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David,
Do you know what their criteria is for defining a “perpetual tourist”? Two re-entries? Three? Where’s the line?
I don’t know for sure but I would belive a perpetual tourist is a tourist that spends more time in costa rica than out side of it.
Just zoom in a bit on GoogleEarth and the smaller airports appear. Tobías Bolaños airport in Pavas, on the west side of San Jose, is the main GA airport. Your plane should be safe there, as well as the two international airports of course. The only way I’d leave a plane at most other strips is if I had arranged for security, as they have no facilities, or fences for that matter.
Scott Benson is right about flying VFR in IMC. Add tropics to mountains, and there is no VMC for very long. It’s a small country, and there aren’t that many planes up in the air at any given time, so pilots basically keep track of each other on CTAF (in Spanish).
I would advise any pilots new to the country to fly to each new airport or strip with another pilot with local experience, as there are many informal, non-written procedures that help maintain separation. Landing at Tobías Bolaños from the west is a trip. Because of the Santa Ana foothills you have to pancake down from up high and in close.
You do need to know that CR is intrinsically a far more dangerous place to fly single engine planes than in the U.S. There are virtually no flat clear areas if you have to bring it down, the weather conditions are volatile, there’s nobody to tell you what you’re about to run into, and the mountain passes can get bumpy and soupy. This is particularly true in certain spots where the Pacific and Atlantic weather systems collide. VFR pilots should stick to early morning flights. Also, a 182 or better is advisable, given higher altitudes required to get in and out of the Central Valley.
If you do fly down from the U.S., I’d love to hear about it – flight paths, gas stops, customs & immigration hassles & costs, etc.
Good luck!
phil, if you fly down please bring the sausage for gumbo. We have not had real good gumbo since your last trip.
Speaking of laws in Costa Rica, this is the only country I know that obey the red light by not stopping. Ive never been in a country that randomly selects to abide by the law and then not abide by the law.In the five years we have been in Costa Rica they have perhaps not changed the residency laws, but they sure have practiced keeping them in differing manners. So much so until a lot of the people working in immagration dont even know the real true law.
When this country cracks down on the perpetual visa holders they will lose millions of dollars in revenue. So with that thought in mind, do you really believe they are going to spend money enforcing the law, only to lose money. Doing that would even effect the tourism industry. No, sir, Phil most of the NAmer and European foreigners bring income. Most of the laws they are trying to enforce on their neighbor on the border to the North.
You can enroll your children in school, buy property, open a bank account, start a business, purchase and register a car, just to name a few things you can do here without having a residency. It should be something you do, because it is expensive to keep leaving the country every 90 days to renew your visa. Richard and Sandra said they saw your lovely home.
Thanks “yall” (Mississippian)for the airport info, I think that I’ll pass on the flying in as it seems too dangerous. At least for now.
Jeanetta, I try to talk Terri into bringing down the makings of a good Gumbo with us.
The Brooks stopped by on their way to Florida and spent a couple nights here with us in MS. We really enjoyed having them here and hope to be able to spend some time with everyone while there.
I was looking for some of your post on this forum and could not see any till now.
Tell Charles Hi and we hope to see you both and all your great employees while there.
PhilI beg to differ Jenny, with the huge influx of pensionados coming I do belive they will and are cracking down.
The main difference is that the pensionados are coming with thier money in hand and the perpetual tourist are coming to make money illegally. Most Ticos are not welcomed to the idea of compition for jobs.
I can’t help with that one, GT. Maybe you could e-mail Lic. Pacheco and ask him. His e-mail address is: crlexs@rascsa.co.cr. Put something like “Costa Rican Residency” in your Subject line so he doesn’t mistake your message for spam.
I can’t help with that one, GT. Maybe you could e-mail Lic. Pacheco and ask him. His e-mail address is: crlexs@rascsa.co.cr. Put something like “Costa Rican Residency” in your Subject line so he doesn’t mistake your message for spam.
And when Scott says, “. . make money illegally . .” included under that heading is not paying taxes legally owed, so the government loses that revenue. Too many North Americans, residents and “perpetual tourists” alike, work here or operate businesses without obtaining the proper licenses and without paying their fair share of taxes to the government that supplies the services upon which they rely. They expend equal energy avoiding paying their fair share and whining about the condition of the roads.
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