extra to use a credit card for fuel. The FBO at Stella Maris charges 5.5% for credit cards. Stella will take a check written on a US bank or USD cash, which will avoid the 5.5% card charge. Cash is handy in the Bahamas and you will also need it to pay customs arrival and departure fees. The FBO at San Andros will take credit cards for fuel with no additional charge.

You will need a current passport and a customs sticker for your aircraft. If you don’t have a current, 2019 US customs sticker you can apply for one on line at cbp.gov. It’s okay if you don’t receive your customs sticker before the trip. In this case print a copy of your receipt to use to file EAPIS and for US customs. Bring the printed receipt with you if you have not received the US customs sticker before departure.

Cell service in the Bahamas is generally quite good with Verizon and AT&T. Check to see if you have an international plan and understand charges ahead of the trip. AT&T and Verizon offer an unlimited voice, data and text plan for an additional $10 for each 24 hour period you use it. If you leave your phone in airplane mode and use only the wireless at the hotel you won’t be charged. Make sure your AirCam is in good condition. Check your maintenance records to be sure your oil change will be good for the entire trip. You should not exceed 50 hours on an oil change when using 100LL. Good tires that are properly inflated are also important.

Bring a Claw tie down. It’s not a bad idea to bring two so you will have a spare. These are the only tie downs that work on the Bahamas due to the hard ground. We will bring a hammer drill with appropriate concrete drill bits to aid AirCam owners in putting in your tie downs.

You will also need a USCG approved life vest for each person on board when flying in the Bahamas. The inflatable type, where are comfortable to wear, are recommended.

(Source: Lockwood Aviation news release. Images from file)

FMI: lockwood.aero, Email