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The Aviation Safety Letter (ASL) is published quarterly by Transport Canada, Civil Aviation. The ASL includes articles that address aviation safety from all perspectives, such as safety insight derived from accidents and incidents, information tailored to the needs of maintenance and servicing personnel.

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How to Increase the Number of Pilots and Retrain Them

  • Why do pilots stop flying? Cost? Weather? Limited by Visual Flight Rules?
  • One answer could be further training but the gap between VFR and IFR licenses is large.
  • Australia and Europe have introduced a new type of license, the EFR (Enroute Flight Rules). Should Canada follow suit?
  • Would this new rating help keep General Aviation healthier and safer?

Situation Awarness and the General Aviation Pilot

This article is the second in a series of reports from the Advanced Cognitive Engineering Laboratory at Carleton University, Ottawa, ON. We are pleased to share the results of our studies on human cognition and pilot risk. Each topic will follow this format: we will introduce aspects of cognition integral to flight safety. Interwoven in the narrative will be opportunities for you to contemplate what this information means for you.

  • The three levels of situation awareness -
    • 1) Detecting information.
    • 2) Adding Meaning to it.
    • 3) Predicting near future state of elements.
  • What has the most impact on your successful performance in aviation?
  • The effect of pilot expertise and task workloads.
  • The association between cognition and aging and what you can do about it.
  • Recognizing vulnerable situations in the air and on the ground.

My First Flight From VMC Into IMC

  • A Cessna 172 pilot encounters IFR weather on a VFR flight from Burlington to Kitchener.
  • Training kicks in - Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.
  • A scary flight ends safely at home base with lessons learned.

A Dangerous Situation With an Exhaust Muffler/Heat Muff

During a recent investigation Transport Canada uncovered a dangerous situation with an Exhaust Muffler/Heat Muff from a Piper PA-28-140.

  • Heat shroud was not removed by AME for full inspection

TSB Final Report Summaries

TSB Final Report A16P0180 - Loss of control and collision with terrain

  • A De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft on amphibious floats.
  • Optical illusions associated with flight in mountainous terrain.
  • Out-of-limit weight-and-balance condition + unsecured baggage combined with the aircraft's low altitude, likely prevented the pilot from regaining control of the aircraft before the collision with the terrain.
  • The pilot was fatally injured, and 2 passengers were seriously injured. The other 2 passengers sustained minor injuries.

TSB Final Report A17P0007 - Collision with trees and power lines after rejected landing

  • Cessna 172. Instructor and a student pilot on board.
  • Aircraft touched down one-third of the way down the runway and after an attempt to brake, a takeoff was attempted.
  • The aircraft struck trees then power lines and flipped upside down.
  • The instructor was seriously injured, and the student sustained minor injuries.
  • Neither the student pilot nor the instructor performed short-field performance calculations on the day of the accident.

TSB Final Report A17C0147 - Collision with terrain

  • A Piper PA-23-250 Aztec was conducting a VFR flight to an unlighted private aerodrome.
  • Just before dark, the visibility at the private aerodrome had been about ¾ of a SM in snow.
  • In the hours of darkness, on locating the runway the aircraft's wingtip contacted scrub brush and crashed on a frozen marsh.
  • The pilot received fatal injuries.

Cannabis legalization and regulation in Canada

Cannabis can impair a person's capacity to pilot any type of aircraft in a safe manner and can thus endanger lives and lead to property loss.

General Aviation Safety Survey:

  • To understand the challenges and safety risks that the general aviation community is facing, we first need to gather information on the sector.
  • For more information, refer to the article published in ASL 1/2018 titled General Aviation Targeted Inspections - What to Know.
  • Have more questions? Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How to Stay Current as Well as Proficient

Examples on staying current and proficient as a pilot:

  • Schedule a flight review at least once every 2 years.
  • Watch a video on staying proficient: How to Remain Proficient, as Well as Current
  • Attending a Transport Canada aviation safety seminar in your region is also a way to meet the 2-year requirement.
  • Complete the Transport Canada self-paced study program.

2018 Flight Crew Recency Requirements Self-Paced Study Program

Completion of this questionnaire satisfies the 24-month recurrent training program requirements of CAR 401.05(2)(a). It is to be retained by the pilot.

Answers to the 2018 Self-Paced Study Program

answers 1 - 41

Answers to this quiz are found on page 23 of ASL 3/2018

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We would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada for this initiative through the Search and Rescue New Initiative Fund (SAR NIF).