PVT INST RATED PLT OF A COMMANDER 114 FAILED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC FOR AN INTL FLT PLAN CLRNC UNTIL WITHIN 30 MI OF THE UNITED STATES DEST DUE TO DEPARTING PRIOR TO RECEIVING FLT PLAN CLRNC.

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WE ARRIVED AT THE BIMINI ISLAND ARPT FOR OUR FLT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT UNITED STATES CUSTOMS ON THE ARPT PAY PHONE ONLY TO FIND THAT THE PAY PHONE DID NOT WORK. BAHAMIAN CUSTOMS WAS NICE ENOUGH TO CONTACT UNITED STATES CUSTOMS IN FORT LAUDERDALE (FXE). CUSTOMS INFORMED US THAT THEY CLOSED AT XA00 LCL TIME AND THAT THEY HAD 7 ARRS DUE IN AT XB30 LCL. I DECIDED TO GIVE MY FRIEND; AN IFR STUDENT; A TASTE OF IFR FLT. SINCE WE WERE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME; WE WOULD FILE IN THE AIR. MY FRIEND; WHO OWNED THE AIRPLANE; PERFORMED THE TKOF WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT MIAMI RADIO. UNABLE TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE FSS; I ADVISED MY FRIEND TO ORBIT BIMINI UNTIL I COULD CONTACT FSS AND ACTIVATE THE FLT PLAN. MY FRIEND SAID HE DID NOT WANT TO WAIT AND BEGAN FLYING TO FXE. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT MIAMI RADIO ON A NEW FREQ AND WAS ABLE TO FILE THE FLT PLAN. MIAMI RADIO ADVISED ME THAT WE WERE ON FILE AND TO CONTACT ZMA; AND A FREQ FOR ZMA. ZMA ADVISED ME THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE MY PLAN YET. A FEW MINS LATER; THE OTHER AIRPLANE IN OUR PARTY; WHO HAD FILED JUST BEFORE ME; RECEIVED THEIR CLRNC. WITH STILL NO CLRNC; I WAS HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER CTLR WHO HANDED ME OFF AGAIN BEFORE I RECEIVED MY CLRNC. I ESTIMATE THAT I WAS 30-40 MI SE OF FXE WHEN I RECEIVED MY CLRNC. AS WE WERE CLRING CUSTOMS; THE AGENT SAID THAT THE APCH FACILITY WANTED US TO KNOW THAT WE SHOULD 'GET THAT CODE EARLIER NEXT TIME.' I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BE RUSHED TO GET TO FXE BEFORE CUSTOMS CLOSED FOR THE NIGHT AND FAILED TO KEEP MYSELF SITUATIONALLY AWARE. ALSO; I FEEL THAT AS A NEW IFR PLT; I BIT OFF MORE THAN I COULD CHEW BY ATTEMPTING AN INTL FLT AND BY SHOWING MY FRIEND AN IFR FLT WHILE NOT BEING THE PRIMARY PLT. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL NOT FILE IFR UNLESS I AM THE PRIMARY PLT. I ALSO WILL NOT LET MYSELF GET SO RUSHED; AS WELL AS BEING MORE SITUATIONALLY AWARE; AND MORE ASSERTIVE TO PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO PROPER PROCS.