Canadian airspace is the region of airspace above the surface of the Earth within which Canada has jurisdiction. It falls within a region roughly defined as either the Canadian land mass, the Canadian Arctic or the Canadian archipelago, and areas of the high seas. [1] Airspace is managed by Nav Canada and detailed information regarding exact dimensions and classification is available in the Designated Airspace Handbook which is published every fifty-six days by Nav Canada. [2]
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 | This section is missing information about the boundaries of NDA and SDA.(November 2015) |
The "Canadian Domestic Airspace" includes all of Canada and extends out over the Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic oceans. It is broadly divided into the "Northern Domestic Airspace" (NDA) and the "Southern Domestic Airspace" (SDA).
There are three main differences between the two areas, the most important of them being that the NDA is designated as a "standard pressure" region while the SDA is an "altimeter setting" region. This means that pilots operating in the SDA will calibrate their altimeters to atmospheric pressure according to information available at airports and through weather services. Conversely, in the NDA, pilots calibrate their altimeters to 29.92 inches of mercury (101.3 kPa ) regardless of the actual atmospheric pressure. This is done because weather information is not available for all areas of the far north, so it is better that all pilots use a standard setting in order to avoid collisions.
Another major difference between the NDA and SDA is that magnetic declination is not used in the NDA. Because the North Magnetic Pole is close to the NDA (and was formerly within it), magnetic declinations can be very large and changeable from year to year. This is further complicated by the fact that magnetic north wobbles every day in an elliptical path as much as 50 miles (80 km). [3] For these reasons, "true" tracks are always used in the NDA while magnetic tracks are frequently used in the SDA for convenience.
The final difference between the NDA and the SDA has to do with the location of Class A airspace in each region. This is explained in more detail below.
Canadian Domestic Airspace is the second-largest air navigation service by volume of air traffic in the world, after the United States. [4]
There are seven classes of airspace in Canada, each designated by a letter (A through G).
Airspace classes A through E are controlled. Class F can be controlled or uncontrolled. Class G is always uncontrolled. [7] Airspace is managed by Transport Canada and detailed information regarding exact dimensions and classification is available in the Designated Airspace Handbook which is published every fifty-six days by NAV CANADA. [2]
Some control zones have unique procedures because of terrain or air traffic demands. These procedures are published in the Canada Flight Supplement. From the supplement "Class E* All high level controlled airspace above FL600 within the SCA, NCA and ACA. Also, low level airways, low level fixed RNAV routes, CAEs, transition areas or CZs established without an operating control tower may be classified Class E airspace." So uncontrolled airports like Sarnia (CYZR) and others may appear to be mischaracterized as control zones since the Canadian Air Regulations (CARs) define a CZ as "controlled airspace that is so specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook (DAH) [8] and that extends upwards vertically from the surface of the earth up to and including 3,000 feet AGL, unless otherwise specified" in that handbook.
However, this apparent conflict is resolved since the DAH is specifically authorized to define airspace classification. The CARs definition of controlled airspace is "...within which air traffic control service is provided;". So when air traffic control is not provided it appears it should not be a control zone. The DAH defines Class G airspace as "Airspace shall be classified G if it has not been designated A, B, C, D, E or F." There is actually no definition of "uncontrolled airspace" other than that, so by inferred definition CYZR is controlled airspace below 700 ft to 5 nmi beneath a Class G, transition airspace out to 15 nmi). The 700 ft is the base of this overlaying Class E transition airspace which is controlled up to FL125. DAH also defines "Class B, C, D or E equivalent" airspace but that specifically refers MTCAs which are military terminal control areas.
Bottom line is the CARs definition of CZ and controlled airspace specifically allows the DAH to further define certain "Class E uncontrolled airports" as a control zone as long as they have at least one navigation aid and an instrument approach procedure that originates in Class E transition controlled airspace.
Another important feature of Canadian airspace is the air defence identification zone (ADIZ) that surrounds North America.
The terminal control areas of the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon are located within Canadian airspace. They are as follows:
In aviation, instrument flight rules (IFR) is one of two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations; the other is visual flight rules (VFR).
In aviation, visual flight rules (VFR) are a set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minima, i.e., in visual meteorological conditions (VMC), as specified in the rules of the relevant aviation authority. The pilot must be able to operate the aircraft with visual reference to the ground, and by visually avoiding obstructions and other aircraft.
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose of ATC worldwide is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of air traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.
