Year-End Update

At the beginning of the year, I said that 2015 was going to be the year ATPL.  The November/December issue of the 99 News has an article by Donna Miller on the importance of setting goals.  She writes, ''If we are working toward our goals, we are getting the most out of each moment.  We are focused on our journeys toward our hearts' desires....'' Well, I knew what I wanted to achieve and had a plan to get there:

• SARON and SARMA exams
• Goal: study in the winter, write in the spring
• Achievement: both exams written by the beginning of April
• Night PIC XC time:
• Goal: 18 hours to complete, planned 12 in spring, 6 in fall
• Achievement: all 18 hours completed by beginning of June
• 1500 TT:
• Goal: finish by the end of the year (started 2015 with 990 hours)
• Achievement: did my last flight of the year on Monday and now total 1510 hours

All that's left now is to get my logbook certified and fill out the TC paperwork in January.  On that note, wishing you all a Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

VFR Obstacle Clearance Requirements

Once again, there are various exceptions when it comes to minimum altitudes and distances, based on the operating context.  Let's see if we can make some sense of it all.

Except for the purpose of take-off or landing....

CAR 704.23 (Commuter)

• Day: must be at least 500 AGL and 500 feet horizontal from any obstacle
• Night: must be at least 1000 feet above any obstacle within 3 miles of route

CAR 705.32:  (Airline)

• Day: must be at least 1000 AGL and 1000 feet horizontal from any obstacle
• Night: must be at least 1000 feet above any obstacle within 5 miles of route (2000 feet in mountainous regions)

Black Boxes

The Flight Data and Cockpit Voice Recorders (so called 'black-boxes' even though they are actually orange) provide invaluable information to investigators as they try to piece together the sequence of events leading up to an accident.  

CAR 605.33 Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder Requirements

• FDR: required for multi-engine turbine aircraft (see regulation for specifics and variations based on passenger configurations)
• CVR: required for multi-engine turbine aircraft configured for 6 or more passengers and two pilots

CAR 605.34 Use of Flight Data Recorders and Cockpit Voice Recorders

• Operation 
• FDR: continuously from take-off to landing
• CVR: continuously from application of electrical power prior to flight until removal of electrical power following flight
• Without a MEL, either the FDR or CVR may be unserviceable for up to 90 days after day of failure, as long as the other one is serviceable, and the date of failure is recorded in the aircraft technical records. 

Air Law Grab-Bag

Another random selection of Air Law trivia...

CAR 605.93 Technical Records - General
(4) Every person who brings into use a new volume of an existing technical record shall make the entries relating to the preceding volume that are necessary to ensure that an unbroken chronological record is maintained.

CAR 705.22 Operational Flight Plan

• PIC shall ensure a copy is left at a POD in accordance with procedures specified in COM
• airline shall keep a copy including any amendments for at least 90 days
• for commuters, the period is defined in the COM (CAR 704.17)
• if cruise segment is less than 30 minutes, may use an informal operational flight plan (CAR 725.22 and CAR 724.17)

CAR 705.94 Portable Oxygen

A 15 minute supply (with masks) must be available for each flight attendant on pressurized aircraft in airline operations above FL250. 

Reference AIM RAC 6.4.5

Along off-airways tracks, the airspace to be protected is 45 NM each side of that portion of the track which is beyond navigational and signal coverage range. 

Reference AIM RAC 8.1 IFR Enroute
If while on an IFR flight plan your ETA for a reporting point changes by more than 3 minutes, advise the appropriate ATS unit ASAP.

Manuals

CARs 704.122 and 705.136 Distribution of Company Operations Manual

• provide copies of appropriate sections to each crew member, ground operations and maintenance personnel
• alternatively place a copy in each aircraft
• each person with a copy must keep it up-to-date and accessible

CARs 704.123 and 705.137 Aircraft Operating Manual

• a copy must be on board each aircraft

CARs 704.124 and 705.138 Standard Operating Procedures

• required when aircraft is required to be operated by 2 or more pilots
• a copy must be on board each aircraft

For Airlines (705), AOMs and SOPs must be submitted to Minister. 

Routes in Uncontrolled Airspace

CAR 704.29 and CAR 705.37: No person shall, in uncontrolled airspace, conduct an IFR flight or a night VFR flight on a route other than an air route unless the air operator establishes the route in accordance with the Commercial Air Service Standards.

Related Standards CAR 724.29 and CAR 725.37:

• IFR MOCAs: minimum 2000 feet above highest obstacle within 10 miles of centreline
• Night VFR: minimum 1000 feet above highest obstacle within 3 miles of centreline

Aviation Occurences

Reference AIM GEN 3.3

Accidents:

• a person is killed or sustains serious injury
• on board
• direct contact with any part
• exposure to jet blast / rotor downwash / prop wash
• the aircraft sustains structural failure or damage which adversely affects the structural strength of the aircraft
• the aircraft is missing or inaccessible

Mandatory Reportable Incidents:
Incident for aircraft with MCTOW greater than 2250 kg or operating under Part VII where:

• engine fails or is shut-down as precautionary measure
• power train transmission gearbox malfunction
• smoke detected or fire occurs
• difficulties controlling aircraft (malfunction, weather, wake turbulence, vibration)
• aircraft fails to remain on runway, lands with gear retracted, drags a wingtip or engine pod
• crew incapacitation which poses a threat to safety
• depressurization requiring emergency descent
• fuel shortage requiring diversion or landing priority
• incorrect type or contaminated fuel
• collision, risk of collision, loss of separation
• emergency requiring priority handling or equipment on standby
• slung load released unintentionally or as precautionary measure
• dangerous good released in or from aircraft