Here is a brief write up about my recent South and Central America flight
Route and times with ICAO airport codes
KEYE-KSEF 3.2HRS Sebring, Florida-- to fly Aircam on floats, fabulous fun.
KSEF MKBS 2.4HRS Ian Fleming Intl. Non-Commercial -easy, cheap. Goldeneye resort- great but not cheap
MKBS TFFF 3.6HRS Very easy with General Aviation terminal. French Island very well kept.
TFFF SYCJ 2.2HRS Guyana- specifically to see Kaieteur Falls had to charter a Cessna 206 to visit but only people there. Suggest using Ogle airport rather than the main airport. It is more General Aviation and much closer to the city, about 20 minutes. From the main airport can take up to 2.5 hrs. due to very bad traffic.
SYCJ SBEG 2.2HRS Manaus great place to explore the amazon river.
SBEG SBCY 3.1HRS Cuiaba close to the Brazilian Pantanal famous for Jaguar spotting we saw 5!
SBCY SBFI 2.3HRS Spectacular Iguacu falls. Stay at the Belmont hotel inside the national park only hotel guests have access to the falls sunup till 9.30am and from about 4pm to sunset. Also a beautiful hotel.
SBFI SADF 2.5HRS Buenos Aires Great city. Even managed to get a Polo lesson on a nearby estancia! Ate at a famous meat restaurant where the portions are huge, and they cut the steak with a spoon to demonstrate the tenderness.
SADF SAZS 3.2HRS Bariloche the Argentinian lake district and Alpine scenery
SAZS SCEL 2.2HRS Great city with the Andes mountains close by. Rented a car and drove to the Chilean lake district and the wine district. Great roads, so well sign posted almost impossible to get lost.
SCEL SCCF 2.5HRS Landed here to visit San Pedro De Atacama and then take a four-day tour into Bolivia. Both spectacular places.
SCCF SCDA 0.8HRS Iquique, Peru stopped here to go Paragliding as it is World famous for the soaring conditions.
SCDA SPZO 2.2HRS Cusco at 10,850feet nested in amongst towering peaks spectacular arrival and departure. The airport is in the middle of the city.
SPZO SPQT 2.7HRS Iquitos on the Amazon River great place to visit the surrounding Jungle.
SPQT SKCG 3.1HRS Cartagena, Columbia one of the oldest Spanish colonial cities- both an old and a very new city. Hotel Casa San Agustin in the old city beautiful.
SKCG MPPA 1.3 HRS Panama Canal views coming into land are wonderful. Very interesting Canal tours. Incredible city amazing what dirty money can build.
MPPA MRLB 1.7HRS Costa Rica first time seeing multiple US corporate jets.
MRLB MNMG 0.7HRS Great visit to Granada on the shores of the huge Lake Nicaragua, visited Ometepe island. Also great Cigars.
MNMG MHRO 1.2HRS Stayed at the Ibigari resort several great scuba dives.
MHRO KBRO 3.4HRS First real IFR approach of the trip -400 overcast, rain and heavy gusts. Very nice place to return to US. Customs officers are very friendly and quick.
KBRO KABQ 3.0HRS overnight
KABQ KCMA 2.6HRS visit fiends
KCMA KCVO 3.1HRS Aircraft home field.
Used the following companies to assist:
VAMOS Expeditions for all hotel/tour reservations (based in Peru)
Argentine Aerowise
Brazil Athena
Chile and Peru AviaSur
Others -Skyplan of Canada.
I have travelled Worldwide not using handlers but on holiday and especially with passengers it is very worthwhile.
Costs are pretty outrageous in Brazil up to $3,500 per stop. Generally through the it was between $500 and $1,200 per stop including: Landing, parking, customs, immigration, handling, nav.
Fuel was almost exclusive through World Fuel. Except in the US where I use CAA and Everest.
I used GPU at every stop not needed, but for me just insurance.
ATC was excellent and easy to understand everywhere. Most of the time in radar contact.
Couple maintenance issues slow oil seep from right engine. Lived with it but kept a close eye. Pressurization activating on the ground at full rate. Continued by only turning bleeds on after T/O and shutting down before landing. Otherwise the aircraft performed perfectly. Usually true 292kts at 480lbs/hr. at FL260/270.
Weather for the entire trip was basically VFR with just a couple exceptions:
SKCG rain, low clouds on arrival and departure.
SADF Very windy on departure up to 35/40kts
KBRO Rain/low clouds/gusty
Enroute occasionally would divert around build ups. Generally departed between 9 and 10 am to avoid the afternoon buildups common in the tropics.
Stayed at each stop between 2 and 8 days.
Cost Well I dont really want to know. So worthwhile regardless, and how many people get to do this?
My wife has an Instagram account: airsafari.sa with lots of videos and photos.
I would be happy to share information on all aspects of planning and doing a trip like this just email me at: twoflyers.com.