Flying Around Mexico 2024 (Part 3) - to Veracruz

[waynemcc999]

Bill, Joe and I are well underway on our flying adventure all around Mexico. And today will be one of our more adventuresome flying days… as we cross the Sierra Madre, refuel in Monterrey, and head down the Gulf of Mexico to Veracruz. Welcome aboard! Wayne, GeezerGeek Pilot

[ingramleedy]

Great videos! What a beautiful trip with good friends. I saw your new darker opaque slap on shades — I was wondering if you had a link for them and how well they work. Thanks!

[waynemcc999]

Great videos! What a beautiful trip with good friends. I saw your new darker opaque slap on shades — I was wondering if you had a link for them and how well they work. Thanks!

Ingram, glad you enjoy the videos.
These opaque shades are awesome for a Diamond... here's the link:
https://wingviewtint.com/products/slap- ... 0939979850

[steve_falconer]

Thank you so much for sharing these and other Mexico travel videos Wayne! It moved my opinion of Mexico being too much of a headache to something now on my planned travel list!!

[waynemcc999]

Steve, there are certainly a few hassle items (mainly paper flight plans that get stamped 4 times), however with patience and cultural curiosity it's well worth it.
Wayne

[CFIDave]

Fabulous video as always.

I'm assuming you and/or someone in your group of 3 spoke Spanish. Could someone who only spoke English realistically make your same trip?

[waynemcc999]

I'm assuming you and/or someone in your group of 3 spoke Spanish. Could someone who only spoke English realistically make your same trip?

Thanks, Dave.

Our passenger, Joe, is quite fluent... and I'm somewhat "conversational".

From an aviation standpoint -- including even the flight plan filing and other paperwork -- I see no reason at all that anyone on the aircraft has to speak Spanish. The right seater on these trips, Bill, does not speak Spanish and has made (literally) hundreds of trips to Mexico and Central America, with most of those trips having no person on board who speaks Spanish. The YouTuber SoCalFlyingMonkey just led a half-dozen single engine aircraft for a long weekend in the Baja, and most of those planes I expect had no Spanish speakers onboard.

From the standpoint of getting by when off the airport grounds I'd also say that a bit of Spanish is quite helpful but not at all required.

What is most important -- in the air, on the radio, and in the various airport offices -- is to understand and expect what comes next, i.e. the processes. That does take a few trips to get used to, and having a Spanish speaker on the first trip or two (and even better a pilot who has flown to Mexico before) would be a great help.

In any event, as I commented above, the most important talents/skills to have an enjoyable experience south of the border are Patience and Cultural Curiosity.

Buen viaje!
Wayne