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Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Regulations are current to 2024-02-20 and last amended on 2023-06-21. Previous Versions

Part IV — Personnel Licensing and Training (continued)

Subpart 4 — Medical Requirements (continued)

Division II — Medical Certificate (continued)

Medical Standards Flexibility — Limitations and Restrictions
  •  (1) The Minister may, in accordance with the personnel licensing standards, issue a medical certificate to an applicant who does not meet the requirements referred to in subsection 404.04(1) where it is in the public interest and is not likely to affect aviation safety.

  • (2) Where the Minister issues a medical certificate under subsection (1), the Minister shall endorse the certificate with any limitation or restriction that is necessary to ensure aviation safety.

  • (3) The Minister may amend or remove any limitation or restriction referred to in subsection (2) when it is no longer required to ensure aviation safety.

  • (4) The Minister may suspend or cancel a medical certificate if the applicant fails to comply with any limitation or restriction referred to in subsection (2).

  • (5) Before issuing a medical certificate under subsection (1), the Minister may require an applicant to undergo any practical test in respect of the functions of a flight crew member or air traffic controller, as appropriate, or any medical examination that is necessary to determine whether the applicant meets the medical fitness requirements specified in the personnel licensing standards.

  • (6) For the purposes of a practical test in respect of the functions of a flight crew member, the Minister may designate as a testing officer any person who holds

    • (a) a flight crew licence endorsed with a flight instructor rating that is valid for the category of aircraft to be used during the practical test; or

    • (b) a flight crew licence and has the qualifications required to conduct the practical test.

  • (7) For the purposes of a practical test in respect of the functions of an air traffic controller, the test shall be conducted in an actual operational environment under the supervision of an Air Traffic Services manager, a regional aviation medical officer, an aviation medical officer or a CAME, in accordance with the procedures set out in the personnel licensing standards.

Prohibition Regarding Exercise of Privileges
  •  (1) Subject to subsection (3), no holder of a permit, licence or rating shall exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating if

    • (a) one of the following circumstances exists and could impair the holder’s ability to exercise those privileges safely:

      • (i) the holder suffers from an illness, injury or disability,

      • (ii) the holder is taking a drug, or

      • (iii) the holder is receiving medical treatment;

    • (b) the holder has been involved in an aircraft accident that is wholly or partially the result of any of the circumstances referred to in paragraph (a);

    • (c) the holder has entered the thirtieth week of pregnancy, unless the medical certificate is issued in connection with an air traffic controller licence, in which case the holder may exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating until the onset of labour; or

    • (d) the holder has given birth in the preceding six weeks.

  • (2) No holder of a permit, licence or rating who is referred to in paragraph (1)(b), (c) or (d) shall exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating unless

    • (a) the holder has undergone a medical examination referred to in section 404.18; and

    • (b) the medical examiner has indicated on the holder’s medical certificate that the holder is medically fit to exercise the privileges of the permit, licence or rating.

  • (3) The Minister may, in writing, authorize the holder of a medical certificate to exercise, under the circumstances described in paragraph (1)(a) or (d), the privileges of the permit, licence or rating to which the medical certificate relates if such authorization is in the public interest and is not likely to affect aviation safety.

[404.07 to 404.09 reserved]

Division III — Medical Certificate Requirements

Medical Certificate Requirements for Personnel Licences
  •  (1) A Category 1 medical certificate is required for the following licences:

    • (a) commercial pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter;

    • (b) multi-crew pilot licence — aeroplane;

    • (c) airline transport pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter; and

    • (d) flight engineer licence.

  • (2) A Category 1 or 2 medical certificate is required for an air traffic controller licence.

  • (3) A Category 1 or 3 medical certificate is required for the following permits, licences and ratings:

    • (a) student pilot permit — helicopter;

    • (b) pilot permit — gyroplane;

    • (b.1) student pilot permit — gyroplane or balloon;

    • (c) private pilot licence — aeroplane or helicopter;

    • (d) pilot licence — balloon;

    • (e) flight instructor rating — glider; and

    • (f) flight instructor rating — ultra-light aeroplane.

  • (4) A Category 1, 3 or 4 medical certificate is required for the following permits and licences:

    • (a) student pilot permit - aeroplane;

    • (b) pilot permit — recreational;

    • (c) student pilot permit or pilot permit — ultra-light aeroplane;

    • (d) student pilot permit — glider; and

    • (e) pilot licence — glider.

