Beginning on December 12th, 2022, Transport Canada is introducing new regulations governing the length of time a pilot is permitted to work. The new regulations apply to all aircraft charter operators and are designed to increase aviation safety by reducing pilot fatigue.
The most noticeable difference will be to early morning departures and flights with destinations across time zones. For those flights, the legally permitted length of time a pilot can work will be reduced.
About the New Regulations
Under the new regulations, the maximum number of hours a pilot can be on duty are reduced from 14, to between 13 and 9. On the same day, the minimum number of off duty hours required between flights increases from 12, to 14 or 15.
More information about the new regulations can be found here.
If your flight is impacted, our Client Services Team will contact you with an alternative flight plan. The alternative plan may include a slightly later departure time or a repositioning flight the day before, rather than day of, a requested flight (if no passengers are on board).
Aircraft in our managed fleet are permitted to continue operating under the current regulations when in use by the aircraft’s owner.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us:
p. (604) 272-8123 | e. dispatch@londonair.com
Sincerely,
Dylan Thomas,
President and COO
Examples of impacted flights and alternative flight plans:
Impacted Flight Example 1
Flight Departs:
- Vancouver to Victoria at 7am, picking up additional guests in Victoria.
- Victoria to Los Angeles at 8am, stopping for 4 hours in Los Angeles.
- Victoria to Vancouver, landing in Vancouver at 6pm.
Alternative Flight Plans for Example 1:
Delay departure time from Vancouver by 1.5 hours (departing at 8:30am instead of 7am), extending the crew’s permitted duty.
Or
Extend the planned stop in Los Angeles from 4 to 6 hours, providing the crew the ability to extend their maximum duty (period of rest).
Impacted Flight Example 2
Flight:
- Departs Vancouver to Toronto on Monday.
- Departs Toronto to Teterboro on Wednesday at 9am.
- Stops for 4 hours in Teterboro before departing to Dallas.
Alternative Flight Plans for Example 2
Delay the departure from Teterboro by 1.5 hours (departing at 10:30 am instead of 9am) to accommodate rules governing time zone changes and maximum duty day.
Impacted Flight Example 3:
A flight crew returns from a flight at 6pm and is scheduled for a flight at 8am the following day.
Alternative Flight Plans for Example 3:
Schedule another crew or delay the departure on the second day to 9am or later allowing for 15 or more hours between schedules.
Or
If the flight the next day begins with an empty leg, the crew may also reposition the aircraft the night before.
