Not everyone who claims they’ve built an airplane should be able to freely fly it in Canadian airspace, that wouldn’t be safe. There are regulations in place to determine what aircraft is safe to fly, a permission that will come in the form of a certificate of airworthiness. If you are being asked for this document in regards to your aircraft, here’s a quick breakdown.
Understanding the Need for Airworthiness
According to the Canadian Aviation Regulations, “the owner of a Canadian aircraft, other than a remotely piloted aircraft having a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg (55 pounds) or less or an ultra-light airplane, shall submit to the Minister an Annual Airworthiness Information Report in respect of the aircraft, in the form and manner specified in Chapter 501 of the Airworthiness Manual.” One can apply for a certificate either as an individual report or, where approved in conformity with the Airworthiness Manual, a consolidated fleet report. Allow us to expand further on the two main denominations for these certificates: the regular one and the special one.
Certificate of Airworthiness
So what exactly does a certificate of airworthiness entail? Well, whenever an application for a flight authority is made pursuant to the code outlined above, a minister will issue a certificate of airworthiness of an aircraft for which the design type has been certified by the minister and for which the certification is not in respect of a restricted category aircraft. Additionally, and this goes without saying, in order to receive the certificate the aircraft must conform to its certified type design and be safe for flight. This is not necessary if the owner reports that the aircraft is expected to remain out of service for one or more of the reporting periods for which an Annual Airworthiness Information Report would otherwise be required.
Special Certificate of Airworthiness
Now, a special certificate of airworthiness might be necessary where an application for a flight authority is made pursuant to the code above and the aircraft meets the criteria for one of the classifications of a special certificate of airworthiness specified in Chapter 507 of the Airworthiness Manual. The aircraft will also have to conform to the applicable type design or, in cases of amateur-built aircraft, it has to be designed and built in a way that ensures its safety and airworthiness. As always, the certificate is only given to aircraft that is safe for flight and complies with the code’s regulations.
Easily Obtain Your Certificate
When the time comes to obtain your certificate of airworthiness, you might think that you have a long and annoying process ahead of you. However, it doesn’t have to be that inconvenient for you. At least not when you count with our team here at National Aviation Registration. Here you will find all the forms you might need for your aviation papers to be in place. Should you need some additional help with any of it, give us a call at 1-800-998-3527 and we’ll answer your questions in no time.