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Working Group

General Operating and Flight Rules Technical Committee (Part VI)

Final Report

Regulations Respecting Parachuting Activities
Submitted by: Patrick Floyd Working Group Leader.

The Terms of Reference for the Parachute Working Group were approved by the General Operating and Flight Rules Technical Committee. The Working Group is lead by Mr. Pat Floyd. Administrative support and Transport Canada liaison was provided by Arlo Speer, Chief, Recreational Aviation & Special Flight Operations.

The Working Group was asked to make recommendations to the Part VI Technical Committee on the following four areas:

  1. the need for and content of regulations and standards for parachute training for first time and novice parachutists; 
  2. the revision to existing regulations and standards pertaining to obtaining approval to make parachute descents into controlled airspace; 
  3. the need for and content of regulations for parachute descents in uncontrolled airspace; and 
  4. the identification of the need for amendment to other regulations relating to parachute activities. 

The Working Group had two meetings, Vancouver on February 13, 1998, and Calgary on March 26 & 27, 1998. Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA) and Canadian Association of Professional Skydivers (CAPS) are the two national parachuting organisations in Canada. The Provincial Coroners were invited but none made written or oral submissions.

The participants were:

13 February, 1998 (Vancouver, BC)

  • Pat Floyd, Working Group leader
  • Wayne Benson-Harper & Arlo Speer, TC-Special Flight Operations
  • Gerald Harper -- Abbotsford Parachute Centre & CAPS
  • Debbie Harper -- Abbotsford Parachute Centre & CAPS
  • Graham Brown -- Abbotsford Parachute Centre & CAPS
  • Bob Wright -- Grand Bend Sport Parachute Center Inc. & CSPA
  • Joe Mercier -- ParaAero Services & CAPS
  • Mike Soboren -- CAPS
  • Jim Van Dewark -- Calgary Skydive Centre & CAPS
  • Ian Flanagan -- Pacific Skydivers Ltd. & CSPA
  • Mary Watson -- CSPA

26 & 27 March, 1998 (Calgary, Alberta)

  • Pat Floyd, Working Group leader
  • Wayne Benson-Harper & Arlo Speer TC-Special Flight Operations
  • Paul Ellis -- Nav Canada
  • Gerald Harper -- Abbotsford Parachute Centre & CAPS
  • Mary Watson -- CSPA
  • Bob Wright -- Grand Bend Sport Parachute Center Inc. & CSPA
  • Joe Mercier -- ParaAero Services & CAPS
  • Frances Mercier -- ParaAero Services & CAPS
  • Mike Soboren -- CAPS
  • James Mercier -- The Skydive Ranch Ltd. & CAPS
  • Jim Van Dewark -- Calgary Skydive Centre & CAPS
  • Ian Flanagan -- Pacific Skydivers Ltd. & CSPA

The Working Group included members of all aspects of parachuting, and who had extensive experience. All facets of parachuting from past to present trends were discussed. Parachuting in Canada is an active aeronautical activity. It is conducted in all regions of Canada, and at all types of airports and aerodromes. The parachuting industry is complex and sophisticated, and was represented by the two national organisations.

The Working Group participants studied the existing regulatory regime with regards to the parachuting industry, industry standards, and parachuting activity nationally and internationally. The Working Group started from the existing regulatory regime and with reference to US FAR Part 105, industry standards, and the existing parachuting activity, addressed the issues in formulating a more efficient and appropriate regulatory regime.

US FAR Part 105 was extensively studied due to the extensive cross-border activity in parachuting, and the incorporation of parachute jumping as a specialty air service under NAFTA chapter 11. In addition, the regulatory regimes of other countries, such as New Zealand and Australia were studied.

