US private flights

Data submission procedures for private (general aviation) flights differ slightly from those for commercial flights in the United States.

In particular:

• Communication with US CBP (Customs and Border Protection) follows a different process
• Additional data elements are required for private flights
• These elements must be properly configured in your Flight Management System (FMS) to ensure successful transmission

⚠️ Important
If you are using an external FMS, always update data directly in your FMS interface rather than in GOVlink. Changes made in GOVlink may be overwritten by your FMS, potentially reintroducing issues.

1. CBP Procedure – Manual Push

As with commercial flights, GOVlink does not automatically transmit passenger and crew data to US authorities.

A manual push is required:

• Via the “Push manifest” button in the GOVlink UI

• Or via the push/adhoc API

For private flights, no telephone confirmation is needed. Instead, all relevant information is sent automatically to the CBP via the carrier’s sender ID. All further communication with the US CBP is via mail.

2. Mandatory Flight Information

2.1 Aircraft Data

Two additional mandatory fields are required for private flights:

• CBP Decal Number
• Aircraft Colors

2.2 Crew Definition

US CBP distinguishes only two crew categories:

• One unique PILOT per flight
• All other crew members classified as CREW

To explicitly identify the pilot:

• PIC = Pilot in Command
• SIC = Second in Command

2.3 Address Requirements

Country of Residence (Mandatory for All)

All passengers and crew must have:

• A HOME contact
• Including at least the country code

Pilot Address (Additional Requirement)

The PILOT must have a complete HOME address, including:

• Address line
• City
• State
• Postal code
• Country

Address While in the USA (Mandatory for All)

All passengers and crew must provide an address while in the USA.

This is determined as follows:

• US residents → use HOME address
• Non-US residents:
  • Inbound flights → use DESTINATION address
  • Outbound flights → use DEPARTURE address

Mandatory fields for this address:

• Address line
• City
• State
• Postal code

3. GOVlink Interface Updates

To support CBP requirements for private flights, several updates have been introduced in GOVlink (UI and API).

3.1 Aircraft Data

• New fields:
  • CBP Decal Number
  • Aircraft Colors

Note: These fields can only be defined if an Aircraft Registration Number is provided.

⚠️ While not mandatory, CBP recommends including information related to border crossings and foreign airports, where applicable.

3.2 Crew Identification

• New crew subtype attribute for cockpit crew:
  • Enables explicit identification of the Pilot (PIC/SIC)

If no crew member is marked as PIC, GOVlink will automatically assign a default pilot using its internal logic.

3.3 Address Enhancements

• DESTINATION address now available for crew members
• New DEPARTURE address type available for both passengers and crew