Parachuting: Transport Canada's regulatory role

TC role (TC AIM AIR 4.8):

• Parachuting/skydiving: not regulated directly by TC.
• No licensing or certification for parachute equipment, packers/riggers, instructors, coaches.
• Jumpers carry full responsibility for own safety.
• Voluntary standards body: Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA).

TC still regulates flight side: pilots, aircraft, and where a descent may happen (CAR 602.26).

Leaving aircraft in flight (CAR 602.25):

• No leaving aircraft in flight without pilot-in-command's permission (602.25(1)).
• Parachute descent: PIC may permit (602.25(2)(a)).
• Other exits in flight need one of:
  • PIC permission under CAR 702.19 (helicopter PIC only, Part VII; 602.25(2)(b))
  • Flight under SFOC issued under CAR 603.02 or 603.67 (602.25(2)(c)); see special flight operations certificate lesson

Trap: TC silence on gear, packing, instruction does not make parachuting unregulated; where the descent happens is still a hard CAR rule.

Practice