Commercial and Business Aviation Advisory Circulars

International Operations

PURPOSE

The intent of this Air Carrier Advisory Circular (ACAC) is to bring to the attention of all Canadian international air operators and their pilots the necessity of familiarizing themselves with local operating rules and equipment requirements prior to embarking on overseas operations.

REFERENCE

"Aeronautics Act", Part I, Application of Part, 4(2).

BACKGROUND

A recent violation of the air traffic regulations occurred in a foreign jurisdiction because the operator of the Canadian aircraft was unfamiliar with the local operating requirements of the particular country. The pilot-in-command of the Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight was not able to switch frequencies between 136 and 137 MHz because the aircraft was not equipped with a VHF receiver/transmitter covering the extended frequency range.

The local governing authority stated in their response to this incident that continued flights (either IFR or Visual Flight Rules (VFR)) will not be allowed with inadequately equipped aircraft and that they considered it a violation against their country’s Ordinance on Radio Equipment to Aircraft.

In Canada, the primary medium for aeronautical communication is VHF-AM in the frequency range 118 to 136 MHz.

The "Aeronautics Act", Part I, Application of Part, 4.(2) is quite specific and is quoted below in its entirety:

"Every person exercising the privileges accorded by a Canadian aviation document in a Foreign state and every Canadian aircraft operated in a Foreign state shall comply with or be operated in accordance with the applicable aeronautics laws of that state."

ACTION

This incident is perhaps symptomatic of a larger problem that often simply goes unreported because of a number of unrelated reasons. In any event, it is essential that all air operators and pilots who operate in a foreign jurisdiction, especially on a non-routine basis, familiarize themselves with the requirements of that jurisdiction. This information can be found in the respective Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) of the various countries in which the air operator plans to operate. If access to the foreign AIPs is not possible, much of the same information can be found, in a condensed version, in appropriate sections of various chart producers, for example, Jeppesen Airway Manual Services. Depending on the geographical region being covered, the Air Traffic Control Section of a Jeppesen Airway Manual will cover, first, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules of the air for all areas and, second, the differences between national regulations and practices and the international ICAO standards. Lastly, subscribing to one of the many international flight planning services that are available will provide access to the required information. Depending on the level of service required, these flight planning services can tailor their services to meet a company’s needs.

CONCLUSION

This ACAC was intended to bring to the attention of all Canadian international air operators and their pilots that operations outside domestic airspace, in many instances, will require additional preparation, both in planning and in execution, if the flight is to be incident free.

A.J. LaFlamme
Director
Commercial and Business Aviation