Survival equipment: required purposes, sufficiency and exemptions
Required survival equipment over land (CAR 602.61(1)): equipment carried on board must provide means for
- starting a fire
- providing shelter
- providing or purifying water
- visually signalling distress
Not required: food, radio, firearm, spare parts.
How much: sufficient for every person on board, sized to geographical area, season, anticipated seasonal climatic variations (CAR 602.61(1)). Aircraft type decides only whether rule applies, not quantity.
Five exemptions (CAR 602.61(2)):
| Item | Exempt flight | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Aircraft type | Balloon, glider, hang glider, gyroplane, ultra-light aeroplane | Exempt outright, any area or season |
| (b) 25 NM + radio | Within 25 NM of departure aerodrome | AND radiocommunication with a surface-based radio station maintainable for the whole flight. Distance alone insufficient |
| (c) Multi-engined, south of 66°30′N | Multi-engined aircraft south of 66°30′N | IFR flight within controlled airspace or along designated air routes |
| (d) Air operator | Aircraft equipped per operator's company operations manual | Lacks 602.61(1) equipment |
| (e) Area and season | Geographical area and time of year | Survival of persons on board not jeopardized |
All other flights over land need the gear.
Trap: 602.61(2)(b) 25 NM is unrelated to the 25 NM in CAR 602.73(2), which exempts VFR flight within 25 NM of departure from filing a flight plan or itinerary, no radio condition.
References
- CARs 602.61(1)
- CARs 602.61(2)(a)
- CARs 602.61(2)(b)
- CARs 602.61(2)(c)
- CARs 602.61(2)(d)
- CARs 602.61(2)(e)