Aircraft Await POCs from Transport Canada

Avatar for Skies MagazineBy Skies Magazine | August 12, 2011

Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 53 seconds.


Aircraft operators are concerned about delays to POC and certification approval. Gary Tahir Photo

Effective April 1, 2011, Transport Canada resumed full responsibility for issuing private operator certificates (POCs) to new applicants as well as for processing changes to existing certificate holders. Canadian aircraft operators continue to be responsible for complying with requirements for maintaining their aircraft and Transport Canada continues to assess compliance.

At the direction of the Minister of Transport in 2010, Transport Canada repatriated the POC program after it had been administered for several years by the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA). The move has had widespread repercussions and concerns are top-of-mind in the business aviation community.

The POC program under the CBAA enabled companies and businesses to do their work and efficiently train pilots and import aircraft, said CBAA Chair Rob Madden. We were leading the world. Now the CBAA has shifted back to an advocacy role to ensure that Transport Canada has the manpower and budget required to efficiently administer the POC program.

As of early August, several aircraft manufacturers and corporate operators contacted by Canadian Skies reported that some aircraft awaiting importation had been grounded for months awaiting certification and POC approvals.

The industry is concerned, said Calgary John Hopkinson, who has been an independent aircraft broker and consultant for more than 30 years. When a company buys an aircraft, they want it to fly. If they can’t get a POC, a certificate of airworthiness or maintenance schedule approval, the productivity benefits of owning an aircraft aren’t being realized.

By contrast, the aircraft registration process in the US averages 10 days.

The delays have a huge economic impact on aircraft manufacturers and the customer, says one industry insider. It reached the point where Canadian aircraft owners are actually considering registering their aircraft in the United States or the Isle of Mann to get them flying.

The CBAA has revealed plans to launch a communications campaign in September to bring the POC issue to wider political and media attention, highlighting the importance of business mobility to the national economy.

Transport Canada recently posted their Level of Service Standards for Business Aviation which can be found at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/commerce-3949.htm.

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