The reason given is that there is a "significant" number of US registered aircraft being used in Mexico for illegal cabotage. This issue has been prevalent for many years in Mexico and has been highlighted in a number of high profile fatal accidents involving US registered aircraft owned in trusts and operated in Mexico. One that got notoriety was the accident of N345MC which was carrying the singer Jenny Rivera. There was another high profile accident at the beginning of this month of a Challenger 601 aircraft, N601VH, that went down returning from Las Vegas with the loss of 13 people. There is plenty of factual information and conjecture regarding these accidents to be found on the internet.

We were told by the DGAC in Mexico City that the intent of these ramp checks is to ensure the legal and safe operation of US registered aircraft in Mexico.

Since this went into effect last Friday, we have received numerous reports of aircraft throughout the country being ramp checked. Some checks were brief whereas one of our customers flying a Citation was ramp checked upon arrival at one airport and then again prior to departure from the same airport a couple of days later. Another Cessna 182 aircraft flying on Sunday was stopped in Tampico and again in Veracruz the same day resulting in turnaround times of just over 3 hours at each airport and being unable to make his intended destination that day. We have similar reports throughout the country of everything from Maules to large corporate jets being ramp checked with the time lost due to these inspections ranging from "cursory" to over 2 hours long. The length of the inspections have nothing to do with the size nor complexity of the aircraft. For example, the inspection of a Maule took almost 2 hours, in addition to the normal time required for formalities.

Senior authorities in Mexico City made it clear that they are expecting US registered aircraft to comply with Mexican regulations regardless of FAA regulations or industry best practices.

CST Flight Services (Formerly: Caribbean Sky Tours)
www.cstflightservices.com