SDC2026: Unlocking the Customs Process

March 23, 2026

Errors by business aircraft operators when transiting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can lead to fines, delays or even denied entry for their travelers

Against that backdrop, this year’s “Questions with Customs” session at the 2026 NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference (SDC2026) in Cleveland, equips schedulers, dispatchers and operators with a better understanding of how CBP works, and how they can work more effectively with the customs agency.

“A key message for SDC attendees is that CBP clearance is not a onetime transaction. Every operator must understand that customs entry is an ongoing relationship shaped over time by preparation, accuracy and consistency,” said Adam Hartley, CEO of Hartley Business Aviation Consulting and one of the session’s expert panelists.

Hartley will be joined by Jonathan Echmalian with Cozen O’Connor and Rick Gardner with CST Flight Services at the 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 24 session

“To support that approach, CBP, through its General Aviation Processing resource, has expanded and standardized the information that guides business aviation operators through the complexities of customs processes,” Hartley added. “CBP’s comprehensive collection of General Aviation Airport Fact Sheets is a great example of how CBP has turned institutional knowledge into easily accessible data available to everyone. CBP has done an excellent job, and it is up to every operator to familiarize themselves with these resources.”

NBAA also offers a highly popular member-only resource, CBP General Aviation Airport Fact Sheets, which are updated in near real time with office hours, hours of service for entrance and clearance, contact information, permission to land procedures, details about the inspection process and more.

The Questions with Customs expert panel will walk attendees through the General Aviation Processing Lifecycle, a core four-step framework created by CBP that follows the process of an international trip. It starts with understanding an operator’s own capabilities and requirements, moves into port-specific planning and coordination, continues through day-of-flight execution and concludes with post-flight review.

“The process is deliberately cyclic. Lessons learned from one trip inform and guide the preparation for your next trip,” explained Hartley.

The session will also discuss one of the most common and costly pitfalls of the customs process: Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) submissions. “I cannot stress this enough: every APIS application must be accurate, valid, timely, complete and correct. If it isn’t, there’s a chance you’ll be misidentified as a threat,” noted Hartley.

The session also provides a “peek behind the curtain” on the APIS process with a deep dive into the role of the National Targeting Center (NTC).

“People tend to think that when they hit their APIS button, it’s just like sending an email. In reality, there are over 1,000 NTC officers including a division devoted specifically to nonscheduled operators. That means someone dedicated to general aviation will review your APIS application, identify any threats, perform risk analysis and risk mitigation, and then share that intelligence with agents at the close to 400 airports across the U.S.,” explained Hartley.

“So, when you meet that duty officer at your port of entry, they are working with support from the National Targeting Center to guide the clearance process specific to you. This could lead to additional questions, secondary processing or highlight a person of interest. With the high volumes of traffic expected this year for the FIFA World Cup, this insight emphasizes the need for every operator and every pilot-in-command to familiarize themselves with the required processes and prepare for that conversation at customs,” he noted.

“Operators who use CBP’s published resources and follow the life cycle approach are better prepared to avoid costly missteps,” Hartley said. “In an increasingly transparent relationship between CBP and operators, the path to successful cross-border operations is no longer hidden; it’s clearly laid out for those willing to use it.”

View the full SDC2026 program and don’t miss this session at 3:45 p.m. March 24.