Two taxiways go to the aircraft parking area south of runway. A new paved road runs from the airstrip to Port Nelson 2 miles to the south. 

The west end of airstrip pavement at center line is 23º 41.010' N/ 74º 50.575'W.  

The east end of airstrip pavement at center line is 23º 41.011' N/ 74º 49.763'W. 

The two paved taxiways intersect the runway at 74º 49.914' W and 74º 49.805'W. 

No fuel or other services are available at this time. 

Cat Island Air (242-377-3318) flies roundtrip from Nassau Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.  

Over Under Aviation  specializes in transportation to the Islands of  Rum Cay, Long Island, N. Eleuthera, and Cat Island. If you are planning on visiting these islands, please check with them, as they often have empty seats available and will put together pooled charters..  Phone 201.240.4952 or 305.852.8015

No currently scheduled flights are available from the US.  

Flyers wishing ground transportation may call Sumner Point Marina on channel VHF 16. 

A great improvement to the 2400 foot 30 foot wide previous runway of crushed coral, dirt and weeds  Here is a video of landing on and taking off from old strip.

Remarks by Mr. Phillip “Brave” Davis, MP, at the official opening of the Rum Cay Airport

 RumCay (MYRP) does not yet have customs.  You must land at an Airport of Entry before proceeding to Rum Cay.

You can leave directly from the U.S. non-stop to:

Stella Maris (MYLS)   is located on the North-end of Long Island and has a 4000 ft runway 13 / 31, Avgas and Customs/Immigration.  (note : during the winter months, expect cross winds from the left -North Easterly- when landing at Stella Maris. It gets a bit bumpy on short final due to hills and large trees off to the left and the winds just roll over them making it quite some “work” to keep level, sometimes )

Exuma (MYEF) is also an option about 25 miles further west than Stella Maris. Also Avgas, Customs.  Exuma however does not use Unicom  (122.8) as RumCay and Stella Maris does.  Exuma has an advisory frequency (tower) at 118.0
 
Once you clear customs into the Bahamas, you fill out either a cruising permit or a transire for the inter-island flight(s) to RumCay.

You must file an international flight plan  305-233-2600  Miami FSS for the flight to the Bahamas. Flight plan cancellation with Nassau Radio 124.2 is difficult close to the destination. No matter where you end up flying to, you can call EXUMA TOWER at 118.0 shortly before landing at Stella Maris and ask them to close the flight plan OR call Nassau Flight Service from Stella Maris.

There is a direct dial telephone ( it actually works ) in the customs area, you punch #31 and it dials  242-377-7116  by itself. This telephone also dials US-customs at the various airports for the required one-hour-prior-arrival report requirement!
 
Enroute, if you fly below 10,000 ft contact Nassau approach at 121.0 some 35 miles from Nassau for the “transition” through their TMA airspace. 

When you get to Rum Cay make sure to fly over the town of Port Nelson on the SE side of the island to get someone to come out to the airport. The airport is not quite walking distance (2 miles) from the settlement.

For those planning to fly by private plane into Rum Cay, here is some helpful information:

For information on the other airports of the Bahamas, click here.

Download the required Bahamas Customs C7A form here.  You need to fill this out in triplicate and present to customs upon entering the Bahamas.  Upon Leaving, you will need to present Form C7

Download the U.S. Customs forms here in  PDF format.

Private Pilot Guide from US Customs :  Private Flyers Guide   International AOE OPS

Get your Customs Decal.  Details from US Customs

For more information on flying in the Bahamas, check out the   The Bahamas.com Airport Guide.

The 2009 Bahamas & Caribbean Pilot's Guide has color photographs of every airport, maps, pilot information, customs and immigration, hotel and recreation phone numbers, a survival section, approach plates, U.S. section...don't fly the islands without a current copy!

U.S. Customs require all aircraft to have 12" or larger N numbers and an outside data plate. Also, all aircraft must have altitude reporting capability incorporated in the transponder.

Air traffic rules in the Bahamas are very similar to those in the States. There are few restrictions except in the controlled areas around Freeport, Nassau and Exuma International airports.

Massive cloud build ups are often a sign of land. It is very common to mistake shadows formed by clouds as land masses. A coloring of the water from dark blue to light blue, or a green shade are usual signs of land.

For the nervous first time island bound pilot it may be comforting to remember that you are never out of sight of land for very long. A properly trimmed single-engine airplane can glide, power off, for more than 25 miles, and stay aloft for more than 10 minutes from an altitude of 10,000 feet.

