Commercial and Business Aviation Advisory Circulars

Flight Time and Flight Duty Time Limitations and Rest Periods

PURPOSE

This Air Carrier Advisory Circular (ACAC) replaces ACAC 0091 dated 1996.01.09 and is published to inform air carriers and pilots of revisions to the regulations governing flight time and flight duty time limitations and rest periods.

BACKGROUND

The publication of ACAC 0091 and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) training courses that have been attended by air carrier management and pilots across Canada generated many comments and concerns about the proposed flight time and flight duty time limitations and rest periods regulations. A review of these comments and concerns resulted in revisions to the regulations that will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

ACAC 0091 provided an overview of the proposed regulations and did not include every specific detail contained in the regulations. Those details have also been included in this revised ACAC.

The revisions to the regulations and standards as published in ACAC 0091 are: revised definitions; flight crew members are required to maintain a record of all flight time; flight time limits are subject to unforeseen operational circumstances; flight time limits and required time free from duty have been added for flight crew members who are on-call with one hour or less reporting time; the 12 consecutive month flight time limit has been changed to 365 consecutive days; and a provision for split flight duty time for aerial application operations has been added.

ATTACHMENTS

For ease of reference, the content of the regulations, the associated commercial air service standards and the guidance or explanatory material have been combined. The paraphrased regulations are printed in normal font and the paraphrased standards and guidance or explanatory material are printed in italics. Changes to the attachments as published in ACAC 0091 are identified with a notation in the left margin.

• Appendix A - Definitions
• Appendix B - Regulations and Standards Applicable to all Air Operators
• Appendix C - Airline and Commuter Operations
• Appendix D - Air Taxi, Aerial Work and Helicopter Operations

CONCLUSION

The latest revisions to the flight time and flight duty time limitations and rest periods regulations are a result of further consultation with the aviation industry. These regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II as described herein.

Any questions or requests for clarification should be directed to:

Transport Canada Aviation
Air Carrier Operational Standards (AARXB)
Transport Canada Building
Place de Ville, Tower "C"
330 Sparks Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N8

Telephone: (613) 990-1080
Facsimile: (613) 954-1602

A.J. LaFlamme
Director
Air Carrier