3.1 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. Although some co-ordination with the Commercial and Business Aviation branch may be useful, the issue of a Special Flight Operations Certificate - Parachuting shall not be delayed awaiting the issue of an Air Operators Certificate pursuant to Part VII. All documentation used to support the issuance of Special Flight Operations Certificate should be presented in an orderly and comprehensive manner.
3.2 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 conditions:
- Only pilots authorised by the certificate holder may operate aircraft for the purpose of conducting parachute descents carried out in accordance with this certificate.
- The minimum obstacle clearance of the intended parachute landing area, as measured from the centre to the closest hazard shall be:
- 660 feet (200 metres) for Student Parachutists
- 500 feet (150 metres) for holders of CSPA Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) levels A and B or equivalent level of experience; or
- 80 feet (25 metres) for holders of CSPA Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) levels C through E or equivalent level of experience.
- 660 feet (200 metres) for Student Parachutists
- The certificate holder shall maintain a monthly record of the number of parachute descents conducted under the authority of this certificate and submit a yearly summary to Transport Canada.
3.3 Standard Format for a Special Flight Operations Certificate - Parachuting (Controlled Airspace)
All Special Flight Operations Certificates - Parachuting for parachute descents in or onto controlled airspace 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 in or into controlled airspace or an air route. 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 the 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 date - maximum 12 months) 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. Only pilots authorised by the certificate holder may operate aircraft for the purpose of conducting parachute descents carried out in accordance with this certificate.
4. No parachute descents shall be carried out unless authorised by the certificate holder or authorised by a person designated by the certificate holder.
5. 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.
6. A wind drift indicator drop or procedure shall be conducted within one hour prior to the commencement of any parachute descents.
Information Note: A wind drift indicator drop or procedure is required only where a parachute descent has not been conducted in the previous hour.
7. Parachute descents shall not be initiated without the permission of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft.
8. Parachute descents shall not be initiated where any part of the descent, including the freefall will be through clouds.
9. Parachute descents shall not be initiated where another aircraft in the area presents a hazard.
10. 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.
11. 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).
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Parachute descents shall not be initiated when wind speed measured at ground level at the intended parachute landing area is greater than:
- 15 mph. for student parachutists;
- 18 mph. for holders of CSPA Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) levels A and B or equivalent level of experience;
- 25 mph. for holders of CSPA CoP levels C, D or E equivalent level of experience; or
- 10 mph. for parachute descents at night, for all levels of experience.
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 two mile radius of "N54 14 W100 36"
(Cormorant Lake Airport, Manitoba) to a maximum altitude of 12,500 feet ASL, Saturdays and Sundays.
Parachute descents are to be carried out during daylight hours only.
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 parachute operations shall be carried out in accordance with the Procedural Agreement reached between the certificate holder and Nav Canada.
17. The minimum obstacle clearance of the intended parachute landing area, as measured from the centre to the closest hazard shall be:
- 660 feet (200 metres) for Student Parachutists
- 500 feet (150 metres) for holders of CSPA Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) levels A and B or equivalent level of experience; or
- 80 feet (25 metres) for holders of CSPA Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) levels C through E or equivalent level of experience.
18. The certificate holder shall maintain a record of the number of parachute descents conducted under the authority of this certificate for submission to Transport Canada upon request.
Procedure:
Certificates that allow night parachute descents shall contain the following conditions:
19. 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.
20. Parachute descents shall not be initiated unless the illuminated parachute landing area is clearly visible; and
21. Each parachutist shall be equipped with a steady or flashing light visible through 360 degrees.