It is illegal to fly below 2000’ MSL over populated areas or assemblies of persons, except when necessary during take off or landing operations. VFR operations over ocean waters at night are exceedingly dangerous for the VFR pilot and are prohibited. IFR is easily accomplished. However, a filed flight plan and clearance must be secured prior to official sunset.

FROM FLORIDA TO THE BAHAMAS:

1. File an International Flight Plan DVFR.

2. Must have Coast Guard approved life jackets for each person on board.

3. Activate your flight plan before leaving Florida on 122.2, 122.4 or 126.7 (Miami Radio) and 122.5 out of Ft. Pierce area.

4. Land at an  (AOE) to clear Customs and Immigration.

5. Prior to landing, close your flight plan on 124.2 or 128.0 (Nassau Radio). If unable to close in the air, call 1-800-WXBRIEF or 242-377-7116.

6. Prepare Gen Decs C7A  or Cruising Permit and Immigration cards in advance if possible.

7. Be cooperative with Customs and Immigration. They will be happy to help you.

8. You can cruise the entire Bahamas with a C7A cruising form for private pilots, but your last point of departure from The Bahamas must be an airport of entry. They will give you clearance to leave the country

FROM THE BAHAMAS TO FLORIDA

1. You must depart from an Airport of Entry (AOE).

2. Complete 1 Gen Dec C7 and turn in copy of Immigration card.  Departure fee currently $15 per person.

3. File an International Flight Plan at 1-800-WXBRIEF, advise U.S. Customs.  

• You must put "advise U.S. Customs (ADCUS)"  in the remark section of your flight plan.
• You must call U.S Customs and make an arrival appointment

4. Activate flight plan with Nassau Radio on 124.2, 128.0 or Freeport Radio. If unable, activate with Miami Radio 126.7 or 122.4. From Bimini, 122.1, Miami Remote no voice, and listen on VOR 116.7. Higher altitudes get better reception.

5. Must receive a discrete transponder code from FSS 126.7 Miami Radio 15 minutes before penetrating the ADIZ. Flight Service is responsible, not Approach Control!

6. For flight following, contact Nassau on 121.0 or Miami on 125.7.

7. Close your flight plan in the air on 122.2, 122.4, or 126.7. If not able, close at Customs office with 1-800-WXBRIEF.

8. Land at an Airport of Entry such as MIA, FLL, FXE, PBI or FPR.

9. Take all your baggage and go directly to Customs.

10. Prepare U.S. Arrival Report and Customs Declaration cards in advance if possible.
  

 Beginning in May, pilots who fly internationally will have to provide passenger information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using a new electronic reporting system. But CBP’s Electronic Advance Passenger Information System, better known as eAPIS, is available now, and pilots may begin using it on a voluntary basis to file passenger manifests before launching on any international flight.

In order to use the system, pilots must register for an online account. Once the account is approved—a process that CBP officials say will take about one week—the pilot will be able to use the system to file passenger manifests electronically. Under the new rule, those manifests must be filed at least one hour before departing or arriving the United States, but the new system allows pilots to file as far in advance as they wish, giving them the freedom to provide information for their return trip before leaving home, where they have Internet access.

Pilot Facts

1. Fuel is NOT available on every island, but you are never more than 20 minutes flying time away from fuel.

2. The closest Bahama islands to Florida airports are Bimini and Grand Bahama Island:
From Palm Beach, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Bahama -- 60NM  to Bimini -- 46NM

3. Nassau and Freeport are the two lighted runways that allow flying at night. All other airports require you to arrive and depart between sunrise and sunset. A few runways on The Out Islands have lights that are for special use only.

4. The price of fuel in The Bahamas averages $2.60 a gallon.

5. As a private pilot, there is an ADIZ between The Bahamas and Florida. For DVFR flights, the estimated time of ADIZ penetration must be filed at least 15 minutes prior to penetration. While flying, contact flight service before penetration for a customs squawk.

6. "Flight following" is not required, but would be nice to have.

7. At least one life jacket per person is required.

8. A life raft is not required.

9. Current customs stickers should be displayed near the left door. (The sticker can be purchased upon arrival in the U.S.)

10. There is no extra charge if you return to the United States and clear customs after regular business hours.

11. For weather information in the U.S. and in The Bahamas, call 1-800-WX BRIEF, 242-377-7178, 242-377-7116.

12. You can bring pet(s) into the Bahamas. An Import Permit is required; call Agriculture 242-325-7502.

13. You must be an instrument rating pilot to fly to Nassau and Freeport after sunset.