TP 13158
There is a lack of information available to passengers in float-planes and helicopters about underwater egress in the event the aircraft flips over on take-off or landing or ditches and rolls over. Survival training is available for personnel who work in offshore oil operations, but clearly that level of training isn't required for the majority of passengers. Some work has been done by Transport Canada System Safety on this subject but it needs to be compiled into a format that is easily distributed.
SR 52 - Recommend Transport Canada develop a brochure outlining underwater egress procedures that air operators can provide to their passengers and clients.
IA 52 - Recommend float-plane pilots and helicopter pilots operating over water include information on underwater egress procedures in the passenger briefing.
Annual surface contamination training and an examination is required for all operational personnel. Many comments were received about the inappropriate nature of this training for many operations, most notably for helicopters. Discussion of the various types of deicing fluids and application methods is not relevant to the majority of Air Taxi operations. The training aids that are produced by Transport Canada need to be revised to make them applicable to specific types of operations. Also, there are no training aids specifically tailored to Aerial Work operations.
SR 53 - Recommend Transport Canada develop various modules of the surface contamination training program that are relevant to specific types of VFR operations, such as Air Taxi, Aerial Work operations and helicopters.
During the industry consultation sessions it became evident that many pilots, air operators, and even Transport Canada Civil Aviation inspectors are unaware of the courses, training materials including safety videos, and safety information that TC System Safety has developed. These training tools should be better promoted to industry and internally within TC. In cooperation with NAV CANADA, printed weather packages could advertise upcoming courses.
SR 54 - Recommend Transport Canada advertise safety courses, safety programs and safety information (brochures, videos, etc.) on the Safety Services Website and in the various Aviation Safety newsletters.
IA 54 - Recommend air operators, pilots and AMEs attend safety courses and distribute the information to other employees. Recommend air operators support their employees' participation in these courses.
The introduction of the CARs required the aviation industry to become knowledgeable about a large amount of information in a relatively short time. It would be beneficial for pilots, air operators and AMEs to learn this information in other ways as well as reading the CARs or the Aeronautical Information Publication. Learning that is challenging or fun will be retained longer than simply reading the regulations.
SR 55 - Recommend Transport Canada include safety quizzes in the various Aviation Safety Letters targeting new or amended procedures and regulations to provide the aviation industry with a more interesting way of learning.