Features Operations
The Times They Are a Changin’

The majority of business aircraft in Canada fall under the CAR 604 category which at present involves some 250 aircraft.While business aircraft may be observed in operations scattered across our country — basically any airfield with 4,000-plus feet of good surfaced runway — the largest centres or concentrations of corporate operators are at the major industrialized cities like Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

The cost to manage the overall civil aviation system in Canada has increased as the number of aircraft and operators has grown. Additionally, the assigned administrative bodies have not been able to expand their human capital resources to meet the needs of the growing corporate aviation segment. So while increasing numbers of company aircraft are appearing on the civil register, it is fair to say that administration and governance of this industry has not necessarily developed at the same rate or with comparable efficiencies.

Transport Canada has been under increasing pressure to find new ways to recover costs for services rendered. In aviation services, this allows it to reallocate resources to other areas. In the process it has also sought to enhance the efficiency of aviation administration. In the case of corporate aircraft operations, the first phase of this initiative will take flight early in 2003 as the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) becomes responsible for the day-today administration and management of various aspects of the Canadian Aviation Regulations Part VI, Sub-Part 4 (CAR 604) operations.