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How I got my plane authorized for IFR in Canada

Flying Canuck

Well Known Member
Patron
I received my updated Special Certificate of Airworthiness and Operating Conditions today authorizing IFR flight. I thought I'd give a run through the process as it worked for me. Ultimately Transport Canada turned my request over in a little more than 3 business days.

As many people are aware, the process of equipping for IFR in Canada differs widely from the US - particularly in the equipment requirements. The requirements are detailed in CAR 605.18 (Power-driven Aircraft - IFR) which references equipment listed in 605.14 (Power-driven Aircraft - Day VFR) and 605.16 (Power-driven Aircraft - Night VFR). Most of these requirements are easy enough to meet and are similar to the US requirements. The item in 605.18(j) is the important one.
CAR 605.18 No person shall conduct a take-off in a power-driven aircraft for the purpose of IFR flight unless it is equipped with
(j) sufficient radio navigation equipment to permit the pilot, in the event of the failure at any stage of the flight of any item of that equipment, including any associated flight instrument display,
(i) to proceed to the destination aerodrome or proceed to another aerodrome that is suitable for landing, and
(ii) where the aircraft is operated in IMC, to complete an instrument approach and, if necessary, conduct a missed approach procedure.

In the days of GPSS approaches, this basically means you need a GPS Navigator and either a second GPS Navigator or a VHF Nav Transceiver for LOC/GS. The key point is that these need to be separate devices, so a GTN 650 or a GNS 430W with integrated VHF Nav, for example, would only count as one of these, not both. If these units have their own HSI/VSI or LOC/GS displays then that is good enough. However, if - as is the case with the GPS 175 that I installed - your unit relies on another display to show HSI/VSI, that display will need a backup. A backup battery is not sufficient. You'll see from my equipment list that I had to add a Garmin G5 and set it up as a backup HSI for the GPS 175.

Here is my IFR Navigation equipment.
  • Garmin GPS 175 GPS Navigator
  • MGL Avionics N16 VHF Nav Transceiver, with MGL Razor control head
  • Dynon Skyview HDX Display, connected to GPS 175 via Dynon ARINC-429 unit, connected to MGL Razor via RS232
  • Garmin G5 Display, connected to GPS 175 via Garmin ARINC-429 unit, connected to MGL Razor via RS232

In addition to the navigation equipment I've got dual VHF COM transceivers, a Garmin GTR 200 and an MGL V16 (also connected to the MGL Razor control head).

As far as the request to Remove VFR Only from my Operating Conditions, there were 2 key aspects. First, I obtained a copy of Transport Canada's Staff Instruction SI 500-024 and secondly, I contacted the TC CASA inspector that had done the change to my Operating Conditions at the end of my test phase in 2018. The inspector worked very closely with me in making sure that when I submitted the request that it would be assured to be approved. There is not a chance that I could have accomplished this as quickly as I did without his guidance.

My actual request was framed around the contents of the SI 500-024. I'll break that down here.

5.0 (1) (a) A letter requesting the removal of the “VFR Only” operating condition;

5.0 (1) (b) Copy of the front page of the applicable logbook that identifies the aircraft by its registration marks and make, model and serial number;

5.0 (1)(c) The list of the IFR equipment installed;
I provided a table of the requirements for CAR 605.14, 605.16 and 605.18 including the reference, requirement and the equipment that I had installed that met that requirement.

5.0 (1)(d) Documentation demonstrating that the data that was used to perform the installation of the required IFR equipment, including such data as installation and wiring diagrams, power distribution and equipment interface, as required, conforms to the relevant data acceptable to the Minister;
Here I provided a statement that all installations were done in accordance with manufacturers' installation manuals (and provided a link to these manuals). I also included an avionics interconnectivity diagram which I've attached to this post.

5.0 (1)(e) Documentation demonstrating that the source of electrical energy for all electrical and radio equipment is adequate;
For this I stated my alternator/battery configuration and provided a list of installed electrical items with their continuous draw, showing that the total was less than the capacity of my charging system. I also included a basic electrical diagram, also attached.

5.0 (1)(f) Copy of the up-to-date weight and balance report and equipment list;
This one is what I really needed guidance on, it is a list of installed equipment with their weight and moment arm along with a fresh aircraft weight. The format eventually resembled that commonly found in your typical certified aircraft's POH.

5.0 (1)(g) A copy of the pertinent pages of the maintenance records and associated maintenance release(s) related to the IFR equipment that has been installed, tested and calibrated but not yet evaluated; and
This one caught up with me. I was missing the maintenance release statements for a lot of the small jobs that I'd done (changing flat). Each of these need to be followed by a statement that reads "the described maintenance has been performed in accordance with the applicable airworthiness requirements" and a signature. The inspector helped me enter correcting entries and directed me to add one further entry reading "I have inspected the aircraft and have found it to meet the equipment requirements for IFR flight in accordance with CAR 605.18".

5.0 (1)(h) The applicable fee.
This is the best bargain I've ever had in aviation, I got a lot out of the $35 fee.

Soon after contacting the TC inspector, we determined that my AVMAP EFIS Ultra was not going to fit the bill as a backup to my Skyview HDX as 1) the manual states it's for reference only and not for VFR or IFR flight, and 2) has no way to provide backup HSI/VSI/LOC/GS. I replaced this unit with a Garmin G5 as described above. The changed also addressed the concerns that the inspector had about my panel layout. This was mostly around the required field of view should the use of the backup displays become necessary. The G5 allows me to solely reference that instrument during an approach thus eliminating possible vertigo inducing head movements. I've attached a picture of my panel in its final configuration.

