Class A Airspace:

Class A airspace is designated where an operational need exists to exclude VFR aircraft.

All operations must be conducted under Instrument Flight Rules and are subject to ATC clearances and
instructions. ATC separation is provided to all aircraft.

All aircraft operating in Class A airspace must be equipped with a transponder and automatic pressure
altitude reporting equipment.

Class B Airspace:
Class B airspace is designated where an operational need exists to provide air traffic control service to
IFR and to control VFR aircraft.

Operations may be conducted under IFR or VFR. All aircraft are subject to ATC clearances and
instructions. ATC separation is provided to all aircraft.

A VFR flight must file a flight plan indicating altitude and route and receive an ATC clearance prior to
entering Class B airspace.

Class C Airspace:
Airspace Class C airspace is a controlled airspace within which both IFR and VFR flights are permitted,
but VFR flights require a clearance from ATC to enter.

ATC separation is provided between all aircraft operating under IFR and, as necessary to resolve possible
conflicts, between VFR and IFR aircraft.

Aircraft will be provided with traffic information. Conflict resolution will be provided, upon request,
after VFR aircraft is provided with traffic information.

Class D Airspace:
Airspace Class D airspace is a controlled airspace within which both IFR and VFR flights are permitted,
but VFR flights must establish two-way communication with the appropriate ATC agency prior to
entering the airspace.

ATC separation is provided only to IFR aircraft. Aircraft will be provided with traffic information.

Equipment and workload permitting, conflict resolution will be provided between VFR and IFR aircraft,
and upon request between VFR aircraft.

Airspace classified as Class D becomes Class E airspace when the appropriate ATC unit is not in
operation.
Class E Airspace:
Airspace Class E airspace is designated where an operational need exists for controlled airspace but does
not meet the requirements for Class A, B, C, or D.

Operations may be conducted under IFR or VFR. ATC separation is provided only to aircraft operating
under IFR. There are no special requirements for VFR.

Aircraft are required to be equipped with a transponder and automatic pressure altitude equipment to
operate in Class E airspace that is specified as transponder airspace (see RAC1.9.2).

Low level airways, control area extensions, transition areas, or control zones established without an
operating control tower may be classified as Class E airspace.

Class G Airspace:
Airspace Class G airspace is airspace that has not been designated Class A, B, C, D, E or F, and within
which ATC has neither the authority nor the responsibility to exercise control over air traffic. However,
ATS units do provide flight information and alerting services.

The alerting service will automatically alert SAR authorities once an aircraft becomes overdue, which is
normally determined from data contained in the flight plan or flight itinerary. In effect, Class G is all
uncontrolled domestic airspace.

Flight service station: (FSS) An ATS unit that provides services pertinent to the arrival and departure
phases of flight at uncontrolled aerodromes and for transit through a mandatory frequency (MF) area.

Flight information centre: (FIC) A centralized ATS unit that provides services pertinent to pre-flight
and the en-route phase of flight.

Movement Area: The part of an aerodrome that is intended to be used for the surface movement of
aircraft and that includes the manoeuvring area and aprons.

Manoeuvring Area: The part of an aerodrome, other than an apron, that is intended to be used for the
takeoff and landing of aircraft and for the movement of aircraft associated with takeoff and landing.
At uncontrolled aerodromes without a published MF or ATF, the common frequency for the broadcast of
aircraft position and the intentions of pilots flying in the vicinity of that aerodrome is 123.2 MHz.

Mandatory Frequency: (MF) At certain selected uncontrolled airports, mandatory frequencies have
been designated. Ordinarily these are airports at which there is an instrument approach. An MF may
also be designated at a controlled airport for use during the period of the day when the control tower is
not in operation. The call sign is the name of the airport and the word RADIO (i.e. Dawson Radio).

Aerodrome Traffic Frequency:

An Aerodrome Traffic Frequency (ATF) is normally designated for active uncontrolled aerodromes that
do not meet the criteria listed in RAC 4.5.4 for an MF.

The ATF is established to ensure that all radio-equipped aircraft operating on the ground or within the
area are listening on a common frequency and following common reporting procedures.

The ATF will normally be the frequency of the UNICOM where one exists or 123.2 MHz where a UNICOM
does not exist. Trained vehicle operators who possess a valid radiotelephone licence and authorized to
do so, can communicate with pilots using two-way communication on the ATF and provide information
such as: (a) position of vehicles on the manoeuvring area; (b) position of other aircraft on the
manoeuvring area; and (c) runway condition, if known.

