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.

Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)

Reference AIM SAR 3.0

Categories of ELTs

• A or AD: automatic ejectable or automatic deployable
• F or AF: fixed or automatic fixed
• AP: automatic portable
• P: personal
• W or S: water-activated or survival

CAR 605.38 ELT

• relevance to ATPL: large multi-engine turbojet airplanes engaged in air transport service with passengers require two ELTs (type W or S) when operating over water at a distance from land which requires life rafts (recall CAR 602.63 for life raft requirements)

CAR 605.39 Use of ELTs

• you can operate without a serviceable ELT if it is removed and repaired ASAP and the aircraft is placarded.
• ELT must be replaced within 10 days for 704 and 705 (30 days for everyone else)
• if you require 2 ELTs and they are both unserviceable: repair and replace the first ASAP, 10 days grace for the second

CAR 605.40 ELT Activation

• the only reason an ELT should be activated is in the event of an emergency, or testing (5 seconds only during the first 5 minutes of any hour)
• in the event of inadvertent activation, advise ATC / FSS / aerodrome and switch off

Note from AIM SAR 3.8: Unlike traditional 121.5/243 MHz ELTS, 406 MHz ELTs and their associated cockpit remote switch should be tested in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions only.

Pilot Response to Signals - notify nearest ATS:

• position, altitude and time first heard and contact lost
• ELT signal strength and did it cease suddenly or fade

Downed Aircraft Procedures:

• switch ELT on ASAP and do not cycle or switch off until positively located
• raising ELT from ground level to 8 ft may increase range by 20-40%
• if in an uninhabited area, stay with aircraft and ELT (more visible than people), have smoke/flares/signal fires read to attract SAR

Transoceanic Flights

GOTA, RVSM, CMNPS, SLOP... it looks like we're having Alphabet soup for lunch!

CAR 602.39 Transoceanic Flights
If you want to fly a single engine aircraft or multi-engine that cannot maintain flight in the event of an engine failure over the high seas:

• pilot needs an instrument rating
• aircraft equipped as per CAR 605.18 + HF radio + hypothermia protection for each person on board
• sufficient fuel as per CAR 602.88 + additional 10%

Reference AIM RAC 11.0 North Atlantic Operations and ICAO NAT Doc 007

NAT MNPS = North Atlantic Minimum Navigation Performance Specifications

• compliance with NAT MNPS airspace is required by all aircraft operating between 
• FL285 and FL420 AND
• between 27 N and the North Pole AND
• Oceanic Control Areas: Reykjavik, Gander, New York, Shanwick, Santa Maria
• aircraft must be equipped with two fully functioning long range navigation systems (LRNS).  A LRNS may be one of the following:
• one Inertial Navigation System (INS)
• one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
• one navigation system using the inputs from one or more Inertial Reference System (IRS) or any other sensor system complying with the MNPS requirement.
• for eastbound and westbound traffic
• south of 70 N, the planned tracks shall be defined at each half or whole degree of latitude and each 10 degrees of longitude
• north of 70 N, the planned tracks shall be defined at latitudes expressed in degrees/minutes and each 20 degrees of longitude
• for northbound and southbound traffic
• the planned tracks shall be defined at latitudes spaced at 5 degrees and whole degrees of longitude

Room to Breathe

Mark Twain wrote, “The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be?--it is the same the angels breathe.”

For all its beauty and truth, we also know that at FL250, our time of useful consciousness is a mere 3 to 6 minutes. Hence, there are regulations about oxygen... requirements for quantity, duration, training, etc.

GENERAL

CAR 605.31 Oxygen Equipment and Supply

• non-pressurized aircraft 
• if more than 30 minutes between 10 000 and 13 000 >> all crew and 10% of passengers (at least 1 passenger) 
• above 13 000 >> all persons (for at least 1 hour if air transport) 
• pressurized aircraft following emergency descent 
• similar, but a bit more complicated, see table in regulations 

CAR 605.32 Use of Oxygen

1. Where an aircraft is operated at cabin-pressure-altitudes above 10,000 feet ASL but not exceeding 13,000 feet ASL, each crew member shall wear an oxygen mask and use supplemental oxygen for any part of the flight at those altitudes that is more than 30 minutes in duration. 
2. Where an aircraft is operated at cabin-pressure-altitudes above 13,000 feet ASL, each person on board the aircraft shall wear an oxygen mask and use supplemental oxygen for the duration of the flight at those altitudes. 
3. The pilot at the flight controls of an aircraft shall use an oxygen mask if

• the aircraft is not equipped with quick-donning oxygen masks and is operated at or above FL250; or
• the aircraft is equipped with quick-donning oxygen masks and is operated above FL410.

FIRST AID OXYGEN

CAR 704.67 (Commuter): if flying above FL250 >> supply one passenger for one hour

CAR 705.72 (Airline): 2% of occupants (at least 1 person) for one hour


PORTABLE OXYGEN

CAR 705.94 (Airline): above FL250 >> 15 min supply for each FA

Do you know what might happen if you don't use oxygen when your body requires it?Everyone reacts to hypoxia differently.  I went to the FAA Civil Aero Medical Institute in Oklahoma City for some invaluable High Altitude Training.  

Section 24 of Standard 724.115 and Section 29 of Standard 725.124 both specify that 'High Altitude Training is required for all flight crew members operating aeroplanes above 13 000 ASL before first assignment on a pressurized aeroplane and every three years thereafter.'