All told this process took 5 months to complete. I ordered equipment in November, installed it starting in mid December and contacted the TC inspector in early March, he asked for a picture of my panel and a basic list of equipment. My request was sent in last Friday, after business hours and I received the new Special C of A and Operating Conditions this morning, 4 days later.

I hope that those of you considering a similar upgrade find this long post helpful and I'm happy to get into more detail with individuals if that would be of assistance. For now I move ahead to getting my instrument rating.
 

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Great post, Claude - love the regulation-by-regulation approach you took.

Oh, and a great big congratulations on getting the VFR restrictions lifted!

Now to a technical question or two.
1) what software tools did you use to produce your block diagram and wiring diagram?
2) how well is the N16 performing in terms of receiver sensitivity and VOR/ILS tracking? (if you have any comparable experience with other VOR/ILS equipment in other aircraft, as an example)
 
Great post, Claude - love the regulation-by-regulation approach you took.

Oh, and a great big congratulations on getting the VFR restrictions lifted!

Now to a technical question or two.
1) what software tools did you use to produce your block diagram and wiring diagram?
The step-by-step approach was the easiest since I had to go through that list anyways. The inspector appreciated it as well as it made the actual equipment requirement part of the process go very smoothly.

The interconnectivity diagram was in Visio, the electrical diagram is a low-tech quick and simple Excel sheet.

2) how well is the N16 performing in terms of receiver sensitivity and VOR/ILS tracking? (if you have any comparable experience with other VOR/ILS equipment in other aircraft, as an example)
I don't have any experience with other equipment and all I've done with the N16 is pickup 3 local VORs (YRM, YYC, YEG). I was able to identify 2 of those, not close enough to YYC to get a good enough signal. Only one of those (YRM) was close enough to get much of a feel for performance, it picked up about where it was expected and tracked well. I'll be trying out the ILS in the next few weeks as I'm just starting on some dual instrument work with a local pilot. I'm very curious to see how it does.
 
Magnifique !!!

Thanks Claude, that's a fantastic post and should help many, (including me in a future upgrade), considering removing the VFR only here in Canada. :cool:
 
Many thansk

Thanks Claude,

I’m halfway through the same process here in Toronto.

I had my design approved by my inspector before cutting metal.

Many thanks, I may be giving you a call sometime over the next few months if you don’t mind,

Simon

The panel so far....
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Updating Special Certificate of Airworthiness in Canada

Thank you Claude - very nice and informative post. I too live in Canada and have an RV-6 with a Dynon D700, Dynon intercom, Razor head and MGL V16 and KY97a radios. I couple years ago I started IFR training and was thinking about upgrading my airplane to be IFR compliant but then decided against it because of cost / benefit / age considerations (I am 72 now). I like your Interconnectivity diagrams and think I will try to make similar ones for my airplane. One item I am wanting to pursue is upgrading my Special Certificate of Airworthiness to allow a gross weight increase from 1600 lbs to 1650 lbs (Vans has indicated it is OK to do this in a letter) and your post gives me insight into the interaction with Transport Canada.
 
That’s so helpful, Claude. It makes the process seem less daunting. Thanks for your effort.
 
Claude or Simon,

Do you have a whisky compass?

Yes I do. I actually discussed it with the inspector, thinking that maybe it wasn't really needed. My thinking was that my Skyview ADAHRS, with its backup battery was a magnetic heading indicator that was independent of the electrical generating system. I had no intention of removing the whiskey compass and the inspector wasn't all that warm to my suggestion that it might not be needed.

I do think that there may be room for skipping the whiskey compass if you are otherwise adequately equipped, but it will depend on the inspector.
 
Excellente description Claude. I read the CAR this morning and was wondering what would really be needed...
 
I like the two cooling/defog fans. How Well do they work? What size are they? What are they wired to? Master switch?
 
They are 12vdc 52x10mm fans. They are switched, toggle is up and just left of the throttle. I don't use them often, but they work well for light defog.
 
Finished IFR Panel

Hi guys, just wanted to post the final photo of my upgraded Canadian IFR panel.

Yes I do have a E2B compass, behind the IPAD, never used it and probably never will.

Thanks Claude for some ideas of what the TC inspector wanted to see in terms of paper work. I found transport Canada to be very efficient, it was just a paperwork exercise.

Happy flying ,

Before and after photos. 500 hours and a few months of work.

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Looks great Simon. What are you using as your second navigation source? I don't see anything on the panel.

Do you have problems with the iPad overheating in flight with it being that exposed?
 
Claude, thanks for posting your experience and advise on the lifting of the VFR restriction. I got my paperwork back today from Transport Canada and good to go! Time to get the panel power coated and labelled.

Cheers Jim

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Claude, I followed your lead and the Toronto office approved my application in less than 3 weeks. Using the SI as a template for the application has to make it simpler for the inspector. The SI doesn’t call for it but I included a description of the flight tests I conducted on the VOR, ILS (approaches in VMC) and RNAV approaches in VMC.
 
Claude, I want to say a big thank you! I started to upgrade my panel with a GPS 175 a GNC 255 and a GMA 245 in mid November. Work was completed during holiday season and I submitted my file to Transport Canada in early January. Your instructions were invaluable along with the reference or SI-500-024… When my inspector called me, it was only because he was missing a request form for a new certificate of navitability and I was also missing an entry in my log book to certify that my equipment was fine for IFR… (exact wording is « The installation of the equipment required for Instrument Flight Ruleas as specified in CAR 605.18, and 605.35 have been properly installed, tested, and calibrated IAW the requirements of CAR 571, and 605 along with the related standards, and this equipment functions properly. ». I got my certificate of navitability today (1 month after the request and this is because the inspector was on vacations for 2 weeks in that period) .
 
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