  • SOR/2007-229, s. 3
  • SOR/2014-15, s. 16

Division IV — Medical Fitness

Minister’s Assessment
  •  (1) The Minister shall assess any medical reports submitted pursuant to paragraph 404.17(b) to determine whether an applicant for the issuance or renewal of a medical certificate meets the medical fitness requirements set out in the personnel licensing standards that are necessary for the issuance or renewal of the medical certificate.

  • (2) The Minister shall, by personal service or by registered mail sent to the applicant at the latest known address of the applicant, immediately

    • (a) notify the applicant of the result of an assessment, and

    • (b) in the case of an application for the renewal of a medical certificate, inform the applicant that the Minister will, no earlier than 30 days after the date that the applicant receives the notification, make a decision pursuant to subsection 7.1(1) of the Act, based on the result of the assessment.

Reconsideration of Assessment
  •  (1) An applicant for the renewal of a medical certificate who is assessed by the Minister as not meeting the requirements referred to in subsection 404.11(1) may, within 30 days after the date that the applicant receives the notification referred to in subsection 404.11(2),

    • (a) request the Minister to reconsider the assessment; and

    • (b) submit additional information to the Minister regarding the medical fitness of the applicant in support of the request.

  • (2) Where the Minister is requested to reconsider an assessment pursuant to subsection (1), the Minister shall

    • (a) take into consideration any additional information regarding the medical fitness of the applicant; and

    • (b) immediately notify the applicant in writing of the result of the reconsideration of the assessment.

[404.13 to 404.15 reserved]

Division V — Medical Examiners

Authority to Conduct Medical Examinations

 No physician shall conduct a medical examination of an applicant for the issuance or renewal of a medical certificate unless the physician conducts the medical examination in the region in which the physician is licensed to practise and

  • (a) the physician is appointed by the Minister as a CAME;

  • (b) where the applicant is a regular member of the Canadian Armed Forces or an air cadet, the physician is a Canadian Armed Forces flight surgeon; or

  • (c) where the applicant resides or is examined in a contracting state other than Canada, the physician is authorized by the licensing authority of the contracting state to conduct such examinations.

Responsibilities of Medical Examiner

 Where a physician referred to in paragraph 404.16(a) or (b) conducts a medical examination of an applicant for the issuance or renewal of a medical certificate, the physician shall

  • (a) conduct the medical examination in accordance with the procedures set out in the personnel licensing standards; and

  • (b) submit a medical report to the Minister that specifies the results of the medical examination and contains, if warranted by those results, the physician’s recommendation that the medical certificate be restricted to a validity period that is shorter than the validity period set out in the table to subsection 404.04(6) for the certificate.

  • SOR/2007-229, s. 5
Examination for Renewal of a Medical Certificate or for Permission to Continue to Exercise the Privileges of a Permit, Licence or Rating

 When the holder of a medical certificate undergoes a medical examination by a physician referred to in paragraph 404.16(a) or (b) for the purpose of renewing his or her certificate or obtaining permission to continue to exercise the privileges of his or her permit, licence or rating, the physician shall

  • (a) sign and date the medical certificate and stamp it with his or her official stamp indicating that the holder is “fit” and return the medical certificate to the holder; or

  • (b) advise the holder that he or she is “unfit” and return the medical certificate to the holder.

  • SOR/2003-129, s. 9
  • SOR/2007-229, s. 6

Subpart 5 — Flight Training

Division I — General

Interpretation
  •  (1) In this Subpart, Standard 425 — Flight Training means a publication concerning flight training.

  • (2) Any reference in this Subpart to the personnel licensing standards is a reference to Standard 425 — Flight Training.

Application

 This Subpart applies in respect of the conduct of flight training using an aeroplane, helicopter, glider, balloon, gyroplane or ultra-light aeroplane.

[405.03 to 405.10 reserved]

Division II — Flight Training Program

Flight Training Program

 No person shall conduct flight training unless the flight training program is in accordance with the requirements of Subpart 1 in respect of

  • (a) the initial issuance of a permit, licence or rating;

  • (b) the renewal of a rating; and

  • (c) a flight review.

Flight Training Program Approval

 Where a syllabus for a flight training program is not set out in the Personnel Licensing and Training Standards respecting Flight Crew Permits, Licences and Ratings, the Minister shall approve a proposed syllabus for a flight training program if the program meets those standards.