The specific frequency, distance and altitude within which use of the ATF is required will be published in
the CFS. Use the call sign “Traffic” to state your intentions (i.e. Otter Lake Traffic).

Community Aerodrome Radio Station: (CARS) An air/ground radio station operated by the
Territorial Government at airports in the northern areas of Canada.

Uncontrolled Aerodrome/Airport: An aerodrome or airport without an air traffic control tower in

operation.

Low Level Airway: In the low-level airspace, a prescribed track between specific radio aids to navigate
along which ATC service is provided. It extends upward from 22,00 feet above the surface up to, but not
including 18,000 feet AGL.

Low Level Air Route: In the low-level airspace, a route extending upwards from the surface of the
earth and within which ATC service is not provided.
Flight service station: FSS provides the provision of information pertinent to the arrival and departure
phases of flight at uncontrolled aerodromes and for the transit through an MF area.

Flight information centre: FIC provides pilot briefing service. Provides the provision of, or consultation
on, Met and aeronautical information to assist pilots in pre-flight planning.

Daylight: The period in any day when the centre of the sun’s disc is less than 6 degrees below the
horizon or the period commencing one half hour before sunrise and ending on half hour after sunset.

Night: The period when the centre of the sun’s disc is more than 6 degrees below the horizon or the
period commencing one half hour after sunset and ending on half hour before sunrise.

Low Level Airways:

Airways are routes between points along which aircraft can navigate by following non-directional
beacon (NDB), or VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) signals.

VHF/UHF airways (also known as VOR or Victor airways) are navigated by reference to the radials
projected by chains of VOR’s approximately 100 miles apart along the airways. They are designated by
the letter V and numbers (e.g. V52).

Low frequency and medium frequency airways, LF/MF airways are navigated by reference to signals
from low frequency transmitters such as non-directional beacons.

The basic width of a VHF/UHF airway is 4 nautical miles on each side of the centreline.

The basic width of an LF/MF airway is 4.34 nautical miles on each side of the centreline.

An airway has its base at 2,200 feet AGL and extends up to the base of the overlying airspace. Below
12,500 feet ASL, a low-level airway is Class E airspace. VFR aircraft following a low-level airway in Class E
airspace are not subject to ATC control. ATC control is provided for IFR flight.

Low Level Air Routes:

Air routes are similar to airways in most respects except that along air routes air traffic control services
are not available. Air routes are not, therefore, within controlled airspace.

Air Routes extend between L/MF or VOR navigation aids. They extend from the surface of the earth up
to Class A airspace. They are 9 nautical miles wise and are designated by colours and numbers (e.g.
Amber Route 5, Blue Route 7).

Air Routes exist mainly in the northern areas of Canada.

General Information for Clearances and Instructions
When an air traffic controller gives you an instruction or a clearance you must reply, either accepting or
refusing the clearance. You accept a clearance simply by saying your callsign.

In Canada VFR pilots are not required to "read back" (repeat) instructions and clearances. To refuse the
clearance, you say "unable" and then give a very brief reason.

Once you have accepted a clearance, you are expected to comply with it. If at any time it becomes
unsafe to comply with part of a clearance, even if you have already accepted it, immediately do
whatever is necessary to ensure safety, and then, as soon as possible, tell the air traffic controller what
you are doing. Don't deviate from a clearance more than you must.

The difference between a clearance and an instruction is the word clear and that a
clearance is effective when accepted, while an instruction is effective when received.
The difference is subtle and as either can be refused for safety reasons, the only time
the difference really matters much is when writing the PSTAR.

General Information for Flight Plans and Flight Itineraries

If you are travelling more than 25 nautical miles from your point of departure, you must file either
a flight plan or a flight itinerary.

A flight plan is filed with a flight services station and includes information about your aircraft, your
route, and the exact time you anticipate the trip to take, from take-off to landing at your destination,
including the time taken for any stops along the way. If you do not report your arrival to either an air
traffic controller or a flight services specialist within 60 minutes of your filed arrival time, you are
considered overdue, and a search begins.

If you will not be crossing any international borders, nor requiring IFR ATC services, you may file a flight
itinerary instead of a flight plan. A flight itinerary contains much the same information but is left with
a responsible person instead of flight services. The only qualification for a responsible person is that he
or she has agreed to report the aircraft overdue. You are required to report to your responsible person
within 24 hours of the time you gave for your arrival.

