KEYW Key West to MUOC Cayo Coco, Cuba

It’s always tricky flying into Cuba. There is this mythology that there’s an embargo between the US and Cuba. The fact is that we fly into Cuba all the time, but it’s like a date with your mistress – you have to keep it on the QT. We don’t fly into Jose Marti; instead, we fly into the little backwaters like Cayo Coco. Keep it low profile. Don’t embarrass the politicians.

There was a time when Cuba was the strongest economy in the Caribbean. The Mob and the American Fruit Company were doing a land office business and the casinos were hopping. The Batista government was corrupt and brutal, but Cuba was a capitalist paradise. Then the Castros took over and froze the place in 1958. From that point on, we’ve done this little dance than we weren’t really flying into Cuba when, in fact, we were and we do. Sometimes the client is the CIA and sometimes it’s the Castros. We don’t ask any questions as long as the credit card clears. This flight was a group of diplomats returning home from the UN, with a cargo hold full of Apple electronics for the first family and friends.

Whenever I fly into Cuba I carry a satchel full of Ben Franklins in case some local official wants to impound the plane. It happens all the time. It’s amazing how well the filthy capitalist cash can grease the skids in this socialist workers’ paradise. I bill it to the custormer when I get home. They never complain.

Pre-flight at the crack of dawn. There's not enough coffee in the world...

Waiting on the runway for permission to launch

There's nothing like a Caribbean sunrise

Climbing to 25K feet doesn't take long in the 1900D

That's Cuba there off the starboard

You see what I mean by a "back water"?

On the ground. Let's see how long it takes for the plane to be impounded. lol