COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS
AVIATION ADVISORY CIRCULAR
|
|
|
Notice to Air Operators and Pilots on Aircraft Fire-Fighting Services
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Commercial and Business Aviation Advisory Circular
(CBAAC) is to notify air operators, private operators and pilots of the regulations
and of their responsibilities when they operate at airports where aircraft
fire-fighting (AFF) services are available.
APPLICABILITY
This CBAAC applies to all air operators, private operators and pilots operating
under Subparts 604, 701 and 705 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs)
with aeroplanes that are type-certified for 20 or more passengers. This CBAAC does
not apply to those aeroplanes when they are operated in cargo-only operations or in
respect of aeroplanes using the designated airport for the diversion of a flight or
as an alternate airport.
BACKGROUND
There has been some confusion among air operators, private operators and pilots
with respect to their responsibility to ensure that the designated airport where the
aeroplanes will be operated can provide the AFF services required by section 303.04.
That section requires the operators of designated airports to provide AFF services
for the aeroplanes described above. It has come to our attention that aeroplanes have
used a designated airport for a diversion or as an alternate when landing and departed
shortly after without requesting AFF coverage for the take-off. Aeroplanes have also
been operated at various designated airports although the airport operators had
advised by NOTAM that the airports were closed, at the time of the operation, to those
particular types of aeroplane operations.
REFERENCES
- CARs 303.04 and 602.96(3)(d);
- Aerodrome Safety Advisory Circular 98-005 dated 98.09.30.
DISCUSSION
It has always been our intention that operations requiring AFF services be
conducted only when those services are available.
To clarify this intention and the application of the regulations to air operators,
private operators and pilots, amendments to Subpart 602 of the CARs will be developed
and presented to the appropriate Canadian Aviation Regulatory Advisory Council (CARAC)
Technical Committee for consultation.
ACTION
Air operators, private operators and pilots are reminded that they are expected
to comply with the intent of the present regulations, by taking into account NOTAMs
and Canada Flight Supplement (CFS) publications informing them of the
unavailability of AFF services. This means that operators using aeroplanes operated
pursuant to Subparts 604, 701 and 705 of the CARs except for cargo-only operations,
may operate at designated airports only when AFF services are available. This
requirement does not apply to aeroplanes using an airport for the diversion of a
flight or as an alternate airport.
CONCLUSION
This CBACC informs air operators, private operators and pilots to which it applies,
of their responsibility to ensure that the designated airports where they operate can
provide the AFF services required.
M.R. Preuss
Director
Commercial & Business Aviation
| Commercial & Business Aviation Advisory
Circulars (CBAAC) are intended to provide information and guidance regarding
operational matters. A CBAAC may describe an acceptable, but not the only,
means of demonstrating compliance with existing regulations. CBAACs in and of
themselves do not change, create any additional, authorize changes in, or
permit deviations from regulatory requirements. |
|
