Approved Check Pilot (ACP) / Advanced Qualification Program (AQP) Evaluator Bulletin No. 01/25

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Applicability

Subject

Briefings and Debriefings – Candidate’s Preferred Official Language

Purpose

1. This bulletin outlines the requirement regarding Transport Canada (TC) Inspector/ Approved Check Pilot (ACP)/ Advanced Qualification Program Evaluator (AQPE) delivered briefings and debriefings, and a candidate’s preferred official language.

Background

2. In 2024, a complaint was filed with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) alleging that an assessment event, overseen by the Minster’s ACP delegate program, was delivered in a language other than the candidate’s preferred official language. OCOL investigated the matter and, in its report (Reference: 2024-0032-EI) recommended that briefings and debriefings are to be made in the candidate’s preferred official language.
3. The OCOL report acknowledged that English is the standard language of communication among members of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and that the use of detailed aviation terminology may be associated with operations. Its ensuing recommendation that only briefings and debriefings be subject to a candidate’s preferred official language is considered both reasonable and achievable.

Policy Update

4. While the OCOL report addressed a situation involving an ACP Monitor, TC will apply the recommendation to all checks, validations, evaluations and monitors delivered by TC Inspectors as well as those delivered by delegates of the Minister under the ACP and AQPE programs.
5. When requesting ACP or AQPE services as per (for example) ACP Manual, section 3.8(4), as part of the required information provided by an operator or individual pilot, a preferred official language for briefing/debriefing must now be specified.
6. Where a preferred official language is other than that used in flight operations, arrangements must be made in advance to accommodate the candidate. Options include a TC Inspector, an ACP, an AQPE assignment, a delegate one-time authorizations and translation/provision of remote services.
7. The next version of the ACP Manual (TP 6533, Eleventh Edition), will contain this updated policy, as will future amendments to the AQP Evaluator Manual (TP 14672), Advisory Circular (AC) 700-051 — Monitoring Approved Check Pilots (ACPs) and Advanced Qualification Program Evaluators (AQPEs), and Staff Instruction (SI) 700-002 — Flight Crew Checking and Monitoring.

Summary

8. There is confidence that Transport Canada, Civil Aviation’s ACP/AQPE delegate program already provides service in both official languages and that this policy update builds upon this success.

Effective Dates

9. This bulletin is effective immediately.

Approval

Yvan Chabot
Special Advisor to Director, Standards (AART)
AARTFInfo-InfoAARTF@tc.gc.ca