In aviation, uncontrolled airspace is airspace in which an Air Traffic Control (ATC) service is not deemed necessary or cannot be provided for practical reasons. It is the opposite of controlled airspace. It is that portion of the airspace that has not been designated as Control Area, Control Zone, Terminal Control Area or Transition Area.
Controlled airspace is airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control (ATC) services are provided. The level of control varies with different classes of airspace. Controlled airspace usually imposes higher weather minimums than are applicable in uncontrolled airspace. It is the opposite of uncontrolled airspace.
Airspace is the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere. It is not the same as outer space which is the expanse or space outside the Earth and aerospace which is the general term for Earth's atmosphere and the outer space within the planet's vicinity.
In aviation, visual meteorological conditions (VMC) is an aviation flight category in which visual flight rules (VFR) flight is permitted—that is, conditions in which pilots have sufficient visibility to fly the aircraft maintaining visual separation from terrain and other aircraft. They are the opposite of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The boundary criteria between IMC and VMC are known as the VMC minima and are defined by: visibility, cloud ceilings, and cloud clearances.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is a commercial semi-state company in Ireland responsible for the regulation of safety aspects of air travel. Its head office is in The Times Building in Dublin.
Shanwick is the air traffic control (ATC) name given to the area of international airspace which lies above the northeast part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Nav Canada is a privately run, non-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation system (ANS). It was established by statute in accordance with the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act.
The world's navigable airspace is divided into three-dimensional segments, each of which is assigned to a specific class. Most nations adhere to the classification specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and described below, though they might use only some of the classes defined below, and significantly alter the exact rules and requirements. Similarly, individual nations may also designate special use airspace (SUA) with further rules for reasons of national security or safety.
Special visual flight rules are a set of aviation regulations under which a pilot may operate an aircraft. It is a special case of operating under visual flight rules (VFR).
In aviation, a terminal control area, is a designated area of controlled airspace surrounding a major airport where there is a high volume of traffic. TMA airspace is normally designed in a circular configuration centered on the airport, and differs from a control area in that it includes several levels of increasingly larger areas, creating an "upside-down wedding cake" shape.
A transponder is an electronic device that produces a response when it receives a radio-frequency interrogation. Aircraft have transponders to assist in identifying them on air traffic control radar. Collision avoidance systems have been developed to use transponder transmissions as a means of detecting aircraft at risk of colliding with each other.
A prohibited airspace is an area (volume) of airspace within which flight of aircraft is not allowed, usually due to security concerns. It is one of many types of special use airspace designations and is depicted on aeronautical charts with the letter "P" followed by a serial number. It differs from restricted airspace in that entry is typically forbidden at all times from all aircraft and is not subject to clearance from ATC or the airspace's controlling body.
The United States airspace system's classification scheme is intended to maximize pilot flexibility within acceptable levels of risk appropriate to the type of operation and traffic density within that class of airspace – in particular to provide separation and active control in areas of dense or high-speed flight operations.
The Air Defense Identification Zone of North America is an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) that covers the airspace surrounding the United States and Canada – in which the ready identification, location, and control of civil aircraft over land or water is required in the interest of national security. This ADIZ is jointly administered by the civilian air traffic control authorities and the militaries of both nations, under the auspices of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handles the requests of international aircraft and Transport Canada handles Canadian requests. Any aircraft flying in these zones without authorization may be identified as a threat and treated as an enemy aircraft, potentially leading to interception by fighter aircraft.
The National Airspace System (NAS) is the airspace, navigation facilities and airports of the United States along with their associated information, services, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, personnel and equipment. It includes components shared jointly with the military. It is one of the most complex aviation systems in the world, and services air travel in the United States and over large portions of the world's oceans.
Montreal Area Control Centre is one of 7 Area Control Centres in Canada operated by Nav Canada. Montreal ACC is located in a building on the outskirts of Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) is an aviation surveillance technology and form of Electronic Conspicuity in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts its position and other related data, enabling it to be tracked. The information can be received by air traffic control ground-based or satellite-based receivers as a replacement for secondary surveillance radar (SSR). Unlike SSR, ADS-B does not require an interrogation signal from the ground or from other aircraft to activate its transmissions. ADS-B can also receive point-to-point by other nearby equipped "ADS-B In" equipped aircraft to provide traffic situational awareness and support self-separation. ADS-B is "automatic" in that it requires no pilot or external input to trigger its transmissions. It is "dependent" in that it depends on data from the aircraft's navigation system to provide the transmitted data.
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