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

Air Law Potpourri

I went through some practice questions about Air Law this morning and it emphasized my need to study even more!  Here are some things I'd forgotten:

TRAINING

• Instrument Training
• CAR 425.21: with a CPL or ATPL, you may give a licensed pilot instrument training towards an IFR rating provided you have and instrument rating and:
• instructor rating OR
• 500 hours PIC of which 100 must be on the same group of aircraft used for training (and for Group 1, at least 10 hours on the type used for training)

AIRSPACE

• Class F Restricted
• CAR 601.04: A pilot may fly through an active area:
• if authorized by appropriate person
• if it doesn't pose hazard to aircraft
• if it doesn't jeopardize national security

• CAR 602.145: VFR Flight in ADIZ
• VFR flight within or into the ADIZ requires a Defense Flight Plan or Defense Flight Itinerary to be filed.
• Must revise time/point of entry if more than +/- 5 minutes or 20 NM.

AIRPORTS

• Take-off Alternates (i.e. weather is above take-off minima but below landing minima for that aerodrome):
• CAR 704.26 Commuter: if authorized on air operator certificate
• CAR 705.34 Airline: within 60 minutes with OEI (twin) or 120 minutes with OEI (three or four engines or ETOPS)

• Dispatch Limitations:
• CAR 704.49 and CAR 705.60: must be able to land at destination and alternate within
• Turbo-jets: 60% of landing distance available (LDA)
• Turbo-props: 70% of LDA
• must be suitable runway for aircraft and conditions, and can't take credit for more than 50% of anticipated headwind or less than 150% of tailwind
• CAR 704.50 and CAR 705.61: for turbo-jets, if wet runway expected, the calculated runway requirement must be increased by an additional 15%. (Can be less if AFM includes info, but not shorter than what is required by 704.49 / 705.60).

SYSTEMS

• Altitude Alerting System or Device
• CAR 605.36: required for turbo-jets, with these exceptions:
• MEL, or if no MEL, being ferried to location with device
• flight tests, PPCs, training
• if failure after TO, until it reaches location where it can be repaired

• GPWS
• CAR 605.37: required for 704 and 705 turbo-jets with MCTOW of more than 15000 kg (33069 lbs) and authorized to carry more than 10 passengers (exception - MEL). 

• Standby Attitude Indicator
• CAR 605.41: required for Part VII turbo-jets (some exceptions).  Required for Part VII turbo-props configured for 10 or more passengers.
• CAR 625.41: must be installed on turbojet aircraft, and operate for 30 minutes in the event of a complete electrical system malfunction

Personnel Requirements - Airline

CAR 705.103 Designation of PIC and SIC
Designated by air operator.

CAR 705.104 Flight Attendant Requirements
Discussed in another post.

CAR 705.106 Pilot Qualifications

• appropriate license, ratings, endorsements
• within past 90 days:
• 3 take-offs and landings at controls
• 5 sectors
• training requirements
• valid PPC
• valid line check or line indoc
• fulfilled operator's training
• exceptions: training or ferry flight or authorized on air operator certificate

CAR 705.107 Flight Engineer and Second Officer Qualifications
Here are the basics:

• appropriate license and endorsements
• check ride with operator, or 50 hours in past 6 months on type
• completed line indoc
• fulfilled operator's training

CAR 705.108 Crew Pairing
Based on combined experience.

CAR 705.111 Route and Aerodrome Qualifications
Must have been flight crew or observer along same route within the last 12 months or else have received training and demonstrated adequate knowledge.

CAR 705.113 Validity Period

• line check valid for 1 year
• PPC valid for 6 months (1 year if approved 6-month recurrent training completed)
• dispatcher competency check valid for 1 year
• if renewed within 90 days prior, new date is 6/12 months after old date
• validity can be extended up to 60 days

Personnel Requirements - Commuter

CAR 704.106 Minimum Crew (Commuter)
If you have 10 or more passengers, or are carrying passengers in IFR flight, two pilots are required.

CAR 704.107 Designation of PIC and SIC
Designated by air operator.

CAR 704.108 Flight Crew Member Qualifications
Here are the basics:

• appropriate license and ratings
• 3 take-offs and landings within the past 90 days
• valid PPC
• ground training complete
• exceptions: training or ferry flight or authorization on air operator certificate

Other important things:

• to fly IFR with passengers as PIC, you need at least 1200 TT
• to fly VFR as PIC, you need at least 500 TT
• to flight Night VFR with passengers as PIC, you need an instrument rating

CAR 704.109 Qualifications of Operational Control Personnel

• requires training and demonstration of knowledge
• 3 months recency requirement

CAR 704.110 Check Authority

CAR 704.111 Validity Period
PPCs are valid for one year.  They can be renewed up to 90 days prior with same expiration.  They can be extended for up to 60 days.

Approach Bans

It seems that Approach Ban regulations are full of IFs ANDs and BUTs...  This is a classic example of there always being an exception to the rule!!

For some helpful examples, reference AIM RAC 9.19.2.

