Introductory Flights

Volunteer background checks
COPA requires volunteer pilots for any Discover Aviation event or flight, where young people 18 and under are being flown, to complete a background check. The options below are accepted by COPA as compliant with our program requirements.

These background checks must be renewed every five years.

Background checks (expenses covered by the volunteer)

• A background check conducted by a municipal, provincial or First Nations police service, at the pilot's expense. These checks must be renewed every five years. 
• A Government of Canada security clearance such as a reliability status, secret clearance, top secret clearance or a NEXUS/RAIC pass. These background checks must be active at the time of the Discover Aviation event. 

Background checks (expenses covered by COPA)
COPA offers an online background check service through Sterling Backcheck, a trusted background check partner. COPA will cover the $25 fee for its members, in good standing. 

This new option was introduced in 2022 to save COPA members time and money, and should take less than 30 minutes to complete.

Please click here for a form to submit a request on behalf of volunteer pilots. We require legal first and last name, proof of COPA membership, and email address. Kindly note that the service provider does not share results with the applicants (results of the check are only shared with the COPA office). 

For insurance purposes, pilots who participate in the Discover Aviation program must be current members of COPA or be a member of the organizing COPA Flight that has a current COPA corporate membership.The Air Meet Insurance coverage includes event and top-up liability insurance and it is provided by COPA through the Magnes Group. 

In order to minimize any insurance coverage issues, the Discover Aviation event insurance and the Young Eagles Program cannot be combined in any way. 

Aircraft used for Discover Aviation flights are required to carry at least the following public liability and property damage insurance, as specified by Transport Canada in CAR 606.02 and the minimum Discover Aviation requirement for passenger liability as described below: 

• For aircraft less than 2300 lbs gross take-off weight – $100,000 public liability and property damage and $100,000 passenger liability per passenger seat. 
• For aircraft greater than or equal to 2300 lbs and less than 5000 lbs gross take-off weight -$500,000 public liability and property damage and $100,000 passenger liability per passenger seat. 
• For aircraft greater than or equal to 5000 lbs and less than 12500 lbs gross take-off weight – $1,000,000 and Passenger Liability CAR minimum of $300,000 for each passenger seat. 

Aerobatic maneuvers and/or other non-standard flying are strictly prohibited. 

Hull-in-motion insurance and pilot life insurance are not requirements for this program and COPA’s insurance policy does not provide for these protections. 

To further protect pilots providing Discover Aviation flights, COPA’s insurance provides for $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit Third Party Bodily Injury (including Passenger Liability) and Property Damage each occurrence. This coverage and limit are in excess of the liability coverage carried by the pilot / owner of the aircraft, including the minimum(s) of $100,000 or $300,000 per seat Passenger Liability depending on the gross take-off weight of the aircraft involved.  

The organizers from the COPA Flight as well as COPA members and non-members who are, for example, a marshaller, escort, or other volunteer (including pilots who spend part of their time engaged in ground volunteer duties) are covered for Third Party Bodily Injury and/or Property Damage while so engaged. 

Who can be a volunteer pilot
Any licensed pilot can participate as volunteer pilot for COPA’s Discover Aviation events, subject to the following conditions. The pilot must: 

• Be a current COPA member 
• Have completed a background check if minors are being flown
• Have an appropriate and current Pilot Licence or Permit, with passenger carrying privilege, for the aircraft being flown 
• Meet all Transport Canada recency requirements including a minimum of five takeoffs and landings within the previous six months in the category and class of aircraft to be used. Ref: CAR  401.05 Recency Requirements  

Note: No financial compensation is permitted for your time or aircraft operating expenses, and tax receipts will not be issued. Neither COPA nor the Discover Aviation program has a charitable status. 

What kind of aircraft can be used? Aircraft must:

• Be Canadian registered, 
• Carry on board all documentation required by Transport Canada, including proof of liability insurance coverage
• Be authorized for carrying passengers in Canada. These aircraft types are:

• • Certified Aircraft, including aeroplanes, helicopters, gliders and balloons (Standard Certificate of Airworthiness) 
  • Amateur-built aircraft including aeroplanes, helicopters, gliders, gyroplanes and balloons (Special Certificate of Airworthiness – Amateur-built) 
  • Owner-maintenance aircraft (Special Certificate of Airworthiness – Owner-Maintenance) 
  • Limited Class aircraft, including warbirds and other limited class aircraft that are approved for passenger-carrying (Special Certificate of Airworthiness – Limited)  
  • Advanced ultralights  

Additional stipulations for one-off flights occurring outside of a scheduled event day: 

• Aircraft provisions as outlined above apply in their entirety 
• Flights must occur at a registered aerodrome in Canada  

Basic Ultralights
Basic ultralights are not authorized for Discover Aviation flying due to their prohibition on carrying passengers. One exception is that they can be used if the pilot is an ultralight instructor, the instructor has notified TC that he or she is operating a flight school, as required by CAR 406.05, the Junior Aviator is 14 years of age or older and the flight is conducted as an ultralight introductory instructional flight. Insurance requirements including $100,000 passenger liability insurance must still be met in this circumstance. 

Other owners of basic ultralight aircraft are welcome to participate in Discover Aviation events, but their aircraft can only be used for static display and for ground familiarization. 

Aircraft and pilots checklist  

• COPA membership status or the COPA Flight corporate membership status 
• Current Pilot License or Permit, with passenger carrying privilege, for the aircraft being flown 
• Valid Medical Certificate 
• Transport Canada recency requirements including minimum of five takeoffs and landings within previous six months in category and class of aircraft to be used 
• Aircraft must be Canadian registered 
• All documentation required by Transport Canada on board of aircraft, including proof of public liability insurance and property damage applicable aircraft to be used 
• Passenger liability insurance minimum coverage for all seats as per CAR 606.02 
• Aircraft must be authorized for carrying passengers in Canada 
• Aerobatic maneuvers or other non-standard flying is prohibited