Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Life Preservers and Flotation Devices

• 602.62 (1) No person shall conduct a take-off or a landing on water in an aircraft or operate an aircraft over water beyond a point where the aircraft could reach shore in the event of an engine failure, unless a life preserver, individual flotation device or personal flotation device is carried for each person on board.

• (2) No person shall operate a land aeroplane, gyroplane, helicopter or airship at more than 50 nautical miles from shore unless a life preserver is carried for each person on board.

• (3) No person shall operate a balloon at more than two nautical miles from shore unless a life preserver, individual flotation device or personal flotation device is carried for each person on board.

• (4) Subject to subsection (5), for aircraft other than balloons, every life preserver, individual flotation device and personal flotation device referred to in this section shall be stowed in a position that is easily accessible to the person for whose use it is provided, when that person is seated.

• (5) In cases where infant life preservers are carried on board an aircraft operated with flight attendants on board, the infant life preservers may be stowed in bulk in a location that is easily accessible to the flight attendants if

  • (a) the location is adjacent to a ditching emergency exit and is clearly marked as the stowage location for infant life preservers; and

  • (b) the operator has established procedures that require flight attendants to distribute an infant life preserver to each passenger responsible for an infant when preparing for a ditching.

Life Rafts and Survival Equipment — Flights over Water

• 602.63 (1) No person shall operate over water a single-engined aeroplane, or a multi-engined aeroplane that is unable to maintain flight with any engine failed, at more than 100 nautical miles, or the distance that can be covered in 30 minutes of flight at the cruising speed filed in the flight plan or flight itinerary, whichever distance is the lesser, from a suitable emergency landing site unless life rafts are carried on board and are sufficient in total rated capacity to accommodate all of the persons on board.

• (2) Subject to subsection (3), no person shall operate over water a multi-engined aeroplane that is able to maintain flight with any engine failed at more than 200 nautical miles, or the distance that can be covered in 60 minutes of flight at the cruising speed filed in the flight plan or flight itinerary, whichever distance is the lesser, from a suitable emergency landing site unless life rafts are carried on board and are sufficient in total rated capacity to accommodate all of the persons on board.

• (3) A person may operate over water a transport category aircraft that is an aeroplane, at up to 400 nautical miles, or the distance that can be covered in 120 minutes of flight at the cruising speed filed in the flight plan or flight itinerary, whichever distance is the lesser, from a suitable emergency landing site without the life rafts referred to in subsection (2) being carried on board.

• (4) No person shall operate over water a single-engined helicopter, or a multi-engined helicopter that is unable to maintain flight with any engine failed, at more than 25 nautical miles, or the distance that can be covered in 15 minutes of flight at the cruising speed filed in the flight plan or flight itinerary, whichever distance is the lesser, from a suitable emergency landing site unless life rafts are carried on board and are sufficient in total rated capacity to accommodate all of the persons on board.

• (5) No person shall operate over water a multi-engined helicopter that is able to maintain flight with any engine failed at more than 50 nautical miles, or the distance that can be covered in 30 minutes of flight at the cruising speed filed in the flight plan or flight itinerary, whichever distance is the lesser, from a suitable emergency landing site unless life rafts are carried on board and are sufficient in total rated capacity to accommodate all of the persons on board.

• (6) The life rafts referred to in this section shall be

  • (a) stowed so that they are easily accessible for use in the event of a ditching;

  • (b) installed in conspicuously marked locations near an exit; and

  • (c) equipped with an attached survival kit, sufficient for the survival on water of each person on board the aircraft, given the geographical area, the season of the year and anticipated seasonal climatic variations, that provides a means for

    • (i) providing shelter,

    • (ii) providing or purifying water, and

    • (iii) visually signalling distress.

• (7) Where a helicopter is required to carry life rafts pursuant to subsection (4) or (5), no person shall operate the helicopter over water having a temperature of less than 10^oC unless

  • (a) a helicopter passenger transportation suit system that conforms to paragraph 551.407(c) of the Airworthiness Manual is provided for each passenger on board;

  • (b) a helicopter crew member transportation suit system is provided for each crew member on board; and

  • (c) the pilot-in-command directs all persons on board to wear their helicopter transportation suit system.

• (8) Every person who has been directed to wear a helicopter transportation suit system pursuant to paragraph (7)(c) shall wear that suit system.

• (9) Paragraph (7)(a) does not apply if

  • (a) the flight is necessary in order to respond to a medical emergency or any other emergency that is a threat to the safety of persons and

    • (i) the helicopter is a transport category rotorcraft, in respect of which a type certificate has been issued, that meets the requirements of Chapter 529 — Transport Category Rotorcraft of the Airworthiness Manual that are applicable to Category A rotorcraft,

    • (ii) there is insufficient time before the flight to acquire a helicopter passenger transportation suit system of the appropriate size for each passenger, and

    • (iii) there is a crew member in the cabin for the duration of the flight who is trained to assist passengers in an emergency evacuation in the event of a landing in water and who is able to come to the assistance of passengers; or

  • (b) there is a medical reason that prevents a passenger from wearing a helicopter passenger transportation suit system.