CAR 602.129 Approach Bans - General
(This does not apply to Part VII aircraft - see below)

• RVR minima for aeroplanes:
• if RVR A and B
• RVR A < 1200 ft and RVR < 600 ft
• if only RVR A or B
• either < 1200 ft
• If RVR is below minimums, you cannot continue an instrument approach in an IFR aircraft unless:
• aircraft has passed FAF (if no FAF, aircraft has intercepted final approach course)
• training flight and landing not intended
• RVR is fluctuating above and below
• ground visibility is reported as at least 1/4 mile
• PIC is conducting precision approach to CAT III minima
• (5) No PIC of an IFR aircraft shall commence a non-precision approach, an APV or a CAT I or CAT II precision approach to an airport where low-visibility procedures are in effect

CAR 602.130 Approach Bans - Category III

(This does not apply to Part VII aircraft - see below)

• (2) No person shall continue a CAT III precision approach in an IFR aircraft beyond the FAF inbound or, where there is no FAF, the point where the final approach course is intercepted, unless the RVR reported is equal to or greater than the minimum RVR specified in the Canada Air Pilot in respect of the runway or surface of intended approach for the instrument approach procedure conducted.

CAR 700.10 Approach Bans - Non Precision, APV, and CAT I Precision

• RVR minima change based on CAP advisory visibility, for example:
• CAP 1/2 (2600) >> RVR 3/8 (1600)
• CAP 3/4 (4000) >> RVR 5/8 (3000)
• CAP 1 (5000) >> RVR 3/4 (4000)
• If no RVR, use runway vis.  South of 60: if no runway vis, use ground vis. 
• If below minimums, you cannot continue a non-precision approach, an APV or a CAT I precision approach in an IFR aircraft unless:
• aircraft has passed FAF (if no FAF, aircraft has intercepted final approach course)
• training flight and landing not intended
• RVR is fluctuating above and below
• South of 60 with no RVR or runway vis: ground visibility is fluctuating above and below
• localized phenomenon affecting ground visibility
• approach is conducted in accordance with 703.41, 704.37, or 705.48
• exceptions made based on operator certificate, 2-crew ops, aircraft equipment (FD / AP), runway lighting, etc. 
• different tables:
• CAP 1/2 (2600) >> RVR 1/4 (1200)
• CAP 3/4 (4000) >> RVR 3/8 (2000)
• CAP 1 (5000) >> RVR 1/2 (2600)
• (4) No pilot-in-command of an IFR aircraft operated under this Part shall commence a non-precision approach, an APV or a CAT I precision approach to an airport where low-visibility procedures are in effect.

Flight Attendants

I'm not sure the general public has a real appreciation for the role of flight attendants as essential crew members.  They are our eyes and ears in the cabin, and they are integral to the safe operation of the aircraft, especially in emergency situations. 

CAR 705.104 Flight Attendant Requirements

(1) the basics:

(a) 1 - 40 pax ... 1 attendant

(b) 41 - 80 pax ... 2 attendants

(c) 81+ pax... 1 attendant for every unit of 40 pax or portion thereof

Of course, there are exceptions

(2) you may need more if required to cover all duties in the event of an emergency, or if required by the company operations manual

(3) you may use less if authorized on the air operator certificate

(4) if there is more than 1 deck (i.e. B747 or A380), (1) and (2) apply to each deck

This is your First Officer speaking...

These are the days now that passengers rarely see their pilots on airline flights, because we are usually behind a closed flight compartment door.  So I suppose it shouldn't surprise me how often I get asked, "Do you get to make the announcements over the PA?" because this is their main point of contact, albeit one-way.  But in my case, it is usually the captain who makes announcements, and the most I typically say is "Flight Attendants, please prepare the cabin for arrival."

CAR 705.74 Public Address System

No person shall operate an aircraft with passengers on board unless the aircraft is equipped with a public address system that can be operated independently of the interphone system required by section 705.73, except for handsets, headsets, microphones, selector switches and signalling devices.

And while we're at it,

CAR 705.73 Interphone System

This regulation complements the PA one (i.e. needs to be operated independently as well) but the difference is it is regardless of whether or not you have passengers on board.

Hand-Held Fire Extinguishers

I'm going to jump between subjects to keep things interesting, but I'll tag each post so they are searchable.  However, in keeping with the tradition of one of my best ground school instructors, we're going to start with Air Law.  Though it is arguably one of the less exciting subjects, there is no denying that knowledge of Air Law is essential.   So without further ado...

Remember: 704 is for Commuter Operations; 705 is for Airlines, and the requirements are different.  

CAR 704.83 says that you need at least one hand-held fire extinguisher readily accessible in the passenger compartment if you are flying with passengers.

CAR 705.93 is about 7 paragraphs long, and details quantity, location, type, and demarcation requirements.  Key take-away: in addition to one hand-held fire extinguisher in the flight compartment, there needs to be 2 or more in the cabin, based on the number of passenger seats (regardless if there are passengers in them or not):
(a) 60 or fewer passenger seats, two extinguishers;
(b) 61 to 200 passenger seats, three extinguishers;
(c) 201 or more passenger seats, one extra extinguisher for each additional unit of 100 passenger seats.
You also need one in each of the Class E cargo compartments and isolated galleys, if so equipped. 

So on a Dash-8 Q400 with seating for 72 passengers, a total of 4 hand-held fire extinguishers would be required (1 in the flight compartment and 3 in the cabin).