CraigCowden

Hi All,
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I am an author and am in need of some help from you experts regarding a manuscript I am working on.
This is an action adventure novel but that's not really important. First a little background and then my question.
Good guy finds out that the Bad guy is using a private plane to move around the globe. (Challenger 604 unless you want to suggest another)
My question is do private planes like this need to file flight plans? If so, who would keep records of this? Do they need to disclose the purpose of their trip? What about customs?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Craig

usmc-sgt

- A 604 is not really a "global" plane. Its range is likely around 4000 miles max. It will reach out from central US to Europe/Germany ish. That's still better than most though. It can reach most of the world in a stop or two. The heavy range hitters that start hitting most if not all the world non stop are the Global Express, Gulfstreams etc.

-If it is flying above 18,000 feet, it would be on a flight plan. If you wanted the jet to make it more than half its range, it would need to be above 18k feet.

-FAA keeps records and most flights can be tracked publicly online in the US. You can have your registration number blocked in which case it isn't tracked online but air traffic control still follows and works the plane.

-No need to ever disclose a reason

-Customs is not optional

CraigCowden

Thank you for the good feedback. You've prompted a few more questions.
Bad guy needs to be able to travel the world from his base in Europe so I'll need a different jet it seems. Good guy needs to be able to see where Bad guy has been but a smart Bad Guy will probably have his registration number blocked online. That being the case will air traffic control keep a record with the reg number? Is there a central body that collects that data or would Good Guy need to check with each possible airport controllers? Also. One other curve.... Bad guy is smuggling kidnapped kids into his country via the jet. He is using the excuse that it is an air ambulance as the kids are unconscious when they land. This may be out of your expertise but would that work with customs assuming the paperwork is in order? Thanks again.

rickair7777

What usmc-sgt said.

As far as anonymous private air travel goes...

You can possibly keep your spouse or business competitors from finding out where you go, but in any part of the developed world the government will know or can find out what you're doing. Possible ways around that...

1) Blatant smuggling or identity fraud right in the faces of customs officials. Would still leave plenty of paper trail even if successful, and hard to find pilots willing to play along (not impossible but hard). Risky and IMO such a plot device would annoy the discriminating reader. Some countries flag inbounds with suspicious or unknown profiles for extra attention on arrival (instead of just a barney fife customs dude you're greeted by suspicious DEA/ATF/FBI agents). You have to land at an airport with a customs facility, but many of the smaller ones are not staffed full time and it might take an hour or more for customs to arrive after you land (you have to park in a designated area and stay onboard while you wait)...might be a window of opportunity on a dark night, but seems risky to me.

2) Use a legit flight plan to enter a country, and then break off and fly a low-observable (very low altitude) profile to a private strip somewhere. In the US, they track you to ensure you land at an airport with a customs facility. you might be able to evade ATC radar and ICE counter-smuggling aircraft in a jet, but if there are national security concerns beyond run-of-the-mill dope smuggling and fighters get involved you're toast (and pilots would know the huge risks).

3) Fly out of/into third world countries with sufficiently corrupt officials. Then cross borders on the ground as needed. This only goes so far...even corrupt officials don't want to be party to things like WMD.

4) The government at your destination is a party to whatever you're trying to accomplish.

rickair7777

CL-604 could do LHR-NYC, maybe even CDG-NYC if the winds were right, but it would be a stretch. Probably need a bigger jet.

Developed countries would have a centralized computer system which hands traffic off from one control sector to another. I don't know how long records are kept but I bet it's a long time. Good guy would need government authority to access the info (or a good hacker). Third world might plausibly be different. International flights probably get special attention.


Possibly. Once. With one patient. Assuming paperwork and backstory were airtight. You wouldn't get away with mass production...what are the odds that more than one patient is in a coma/sedated.

Human trafficking is a vast and global enterprise. Unlike say WMD smuggling, plenty of third-world officials are in on the action. But they normally smuggle people who nobody is going to miss and use low-profile methods. Flying into somebody's ADIZ in a G-V full of smuggled kiddies would not make sense, unless there is something very very special about the kids or the customers to justify the expense and complexity.

NotPart91

Welcome,

Have you ever flown in a small, non commercial aircraft. or taking flying lessons?

Have you any other aviation work published?

Adlerdriver

Another point to consider:
The aircraft capable of flying the distances you mentioned are certified to be operated by two pilots. Is "bad guy" a pilot and does he have a willing accomplice to act as his co-pilot?

TSRAGR

It's slightly less evil but still pretty bad menace to society guy B, who is coincidentally a light sport pilot that dreams of global domination.

usmc-sgt

The FO is "Gulfstream Girl." The plot thickens.

Adlerdriver

.......while building time for job with the majors (which, if he makes it, might mean putting the whole global domination thing on hold until he gets off probation)