• (10) A passenger who is not wearing a helicopter passenger transportation suit system for a reason referred to in subparagraph (9)(a)(ii) or paragraph (9)(b) shall be provided with a life preserver and the pilot-in-command shall direct the passenger to wear the life preserver for the duration of the flight if they are physically and medically able to do so.

Offshore Operations Flight

• 602.64 (1) Subject to section 602.65, no person shall dispatch or conduct a take-off in a helicopter to conduct an offshore operations flight if the pilot-in-command or the air operator is aware that the sea state at any point along the planned route exceeds the sea state for which the helicopter is able to conduct a ditching, according to the type certificate issued for its type design.

• (2) An air operator who uses a helicopter to conduct an offshore operations flight shall notify the pilot-in-command if, at take-off or during the flight, the air operator is or becomes aware that the sea state at any point along the planned route between the position of the helicopter and the destination exceeds the sea state for which the helicopter is certified, as part of its type design, to conduct a ditching.

• (3) If the pilot-in-command of a helicopter who is conducting an offshore operations flight is or becomes aware that the sea state at any point along the planned route between the position of the helicopter and the destination exceeds the sea state for which the helicopter is certified, as part of its type design, to conduct a ditching, the pilot-in-command shall, subject to section 602.65, proceed directly to a land base.

Emergency Exception

602.65 Subsections 602.64(1) and (3) do not apply in respect of an offshore operations flight conducted for the purpose of responding to an emergency.

Emergency Underwater Breathing Apparatus (EUBA)

• 602.66 (1) No person shall operate a helicopter to conduct an offshore operations flight over Canadian waters unless

  • (a) a EUBA is provided for each person on board;

  • (b) each EUBA

    • (i) is readily accessible for immediate use in the event of a ditching,

    • (ii) can be donned quickly,

    • (iii) provides a supplemental air supply that is effective to a depth of at least 3.6 m, and

    • (iv) is not likely to pose a snagging risk during an evacuation of the helicopter; and

  • (c) each person on board has, in the 36-month period preceding the flight, received EUBA training that

    • (i) is specific to the type of EUBA provided,

    • (ii) includes classroom theory training on the use of the EUBA and its limits and hazards, and

    • (iii) includes practical pool training that simulates the evacuation of a helicopter that has overturned or is sinking after a ditching.

• (1.1) Subsection (1) does not apply if

  • (a) the flight is necessary in order to respond to a medical emergency or any other emergency that is a threat to the safety of persons and

    • (i) the helicopter is a transport category rotorcraft, in respect of which a type certificate has been issued, that meets the requirements of Chapter 529 — Transport Category Rotorcraft of the Airworthiness Manual that are applicable to Category A rotorcraft and in respect of which a type certificate has been issued,

    • (ii) before the flight,

      • (A) there is insufficient time to acquire a EUBA for all passengers, or

      • (B) the passengers have not received the training referred to in paragraph (1)(c), and

    • (iii) there is a crew member in the cabin for the duration of the flight who is trained to assist passengers in an emergency evacuation in the event of a landing in water and who is able to come to the assistance of passengers; or

  • (b) there is a medical reason that prevents a passenger from wearing a EUBA.

• (1.2) A passenger who is not wearing a EUBA for a reason referred to in subparagraph (1.1)(a)(ii) or paragraph (1.1)(b) shall be provided with a life preserver and the pilot-in-command shall direct the passenger to wear the life preserver for the duration of the flight if they are physically and medically able to do so.

• (2) No person shall operate a helicopter to conduct an offshore operations flight over Canadian waters that have a temperature of 10°C or more unless the EUBA that is provided for a person under subsection (1) is attached to the life preserver, individual flotation device or personal flotation device that is carried on board the helicopter for that person.

• (3) No person shall operate a helicopter to conduct an offshore operations flight over Canadian waters that have a temperature of less than 10°C unless the EUBA that is provided for a person under subsection (1)

  • (a) is in a pocket or pouch that is part of the person’s helicopter passenger transportation suit system or helicopter crew member transportation suit system;

  • (b) is in a pouch that is worn with the person’s helicopter passenger transportation suit system or helicopter crew member transportation suit system; or

  • (c) is attached to the person’s helicopter passenger transportation suit system or helicopter crew member transportation suit system.

[602.67 to 602.69 reserved]

Division III — Flight Preparation, Flight Plans and Flight Itineraries

Interpretation

602.70 In this Division,

overdue

overdue, in respect of an aircraft, means an aircraft for which an arrival report has not been filed

• (a) where a flight plan has been filed in respect of the aircraft,

  • (i) if a search and rescue notification time is specified in the flight plan, immediately after the last reported such time, or

  • (ii) in all other cases, within one hour after the last reported estimated time of arrival, or

• (b) where a flight itinerary has been filed in respect of the aircraft,

  • (i) if a search and rescue notification time is specified in the flight itinerary, immediately after the last reported such time, or

  • (ii) in all other cases, within 24 hours after the last reported estimated time of arrival; (en retard)

responsible person

responsible person means an individual who has agreed with the person who has filed a flight itinerary to ensure that the following are notified in the manner prescribed in this Division, if the aircraft is overdue, namely,

• (a) an air traffic control unit, a flight service station or a community aerodrome radio station, or

• (b) a Rescue Co-ordination Centre. (personne de confiance)