Air Law

[Danny Sevigny]

Are landing lights required, or are they as required (according to conditions/ pilot preference) in Canada?

What are the VFR minimums. Anyway I can keep from getting stuck at one airport for a week again? (I was stuck because of weather.)

[Dan Maclam 916329]

Landing lights are not required unless you are carrying p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers at night in canada. As for vfr minimums:

 

Within Control Zones:

 

* flight and ground visibility not less than 3 miles

* distance from clouds 500 feet vertically, 1 mile horizontally

* height above surface 500 feet

* In addition to the above, the cloud ceiling must not be less than 1000 feet in a Control Zone

 

Within Control Areas:

 

* flight visibility 3 miles

* distance from clouds 500 feet vertically, 1 mile horizontally

 

Uncontrolled Airspace

 

* at or above 1000 feet surface visibility not less than 2 miles

* distance from clouds 500 feet vertically, 2000 feet horizontally

* below 1000 feet to above the surface, visibility not less than 1 mile and clear of clouds

 

[EDIT:This is from memory, i am 95% sure this is correct for the vrf minimums,check the AIP or TC AIM(its new name)]

[Danny Sevigny]

How does flight following work? What does the ATC actually do for the pilot?

[Randy Blackwell 925656]

How does flight following work? What does the ATC actually do for the pilot?

 

Basically, when a VFR pilot requests flight following, they will become watched my ATC. ATC ensures that no traffic conflicts will occur (IE: giving traffic advisories). They will also give you some info throughout your flight (altimeter settings...). You'll be [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned a unique squawk code so that you show up on the ATC's radar. A pilot can cancel flight following at anytime. That's the basics of it anyway.

[Ross Carlson]

ATC ensures that no traffic conflicts will occur (IE: giving traffic advisories).

 

That sounds a bit misleading to me ... it's still the VFR pilot's responsibility to see-and-avoid traffic. ATC just gives you traffic pointouts. You still have to maintain VFR conditions and visual separation with all other traffic.

[Randy Blackwell 925656]

That sounds a bit misleading to me ... it's still the VFR pilot's responsibility to see-and-avoid traffic. ATC just gives you traffic pointouts. You still have to maintain VFR conditions and visual separation with all other traffic.

 

Sorry, bad choice of words.

That is one thing I've learned though - the Pilot is always responsible for anything that can go wrong.

[Tony Kovacs 958372]

There seems to be some confusion over Air Laws concerning VFR aircraft.

 

In Canada the VFR rules are as follows:

 

Seperation from clouds and aircraft is 1000Ft Vertical and 5 Miles Horizontal.

In order to legally operate a VFR flight the visibility must be a minimum of 10 miles and the ceiling may be no lower then 3000Ft Above Ground Level.

Yes. ATC is not responsible for traffic seperation for VFR aircraft but if they have an opportunity to then they should inform pilots of other traffic.

As far as lights go, if you are operating any aircraft you are required to use landing lights at all times during takeoff and landing. If an aircraft is not equiped with landing lights then it may not be flown in controlled airspace but it can be flown in Restricted airspace given it has permission to ofcourse.

 

I hold a Canadian CPL and I am 100% sure about these rules.

If you have any more questions about Air Laws, don't hesitate to ask.