Flight Training Program Outline

 A person who conducts flight training using an aeroplane or helicopter shall provide to each trainee, at the time of commencing a flight training program referred to in section 405.11, a flight training program outline that meets the personnel licensing standards.

Flight Training Program Requirements

 Flight training that is conducted using an aeroplane or helicopter shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable flight instructor guide and flight training manual or equivalent document and the applicable training manual on human factors.

[405.15 to 405.20 reserved]

Division III — Personnel and Aircraft

Qualifications of Flight Instructors
  •  (1) No person shall conduct flight training or a flight review unless the person is qualified as a flight instructor in accordance with the personnel licensing standards.

  • (2) In cases where a qualified gyroplane flight instructor is not available, a person may conduct the gyroplane training that has to be acquired to satisfy the experience requirement for the issuance of a pilot permit — gyroplane if the person obtains a written authorization from the Minister to conduct the training in accordance with subsection 421.84(4) of the personnel licensing standards.

  • (3) A person who conducts flight training toward the issuance of an aircraft type rating may, in the case of training for a holder of a pilot permit — gyroplane, obtain a written authorization from the Minister to conduct the flight training in accordance with paragraph 425.21(7)(c) of the personnel licensing standards if the authorization is in the public interest and is not likely to affect aviation safety.

  • (4) A person who conducts flight training toward the issuance of an aircraft type rating may, in the case of training for a holder of a student pilot permit — gyroplane, obtain a written authorization from the Minister to conduct the flight training in accordance with paragraph 425.21(7)(d) of the personnel licensing standards if the authorization is in the public interest and is not likely to affect aviation safety.

  • (5) A person who conducts ground school instruction toward the issuance of a flight instructor rating may obtain a written authorization from the Minister to conduct the ground school instruction in accordance with the personnel licensing standards.

  • SOR/2006-352, s. 13
Aircraft Familiarization

 No person shall conduct flight training in an aircraft unless the person is familiar with the flight characteristics, operating limitations and operational performance data specified in the aircraft flight manual or equivalent document.

Training Aircraft Requirements

 No person shall operate a training aircraft unless the aircraft meets the personnel licensing standards.

Flight Training at Aerodrome

 No person shall operate a training aircraft at an aerodrome unless the aerodrome is suitable for the aircraft

  • (a) to be safely operated within the operating limitations and operational performance data specified in the aircraft flight manual or equivalent document

    • (i) allowing for the actual aircraft weight and existing air temperature and wind conditions,

    • (ii) with the power plant operation and landing gear and flap operation, if applicable, recommended by the manufacturer, and

    • (iii) with smooth transition from take-off to the best rate-of-climb speed using normal piloting skills; and

  • (b) in the case of a helicopter, to carry out normal transitions from the hover to forward flight and from forward flight to the hover.

[405.25 to 405.30 reserved]

Division IV — Flight Training Operations

Training Flight Briefings

 No person shall commence a training flight unless the trainee has received from the flight instructor

  • (a) a pre-flight briefing; and

  • (b) where new flight exercises are to be conducted during the flight, preparatory ground instruction.

Authorization of Training Flight

 Before the commencement of a training flight, the flight instructor who will conduct or supervise the training shall

  • (a) authorize the training flight; and

  • (b) receive an acknowledgement of that authorization from the trainee.

Pilot Training Record
  •  (1) A person who conducts flight training for the issuance of a private pilot licence, a commercial pilot licence or a flight instructor rating — aeroplane or helicopter shall, for each trainee, maintain a pilot training record that meets the personnel licensing standards.

  • (2) On request from a trainee receiving training for the purposes referred to in subsection (1), the person responsible for maintaining the trainee’s pilot training record shall

    • (a) certify the accuracy of the entries; and

    • (b) provide the trainee with the record.

  • (3) When a trainee has completed flight training, including all of the tests and written examinations required pursuant to Subpart 1, the person who conducted the flight training shall forward the trainee’s pilot training record to the Minister.

[405.34 to 405.40 reserved]

Subpart 6 — Flight Training Units

Division I — General

Interpretation
  •  (1) In this Subpart, Personnel Licensing and Training Standards respecting Flight Training Units means a publication concerning flight training units.

  • (2) Any reference in this Subpart to the personnel licensing standards is a reference to Standard 426 – Personnel Licensing and Training – Flight Training Units.

  • SOR/2005-173, s. 9
 

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