Transport Canada Aviation Update – December 7 to December 18, 2020

1) Update – December 7 to December 18, 2020 [Back to the Menu]

Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) recognizes the challenges that industry is encountering during these unprecedented times. TCCA has been working to put in place measures to provide some relief to our stakeholders, while managing safety risks. 

To facilitate communication of recent changes by TCCA, updates will now be issued every second week. Updates will include both COVID and non-COVID measures.

Due to the holiday season the next update will be sent to CARAC members Friday, January 8^th 2021. 

2) Exemptions to the Canadian Aviation Regulations: [Back to the Menu]

In order to respond to the various challenges that COVID-19 is currently putting on the transportation system, please find below the most recently issued global exemption to various provisions in the Canadian Aviation Regulations;

• NCR-126-2020 - to permit NAV CANADA to submit for publication and distribution their instrument flight procedures when all other review and ground validation activities are completed except for the flight check.- Issued on December 18, 2020

COVID-19 exemptions are made available upon request via email, in PDF format on the Transport Canada COVID-19 web page.

To consult the complete list of COVID-19 measures, updates, and guidance issued by Transport Canada, please visit the website https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-tc/aviation.html

The following non-COVID exemptions to the Canadian Aviation Regulations has been issued by Transport Canada: 

• NCR-135-2020 - to permit air operators conducting medical evacuation flights within Canada, under Subpart 5 of Part VII of the CARs, to provide each flight crew member with time free from duty of one period of at least four (4) consecutive calendar days within each nineteen (19) consecutive days, in addition to the current options contained in paragraph 700.119(1) of the CARs. Additionally, all three free from duty options are presented as exclusive to one another.– Issued on December 15, 2020.

TCCA continues to issue various non-COVID related exemptions. For access please visit https://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/exemptions/e_s.aspx?lang=eng

TCCA continues to work on the issuance of exemptions and guidance, including various COVID and non-COVID company specific exemptions. TCCA is assessing the re-issuance of COVID-19 exemptions, with particular focus on exemptions that have a validity period ending in the coming weeks, including:

• Re-issuance of exemption NCR-073-2020 - related to COVID-19 – to allow the certification of additional privileges endorsed on a permit or licence to only expire upon receipt of a new permit or licence granting those privileges, instead of the normally prescribed period of 90 days for a temporary endorsement
• Re-issuance of exemption NCR-043-2020 - related to COVID-19 – to mitigate the financial pressures for persons requesting an exemption to the CARs as a result of the economic environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic

3) Ongoing Consultations: [Back to the Menu]

The following consultations are ongoing

• Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) 2020-015  – Aircraft Equipment and Installation, Life Preservers, Individual Flotation Devices and Personal Flotation Devices     

We would appreciate your comments in writing to carrac@tc.gc.ca no later than December 18, 2020.

• Preliminary Issue & Consultation Assessment 2020-018 - Light-Emitting Diode (LED) obstacle lighting and the use of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) 
  

We would appreciate your comments in writing to carrac@tc.gc.ca no later than December 18, 2020.

• Consultation on Safety Management Systems (SMS) 
  

We would appreciate your comments in writing to SMSreview-SGSexamen@tc.gc.ca by December 19^th, 2020. 

• Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) 2020-013 – Airworthiness Manual (AWM) Chapter 566, Division I – Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) Licensing 
  

We would appreciate your comments in writing to carrac@tc.gc.ca no later than January 8^th, 2021.

• Federal Halocarbon Regulations 2020
  

You may submit your comments in writing to ec.gestionhalocarbures-halocarbonsmanagement.ec@canada.ca no later than January 13, 2021.

4) Survey of members in support of improvements the CARAC: [Back to the Menu]

Earlier this month, you were solicited by Entegrite Consulting (messages-noreply@simplesurvey.com) to participate in an on-line survey in support of the CARAC Modernization initiative. While this survey is optional, the results are important to ensuring the CARAC reflects your needs now and into the future.  If you have already answered the survey, we would like to thank you.  If you can, please take the time to participate; the link you received is still valid.  If you are an employee of Transport Canada, you will be contacted at a later date.

5) Interim Order and Guidance Materiel: [Back to the Menu]

Please find below:  

1. Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation due to COVID-19 No. 15
2. Updated Transport Canada Temperature Screening Standards (v.1.15)

There are no consequential changes to this Interim Order or Temperature Screening Standards, the updated versions are simply renewals. 

