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Risks and Danger for Helicopter Pilots
This is the first of a series of articles on the typical dangers for helicopter pilots. In this series, we will explore the risks involved with takeoff and landing, weather, approaches and night flying.
Safe Aircraft Operations and Maintenance Starts with Understanding Aircraft Owners' Responsibilities
This article is not aimed as a complete guide to aircraft ownership, but as an overview of some things to consider for the safe continued operation of your private aircraft.
The Silent Ally: Using Oxygen While Flying Pilot-in-Command
Flying a small airplane offers unmatched freedom and adventure, but as altitude increases, so do the physiological demands on the body. Hypoxia—a condition caused by insufficient oxygen in the bloodstream—can silently impair a pilot’s judgment, reaction time and decision-making long before noticeable symptoms arise. Using supplemental oxygen, even below Transport Canada (TC) or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated altitudes, provides a significant edge in maintaining peak mental clarity, physical performance and overall safety.
From the Tower to Your Feed: How Instagram is Transforming Pilot–ATC Relations
Although Instagram is typically seen as a platform for lifestyle and entertainment, an increasing number of NAV CANADA air traffic control (ATC) towers across the country have adopted it to connect with pilots and foster a more direct and transparent relationship between ATC and the aviation community.
Enhancing Safety Through the Use of Data Link
Data link assists ATC by integrating system conflict detection into ATC and by providing appropriate alerts at the appropriate time for ATC to react and investigate to ensure the overall safety of the air traffic management system.
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Are Instructors Preparing Their Students for Actual Engine Failures or Just Preparing Them to Pass the Flight Test?
The reality is that the accident statistics show that at least 60% of the engine failures are a direct result of the actions or inactions of the pilot. Carb ice and fuel exhaustion/mismanagement figure most frequently in the cause of the failure, and both, of course, are entirely preventable by the pilot.
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Aviation Safety Letter
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Sécurité aérienne — Nouvelles est la version française de cette publication.
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Transport (2025).
ISSN: 0709-8103
TP 185E