General Information for Aeromedical

The symptoms of hyperventilation (breathing too quickly and deeply) are similar to the symptoms
of hypoxia (not getting enough oxygen). Below 8000', it is very unlikely someone could become hypoxic,
so you immediately treat for hyperventilation, which requires the person to breath slowly, and not so
deeply.
During a climb, the pressure inside the ear is greater than the pressure outside the ear, and the pressure
tends to release with very little problem. Your ears "pops." This is the pressure inside your ears escaping
through the eustachian tubes that connect your middle ear to the back of your throat.

During a descent, the pressure outside is greater, and that pressure difference tends to close the
eustachian tubes so pressure cannot equalize. If you continue to descend, damage to the eardrum could
result. A good rule to follow is to use 500 fpm as a maximum descent rate with passengers, or 300 fpm if
a small child is on board.

A SCUBA diver's training includes information on how long she must wait between diving and flying, but
if you know one of your passengers is a diver, it doesn't hurt to ensure they have waited long enough. If
you are going to fly above 8000', the diver must always wait 24 hours before flight. If you will be flying
below 8000' and the dive has not required decompression stops, 12 hours should be sufficient.

The A.I.P. recommends against donating blood at all if you are an active pilot, but says if they do, to wait
48 hours.

Usually a general anaesthetic is administered for an operation, which itself might be a reason not to fly,
notwithstanding any delayed reaction to the anaesthetic. Your doctor can tell you when it's safe to fly.

The manufacturer may not know the effects of the drug at altitude. If there are over the counter drugs
you want to take, bring them along to your next medical and ask your CAME if they are permissible, and
if not, how long you should wait before flying.
General Information for Communications
An FSS is not an air traffic controller.
This service includes weather, NOTAMS, and flight plan filing
You can receive FSS services in controlled or uncontrolled airspace.
Terminal radar service is an air traffic control function.

You can go into any FSS and read NOTAMs in person, or get them by telephone or radio, or on the Nav
Canada website.

NOTAMS cover airport closures, NAVAID outages, tractors working near runways, Heli logging, airshows,
parachute jumping, new radio antennae, airspace changes and many other similar warnings.
NOTAMs are valid until the exact time on the NOTAM, or until cancelled or replaced, if the time on the
NOTAM is APROX. Some NOTAMs are valid for a few hours, e.g. for a Snowbirds performance over the
town, and others for weeks or months, e.g. for resurfacing of a runway.

APRX stands for approximately. If the time and date given on the NOTAM does NOT say APRX, then the
NOTAM expires at that time.
A NOTAM might cover several weeks or even longer.
Note that the time and date is given in Zulu, so that in Vancouver, 05:00Z on October 6th represents 10
pm on October 5th.
There is no need for a cancelling NOTAM if an exact time is given in the original NOTAM.

The time quoted is approximate, therefore a NOTAM must issued to replace or cancel it. It's like if your
friend says she'll be out of town until approximately the 23rd. If it is the 24th, you had better check with
someone to see if she's back, and not just count on her being back.

General Information for Aviation Occurrences

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigates aircraft accidents in Canada. Depending on the
size and severity of the accident, it may be simply entered in a database or undergo an investigation
consuming year, and hundreds of specialists. You can find out more about accident investigation in
Canada, and read some accident reports, at the TSB website. Many of the TSB reports are quite detailed
and show how a long chain of small lapses can lead to an accident.

It doesn't matter how you contact the TSB, just do it as quickly as possible. The quickest means
available is usually by notifying any air traffic service unit, e.g. the tower. They will forward the report to
the appropriate TSB office. The fax and 24-hour telephone numbers of the TSB are listed in the AIM.

A serious injury is anything that requires overnight hospitalization, or a fracture of any bone except a
toe, finger or nose. If you taxi too close to a wall and break the navigation light on your wing, that's not
an aviation accident, but if you land on the nosewheel and bend the firewall, that's a reportable
accident, even if no one was hurt.
There are three reasons for disturbing an aircraft wreck.

- rescue survivors.
- avoid danger to persons or property.
- prevent destruction by fire.

A missing or inaccessible aircraft must be reported. A missing or inaccessible aircraft is counted as

a reportable aviation accident until it is proved otherwise.

Aircraft – Any machine capable of deriving support in the atmosphere from the
reaction on the air.

Airplane – Power driven heavier than air aircraft, deriving its lift in fight from
aerodynamic reactions on surfaces that remain fixed under given conditions of
flight.