Please find below, updated guidance material for air operators dated December 4, 2020, which replaces the November 23, 2020 version.   All documents now include a link to updated COVID-19 related posters that provide information to air travellers on measures put in place by Transport Canada related to COVID-19, as well as minor administrative updates. The Transborder and International documents also include the following updates:

• alignment with PHAC Emergency Orders related to International Single Sporting Events;
• reinforced message on ArriveCAN; and 
• flagging the clarifications made to the definition of extended family.

• COVID-19: Guidance Material for Air Operators Managing Air Travellers for Flights Departing from an Aerodrome in Canada

• COVID-19: Guidance material for air operators managing travellers during the check-in procedure at transborder (U.S.) airports

• COVID-19: Guidance Material for Air Operators Managing Travellers to Canada at International Airports

6) Updated Essential Services Determination: [Back to the Menu]

Please be advised that the Chief Public Health Officer Essential Services Determination for paragraph 6(e) of the Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to Covid-19 in Canada Order (Mandatory Isolation) No 8 has been signed into effect December 09, 2020 , and replaces the previous determination which was signed on October 8, 2020.

This update includes new essential service quarantine exemptions for:

• members of a crew for any conveyance who are re-entering Canada after having left to undertake mandatory training relating to the operation of a conveyance, and who are required by their employer to return to work as members of a crew on a conveyance within 14 days of their return to Canada.

The full list of essential service exemptions is available on the Public Health Agency of Canada website

7) Amendments to CARS (Various Subjects) SOR/2020-253: [Back to the Menu]

Multiple amendments to the Canadian Aviation Regulations are now in force, as the result of the following regulatory initiative, which was published in Canada Gazette, Part II on December 9, 2020.

Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Various Subjects)

SOR/2020-253

In addition to the regulatory amendments, the amended standards are available in the CARAC website at the links below

1. Survival equipment (NPA #2020-001) 
   Transport Canada (TC) has amended the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) to exempt operators operating under Subpart 705, 703, and 704 from carrying some of the additional equipment listed in subsection 725.95(2) of the CASS. TC has incorporated the requirements for 703 and 704 operators from the Commercial Air Service Standards (CASS) into the CARs.
2. First Aid Kits (NPA#2020-002)
   This amendment corrects an outdated reference to the Aviation Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (AOHSR) that were amended on March 25, 2011, in respect of first aid kits requirements. At the same time, TC has incorporated these requirements from the CASS to the CARs.
3. Aircraft de-icing (NPA#2020-006)
   This amendment resolves the conflicts between the current operational rules sections 602.11 and 701.25 of the CARs and manufacturer recommendations in their Aeroplane Flight Manual. In addition it makes amendments to the aircraft critical surfaces while introducing the possibility to leverage HOTDS technology as part of the approved ground icing operations program.
4. Crew resources management (NPA#2020-009)
   This amendment to the CASS corrects a discrepancy to clarify what elements must be covered during initial training, and what elements must be covered during annual training. 
5. Safety briefings (NPA#2020-011)
   This amendment to the CASS permits a person authorized by the air operator to deliver the oral standard safety briefing to passengers.

The purpose of these amendments is to codify into regulations existing exemptions in a manner that is non-prescriptive, permissive, and supports a risk-based approach to regulating. 

As a result, the following exemptions are no longer in effect. The online versions of these exemptions will reflect their cancellation shortly.

8) Advisory Circular 803-001 TP308/GPH209 - Change 8.0 Criteria for the Development of Instrument Procedures:[Back to the Menu]

Please find attached AC 803-001, Issue No. 11, Transport Canada Publication TP308/GPH209 - Change 8.0 Criteria for the Development of Instrument Procedures, effective November 14, 2020.

The purpose of this Advisory Circular (AC) is to announce the implementation of a change to the Criteria for the Development of Instrument Procedures (TP308/GPH209).

Stay informed by subscribing to the Transport Canada Civil Aviation e-Bulletin to be notified by e-mail when an AC has been newly published. You can also subscribe to receive other TC publications such as newsletters and important safety information. To see the list of ACs published by TC, please visit: http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/reference-centre/advisory-circulars.html

Sincerely,

Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council

Transport Canada / Government of Canada

carrac@tc.gc.ca / TTY:  1-888-675-6863