General
When an applicant's submission has been reviewed and it is determined that all the requirements of the CARs and Standards have been met, the Special Flight Operations Certificate - Parachuting shall be prepared for the signature by the person delegated the appropriate signing authority. All documentation used to support the issuance of Special Flight Operations Certificate should be presented in an orderly and comprehensive manner.
Standard Information and/or Conditions of a Special Flight Operations Certificate
1. Section 603.39 contains 5 specific information subparagraphs that shall appear in each Special Flight Operations Certificate, as well as provision for "any condition pertaining to the operation that the Minister deems necessary for aviation safety."
2. Subsections 623.38(B), and (D) of the Special Flight Operations Standards contain standard conditions that shall appear in each Special Flight Operations Certificate issued.
3. Subsection 623.38(C) contains standard conditions that shall appear in each Special Flight Operations Certificate issued for night parachute descents.
4. Each Special Flight Operations Certificate issued shall also contain the following standard condition:
The certificate holder shall report to Transport Canada, on the first working day following the expiry date of the certificate with details of any of the following occurrences:
- participating parachutists does not land in the intended parachute landing area;
- parachute malfunctions; or
- members of the public or parachutists being injured.
Standard Format for a Special Flight Operations Certificate - Parachuting (Built-up Areas - Open Air Assembly of Persons)
All Special Flight Operations Certificates - Parachuting for parachute descents over or into a built-up area or open-air assembly of persons shall be issued in a standard letter format using Transport Canada, Safety And Security letterhead as outlined below.
- The letter shall be addressed to the applicant as listed or named in the application.
- The date of issue shall be entered on the letter.
- Enter the number corresponding to the regional 6605 file.
- Following the appropriate salutation (e.g. Dear Sir etc.), the following wording shall be used in all Special Flight Operations Certificates for this activity.
Pursuant to section 603.38 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations this constitutes your Special Flight Operations Certificate to conduct parachute descents over or into a built-up area or open-air assembly of persons. Issued under the authority of the Minister pursuant to the Aeronautics Act, it certifies that the certificate holder is adequately equipped and able to conduct a safe operation, subject to the observance and performance by certificate holder of the conditions set out in this certificate, or any part thereof.
1. This certificate:
- is issued to (enter name of operator as indicated on the application);
- may be suspended or cancelled at any time by the Minister for cause, including failure on the part of the certificate holder, its servants or agents to comply with the provisions of the Aeronautics Act and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs); and
- is not transferable and shall remain valid until (enter the date(s) as co-ordinated) or it is suspended or cancelled.
2. Nothing in this certificate shall be held to relieve the certificate holder from compliance with the provisions of such Canadian Aviation Documents as may have been issued pursuant to the Aeronautics Act.
3. The following persons are authorised to make a parachute descent in accordance with this certificate:
List the names of parachutists identified in the application that have been confirmed to meet the required qualifications.
4. The certificate holder shall prior to authorising any parachute descents, ensure the pilot-in-command of the jump aircraft and all persons making a parachute descent:
- have been made aware of the conditions of the certificate;
- have been made aware of their duties and responsibilities associated with the parachute descents; and
- are capable of carrying out any such duties and responsibilities.
5. A wind drift indicator drop or procedure shall be conducted within 15 minutes prior to the commencement of any parachute descents.
6. Parachute descents shall not be initiated:
- without the permission of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft;
- where any part of the descent, including the freefall will be through clouds; or
- where another aircraft in the area presents a hazard.
7. The jump aircraft shall be a minimum of 500 feet below and 2000 feet horizontally from cloud with a minimum flight visibility of 5 miles when dropping parachutists.
8. Parachute descents shall be initiated no lower than 2200 feet above ground level and no higher than the maximum altitude of (enter the maximum altitude approved for the operation. This altitude shall be identical to that entered in paragraph 15).
9. The parachute landing area shall be supervised by a Parachute Landing Area Supervisor who possesses a means of communicating with the pilot-in-command of the jump aircraft.
10. Where the intended parachute landing area is within 1 kilometre of open water, all parachutists shall wear a personal flotation device capable of supporting the parachutist and his or her equipment.
11. Exit of parachutists over an open-air assembly of persons or in such a manner that in the event of a malfunction, a parachutist would land among an assembly of persons is prohibited.
12. Under a fully functioning parachute canopy, parachutists may descend to an altitude no lower than 100 feet above an assembly of persons. This means 100 feet from the lowest part of any equipment a parachutist is carrying. (i.e. flags or smoke canisters)
13. Parachute descents shall not be initiated in winds speeds measured at ground level at the intended parachute landing area above 18 MPH.
14. The parachute landing area be supervised by (enter the name of person identified in the application).
15. This certificate is valid for parachute operations as follows:
Procedure:
Enter a complete description of the airspace authorised and the timeframe authorised.
Example
Parachute descents are authorised within a one mile radius of "N** ** W** **"(Windsor Park) to a maximum altitude of 6,500 feet ASL, October 10, 1996, between 1400 and 1445 UTC. (0900 and 0945 Local Time)
16. Aircraft conducting parachute operations shall be equipped with a functioning two-way radio capable of communication with the appropriate Air Traffic Services agency.
The pilot-in-command of the aircraft shall comply with the following Air Traffic Control procedures:
Procedure
Enter the communication and other procedures as established for the operations as determined through co-ordination with the air traffic control agency responsible for the airspace and the ANS & Airspace branch.
Procedure:
Certificates that allow night parachute descents shall contain the following conditions:
18. The parachute landing area shall be illuminated in a manner that enables the pilot-in-command of the aircraft to clearly identify the landing area from the maximum altitude established for the parachute descents.
19. Parachute descents shall not be initiated unless the illuminated parachute landing area is clearly visible.
20. Each parachutist shall be equipped with a steady or flashing light visible through 360 degrees.
21. The certificate holder shall report to Transport Canada, on the first working day following the expiry date of the certificate with details of any of the following occurrences:
- participating parachutists missing the intended parachute landing area;
- parachute malfunctions; or
- members of the public or parachutists being injured.