Canada to US border crossing ATC questions

[ofcgow]

Hey everyone. I know that the dead horse of the specifics of crossing from Canada to the United States has been beaten into submission. However, there are a few questions for seasoned border crossers that haven't been answered clearly enough for me, who has zero experience crossing any borders.

Say I depart Springbank, Alberta (CYBW) and I'm heading to Kalispell, Montana (KGPI). There's sparse ATC on both sides of the border, except for Edmonton/Salt Lake Centres. My questions are about the specifics of transponder codes and who to call on both sides.

1) Should I ask Canadian flight service for a border crossing code? I've seen mixed answers on that.

2) Should I pick up flight following in Canada? And Springbank is towered, and I also talk to Calgary Terminal on my way out. Who would I ask for flight following? (That would be nice to know for the US side as well.) I don't usually use flight following in Canada, but I'm just wondering whether that would simplify any aspects of the crossing.

3) Assuming I do have my border crossing code from Canadian flight service, when should I switch? If I have flight following, is my crossing code different from my code that I have with Canadian ATC?

4) Will Edmonton hand me off to Salt Lake center? I'm pretty inexperienced with dealing with centres in general. I'm more of a 126.7 guy.

Thanks guys. And don't worry, I'm not planning on buzzing down to Montana right now. Just getting things straight in my head for this upcoming summer Assuming everything gets under control. Stay safe out there!

[broken_slinky]

1) Should I ask Canadian flight service for a border crossing code? I've seen mixed answers on that.

Not necessary. When you talk to ground at YBW and state that you have a flight plan to the US, you can request a squawk code then or they will automatically give you one. Sometimes the code will not come until you're departing or in the air when you're told to switch over to the next frequency.

2) Should I pick up flight following in Canada? And Springbank is towered, and I also talk to Calgary Terminal on my way out. Who would I ask for flight following? (That would be nice to know for the US side as well.) I don't usually use flight following in Canada, but I'm just wondering whether that would simplify any aspects of the crossing.

Definitely. Request flight following on the ground at YBW.

3) Assuming I do have my border crossing code from Canadian flight service, when should I switch? If I have flight following, is my crossing code different from my code that I have with Canadian ATC?

You'd enter it on the ground at YBW. ATC will pull up your flight plan and see the code. Your code may change in the air as you're talking to the different centers. No big deal, just dial in the new code.

4) Will Edmonton hand me off to Salt Lake center? I'm pretty inexperienced with dealing with centres in general. I'm more of a 126.7 guy.

Most likely unless you're flying at lower altitudes and they experience issues with communications. Then they may just tell you to contact GPI when you're close with whatever frequency they are. Centers are easy to deal with. When you're passed on from one to the next, switch frequencies and announce your call sign, and altitude. They'll come back at you with an altimeter setting and whatever other instructions they have. Typically it's something along the lines contact them if you can't maintain altitude and heading to remain VFR.

The nice thing with filing a flight plan, using flight following and getting that discrete squawk code is that every ATC between you and your destination know where you're going and what you're doing.

[ahramin]

Just to put border crossing ops in perspective. Here are four different border crossings that I or someone else in my club have done in the last few months.

1. Departure from small non-towered aerodrome in BC. No flight plan, no transponder code, and no contact with ATC. Back and forth across the border. This is not recommended since it does not meet any of the legal requirements but it happens all the time out here.

2. Flight plan filed, transponder code from tower on departure but no flight following and change to 1200 before crossing the border. Doesn't meet the legal requirements but Canadian ATC will not provide flight following in the area in question so no way to meet the legal requirements. Again happens all the time, never seen a CADORs about it.

3. Flight plan filed, transponder code from tower, flight following from terminal on the same code, then from center across the border.

4. Flight plan filed, US FSS will not issue the transponder code on the ground. Can't get a hold of center for flight following or a code. Manage to get a hold of FSS before crossing and they issued a code for the crossing.

Of those four situations #3 is the only one that actually meets all the legal requirements, but I think #2 and #4 are good enough and have used them a few times. If I were you I would get as high as I could below 10 000' and stay with TML or Center as much as possible. If you end up out of their coverage, don't worry about it and cross.

If you want frequencies for flight following your options are:

1. Look for a VFR frequency on your VTA or VNC.
2. Look for an IFR frequency on a LO chart.
3. Look for an RCO and ask FSS for a frequency at your location.

[final28]

I have done one or two VFR flights from CYBW across the border every year for at least the last 5 years, most to KCTB (Cutbank, MT). Every time when I contact Great Falls Radio before border crossing they have given me a new transponder code. Depending on the radio in the plane you typically need to be at least at 6500 ft to make contact and often you can’t reach them until 10 NM or less from the border.

[Cessna 180]

The easy way in limited radar coverage is file your legally required flight plan with Canadian flight service somehow, call 1-800-WX-BRIEF, select the state you are going to gross the border at (Montana in this case), ask for a border crossing squawk code. They will call Salt Lake Center and get you a code. Squawk this code as you cross the border, and then VFR after. Done this over 50 times at a previous job.

Easiest way is to get flight following if you have radar contact (still need the flight plan).