The subject matter of parachuting regulations was broken down in a different basis by the Working Group than the Terms of Reference but the scope of the investigation and discussion are the same. The Working Group separated the study of requirement and scope for parachute regulations into the following sub-groups:

  1. the requirement and scope of general regulations with respect to parachuting; 
  2. the requirement and scope of specific regulations with respect to parachuting into controlled airspace; 
  3. the requirement and scope of specific regulations with respect to parachuting into uncontrolled airspace; 
  4. the requirement and scope of specific regulations with respect to demonstration parachute descents; and 
  5. the requirement and scope of specific regulations with respect to ab initio, novice, and instructor parachutist training. 
  1. With respect to General regulations with respect to parachuting
     There are general regulatory requirements that apply to all aspects of parachuting. In the existing regulations there are matters that are also adequately covered in the parachute industry standards. The regulatory replication of existing or out-dated industry standards added limited value. In addition, the inflexibility of the current regulatory regime inhibited the parachuting sport and industry. It is proposed that the redundant regulations should be removed. The parachutists themselves are adequately protected by current standards and practise. It is the opinion of the Working Group that the risk to the experienced parachutist by participating in the sport is acceptable and would not be further reduced by additional regulation. The proposed regulations are based on the requirement to protect the public.

    The parachuting sport and industry are sophisticated and have very extensive standards. The extensive expertise of the domestic parachuting industry principally the two organisations involved, with close co-ordination with the US organisations, keep up-to-date and adjust to positive and negative trends in parachuting.

    The intentions of the proposed general regulations are:
    1. to minimise the safety risk to other aircraft and persons on the ground;
    2. to restrict parachute activities to airspace clear of cloud;
    3. to outline the illumination requirements to conduct parachute activity at night; and
    4. to require co-ordination parachute operations with airport operators and landowners.

    The proposed general parachuting regulations are attached.

  2. With Respect to Specific regulation for controlled airspace
     The principal goal of the existing Special Flight Operations Certificate for parachute centres was to require parachute centre operators to co-ordinate the parachute activities with the appropriate Air Traffic Control unit. It was agreed a direct agreement between the parachuting centres and Nav Canada would assist co-ordination and understanding between the respective Air Traffic Service units and airspace users. The proposed additional regulation and standard address the concerns of both Nav Canada and the parachute centre operators.
  3. With Respect to Specific regulation for uncontrolled airspace
     The proposed regulation is to aid the appropriate Air Traffic Service unit to pass along traffic advisories to all other airspace users to assist in the co-ordination of the aerial activity of the airspace users.
  4. With Respect to Specific regulations for demonstration jumps
     The requirement for a stricter regulatory regime for demonstration jumps is in line with the equivalent requirement for airshows. A Special Flight Operation Certificate is proposed to be retained for demonstration jumps which do not occur at an airshow. Parachute descents during airshows will be covered by the airshow Special Flight Operations Certificate.

    In specific, additional regulations are proposed with regards to:
    1. the event organiser and participants co-ordination and briefing,
    2. parachutist's qualifications,
    3. parachute equipment,
    4. parachute landing area, and
    5. wind limits.
  5. With Respect to additional regulations for ab initio or novice training
     Both the national organisations have comprehensive student training, instructor training, and general safety standards addressing the safety risks for students. Each of the national parachute organisations claims 100% parachute centre operators' compliance with the industry standards.

    The two national organisation have manuals they publish and use for parachuting. The extensive expertise, resources and commitment of the two organisations involved, with close co-ordination with the US and international organisations, keep up-to-date of positive and negative trends in parachuting.

    The Working Group reviewed the coroners reports and statistics to ascertain if the fatalities concerned could have been prevented by additional regulations. The provincial coroners reports were studied since the coroners did not attend or make written submissions. It was the unanimous opinion of the Working Group that regulations in addition to the existing industry standards for student training was not required and were counter-productive to the parachuting sport and industry.

    In addition, there is no likelihood that Transport Canada will commit the resources to adequately replicate the standards, expertise, commitment, and resources found in the two national organisations in a regulatory regime. As well, the Transport Safety Board does not consider parachuting incidents, accidents, and fatalities worthy of investigation. If the parachuting accidents are not worth investigation by the federal body delegated to investigate aviation accidents, then Transport Canada's justification for extensive regulation and incorporated standards to govern parachuting activities is extremely weakened.

    The industry adequately regulates by the compliance with industry standards, and regulations in addition to the industry standards in the opinion of the Working Group are not required and would be counter-productive.

Attachment - Outline of Proposed Requirements for Parachuting Operations

Date modified:
2010-03-31