Transport Canada and Air Safety: Our Work Behind the Scenes

 
 

Airport

We make and enforce regulations to:

  • keep take-off and landing zones free of obstacle
  • require runways, taxiways and airport lighting to be built to appropriate standards

Drones

We regulate the use of unmanned vehicles.

Wildlife

We help minimize the risks of wildlife hits.

Hangar

We:

  • make sure Approved Maintenance Organizations meet our regulations for performing maintenance on registered aircraft
  • issue Aircraft Maintenance Engineer licenses
  • set aircraft manufacturing and maintenance requirements

Airspace

We regulate 15 million square kilometres of airspace.

Control tower

We make sure that air traffic control activities meet our safety regulations.

Air carriers

We verify that the aviation industry complies with the regulations through oversight activities.

Flight deck

We:

  • set training standards
  • certify and monitor training schools and their programs
  • administer yearly examinations
  • set medical standards and procedures

Pilot

We:

  • review pilots’ physical and mental fitness
  • set flight and duty time requirements

Aircraft certification

We:

  • establish and regulate standards for Canadian aeronautical products
  • guide the industry through the certification process
  • ensure aircraft designs meet internationally accepted design standards
  • support the industry to take corrective action

Cabin safety

We regulate training standards for emergency procedures, evacuation and training.

We set and enforce safety rules and procedures from pre-flight briefings to the use of seatbelts and personal electronic devices. 

We monitor cabin safety practices and review and approve safety features cards and passenger briefings.

Inspections

We:

  • train and delegate inspectors who promote safety and conduct over 10,000 oversight and certifications activities per month to verify that operators are following the rules
  • conduct inspections of all registered and certified aerodromes, airports and heliports
  • monitor industry for compliance with aviation safety rules and standards, and the effectiveness of a company’s Safety Management System
  • when necessary, our inspectors issue fines and suspensions

Learn more at tc.gc.ca/civilaviation