EN
FRWho 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