Mexico Ramp Checks
Please be advised that the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) is conducting random ramp inspections on foreign aircraft visiting Mexico.
As a reminder, AFAC has the authority, right and faculty to enforce such inspections at their disclosure.
It is very important that operators, Private or Charter, have their original aircraft and pilot documents on board. These include but are not limited to:
1) Airworthiness Certificate
2) Registration Certificate
3) Worldwide and/or Mexican Insurance stating Private use when flying Far Part 91 and Charter use when flying Far Part 135. When flying Far Part 135, it is mandatory to have both insurances: worldwide and Mexican.
4) Pilot’s licenses: both sides and stating aircraft type rating.
5) Pilot´s medical certificates: valid document according to crew role (Pilot in Command or Second in Command), type of flight and according to pilot´s age.
6) If holding Multiple Entry Authorization (MEA), this document and its corresponding payment receipt, must be on board.
7) For Charter operations, the following additional documents are required:
a. Valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC): Copies are accepted considering this document might include many tail numbers (fleet). Payment receipt should also be included.
b. FAA OST 4507 FORM copies are accepted considering this document might include many tail numbers. Alternatively, the appropriate exemption document, Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is also accepted.
c. If holding a Mexican Indefinite Blanket Permit (IBP), this should be accompanied by the Mexican AOC, and the Yearly Verification (including payment receipt) for it to be considered valid. Copies are accepted considering this document might have many tail numbers.
8) The logbook (maintenance logbook) stating the most recent information about maintenance performed on the aircraft.
9) The authorization to operate as a mobile radio aeronautic station; (Aircraft radio station license/authorization).
10) The Flight Manual.
11) Noise Certificate.
12) The Minimum Equipment List (MEL) when the type certificate indicates it.
13) Mexican AIP (only for Mexican IBP permit holders).
14) The preflight checklist.
15) If full or partial (inbound/outbound Mexico) route involves overflying the ocean, then a life raft and/or life jackets are required to be on board, according to the type of aircraft. Please note this is also a usual requirement, but Mexican CAA will also be double checking for this
16) Weight and Balance Manifest.
17) First Aid Kit.
18) Jeppesen Manuals, (at least electronic format).
19) If operating Far Part 91 – Private flights, it is required to present a document stating the purpose of the flight, to include the name of the lead passenger and to declare its connection with the aircraft (owner, employees, etc). If accompanied, letter must declare the relationship of the passengers with the lead passenger (family, friends, employees, etc). This will prove there is no commercial purpose under any circumstance. To present this letter, having it notarized is not necessary.
While there is no formal list of requirements to be presented at the time of inspection, those mentioned above are highly recommended. It is very important to be clear that AFAC has not provided a checklist per se, so it falls on the criteria of each inspector. They might ask for more or fewer documents than listed above.
These inspections are random on any foreign aircraft. Whether operating Private or Charter, operators will have to prove before AFAC if their flights are Private or Charter, as applicable, by their countries of origin.
Regardless of whether landing authorizations are single or multiple, inspection will still apply.
If operators do not comply with the requirements, a warning or a fine will apply per the Mexican Civil Aviation Law.
Inspections have started up again on Nov 19th and will be permanent.
Please be advised that the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) is conducting random ramp inspections on foreign aircraft visiting Mexico.
As a reminder, AFAC has the authority, right and faculty to enforce such inspections at their disclosure.
It is very important that operators, Private or Charter, have their original aircraft and pilot documents on board. These include but are not limited to:
1) Airworthiness Certificate
2) Registration Certificate
3) Worldwide and/or Mexican Insurance stating Private use when flying Far Part 91 and Charter use when flying Far Part 135. When flying Far Part 135, it is mandatory to have both insurances: worldwide and Mexican.
4) Pilot’s licenses: both sides and stating aircraft type rating.
5) Pilot´s medical certificates: valid document according to crew role (Pilot in Command or Second in Command), type of flight and according to pilot´s age.
6) If holding Multiple Entry Authorization (MEA), this document and its corresponding payment receipt, must be on board.
7) For Charter operations, the following additional documents are required:
a. Valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC): Copies are accepted considering this document might include many tail numbers (fleet). Payment receipt should also be included.
b. FAA OST 4507 FORM copies are accepted considering this document might include many tail numbers. Alternatively, the appropriate exemption document, Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is also accepted.
c. If holding a Mexican Indefinite Blanket Permit (IBP), this should be accompanied by the Mexican AOC, and the Yearly Verification (including payment receipt) for it to be considered valid. Copies are accepted considering this document might have many tail numbers.
8) The logbook (maintenance logbook) stating the most recent information about maintenance performed on the aircraft.
9) The authorization to operate as a mobile radio aeronautic station; (Aircraft radio station license/authorization).
10) The Flight Manual.
11) Noise Certificate.
12) The Minimum Equipment List (MEL) when the type certificate indicates it.
13) Mexican AIP (only for Mexican IBP permit holders).
14) The preflight checklist.
15) If full or partial (inbound/outbound Mexico) route involves overflying the ocean, then a life raft and/or life jackets are required to be on board, according to the type of aircraft. Please note this is also a usual requirement, but Mexican CAA will also be double checking for this
16) Weight and Balance Manifest.
17) First Aid Kit.
18) Jeppesen Manuals, (at least electronic format).
19) If operating Far Part 91 – Private flights, it is required to present a document stating the purpose of the flight, to include the name of the lead passenger and to declare its connection with the aircraft (owner, employees, etc). If accompanied, letter must declare the relationship of the passengers with the lead passenger (family, friends, employees, etc). This will prove there is no commercial purpose under any circumstance. To present this letter, having it notarized is not necessary.
While there is no formal list of requirements to be presented at the time of inspection, those mentioned above are highly recommended. It is very important to be clear that AFAC has not provided a checklist per se, so it falls on the criteria of each inspector. They might ask for more or fewer documents than listed above.
These inspections are random on any foreign aircraft. Whether operating Private or Charter, operators will have to prove before AFAC if their flights are Private or Charter, as applicable, by their countries of origin.
Regardless of whether landing authorizations are single or multiple, inspection will still apply.
If operators do not comply with the requirements, a warning or a fine will apply per the Mexican Civil Aviation Law.
Inspections have started up again on Nov 19th and will be permanent.
3 comments on "Mexico Ramp Checks"
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“…. provided a checklist per say” — must be spelled correctly “…. a checklist per se”. (Comes from Latin “per se” meaning by itself )
Thanks very much for highlighting this. The post has now been amended.
To be clear, a PIC that is NOT the owner of the aircraft, can fly into Mexico as long as has “a document stating the purpose of the flight, etc” to establish a non commercial reason??