From a FAA Safety Team email:

Beginning May 18, 2009, all general aviation flights arriving into or departing out of the U.S. require the pilot to electronically submit crew and passenger manifests and other flight information to the CBP at least 60 minutes prior to departure. This information must be submitted to the CBP using their Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) website or through an authorized third party vendor. This new rule does not apply to domestic flights.

Pilots are encouraged to become familiar with the CBP crew and passenger manifest reporting requirements prior to planning any flights across the U.S. borders. More information can be found at the U.S Customs and Border Protection website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/pleasure...private_flyers/

Pilots are also advised to register their information with the CBP eAPIS website and begin using the system now for international flights even prior to the May 18, 2009 deadline. Information on how to register with eAPIS can be found at:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/inspecti...information.xml

I believe the agency is errant to impose such strict requirements in a round one or round two change. There are to many possible problems with the internet for it to meet 100% reliability requirements for submitting manifests, IMO. There are also still a significant number of pilots that do not know how to operate a computer. (We have people that sign up for our club and do not have/operate a computer. Mostly older folk.)

I did not participate in the commenting process however because I have no experience with border crossings.

So I assume you are exempt from this rule flying from Washington to Ketchikan, AK as long as you don't land in Canada? And then if you crash in Canada you will be fined $5,000-$10,000 for not submitting a manifest!

One little item that has not been mentioned: you need to recieve electronicic permission back,BEFORE YOU LEAVE, not just file and go.

American pilots can no longer leave their country without written permission, it has nothing to do with Canada or Mexico.
It is strictly a U.S.A thing, you cannot leave your country without written permission.
In 1938 and 1939 there was another country that did the same thing, my grandparents fought to stop it, and they thought they were sucessfull.
Different name, same game.