Airworthiness Chapter 549 - Amateur-Built Aircraft - Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs)

Content last revised: 1998/02/17

Table of contents

[Interpretation Provision for Part V Standards

[In these Standards, the passages giving the Minister power to accept or to find unnecessary something without stating criteria for the use of such power are to be interpreted as requiring that the power be used in consideration of two factors only: the airworthiness of the aircraft that is the subject of the acceptation or the finding, or on which an aeronautical product that is the subject of the acceptation or the finding is to be installed, and the aircraft’s level of safety.]

Preamble

The content of this chapter is based on Part II, Chapter I, Section 1.8 of the Engineering and Inspection Manual at Amendment 29 dated 31 December 1985.

Information note:

Chapter 507D entitled Flight Authorisation details a new system of flight authorities. However, Chapter 507D cannot be implemented until Air Regulation 211(4) is amended to enable the new concepts. Therefore, not withstanding what is stated in section 549.3(b) of this Chapter the Department of Transport will continue to issue Flight Permits in accordance with the present Air Regulation 211(4) and the E&I Manual until such time as Air Regulation 211(4) is amended.

Change 549-1 Effective: June 30, 1993

This change includes the rewriting of the original Introduction and Forward in the form of a Preamble and the incorporation of several amendments proposed during the period 1989-1992, as follows:

Corrections to paragraphs 549.5(b) and 549.7(a) containing requirements relating to methods of construction and materials;

Paragraph 549.9(c)(2) deleted and contents included in paragraph 549.9(a);

Section 549.115, previously reserved, now entitled "Aircraft Noise" and reference to AMA 549.11 written;

Reference to Air Regulations Series II, No.1 added to section 549.17;

Section 549.21 amended to delete note referring to Weight and Balance forms;

Section 549.23 title and contents changed to include reference to major design changes and repairs;

Paragraph 549.101(c) edited and new paragraph 549.101(d) added to clarify intent;

Section 549.103 title changed to include "Wing Loading";

Section 549.103 edited for clarity and amended to include a new paragraph 549.103(a)(2) to allow for increased wing loading limits for high performance amateur-built aeroplanes and a new paragraph 549.103(a)(3) regarding amateur-built light aeroplanes (Ref. Transport Canada Ultra-Light Aeroplane Policy, 10 October, 1991;

Paragraphs 549.105(b), edited for clarity;

Paragraph 549.109(a) amended to clarify the use of the co-efficient "C" for tandem-wing and canard aircraft;

Section 549.115 revised to incorporate a new paragraph 549.115(b) referring to placards for high performance amateur-built aeroplanes;

Paragraph 549.201(c) and Sections 549.307 and 549.313 edited for clarity;

Appendix A rewritten for clarity.

This Change also includes the issue of the following new or revised advisory material:

AMA 549.5 Evaluation of Amateur-Built Aircraft Kits to Determine Compliance with the Major Portion Requirement, dated 3 January, 1991;

AMA 549.11 Amateur-Built Aircraft - Noise Emission Control, dated 26 September, 1988;

AMA 549.103/1 High Performance Amateur-Built Aeroplanes, dated October 30, 1992;

AMA 549.103/2 Amateur-Built Aeroplanes - Pilot Licence Requirements, dated November 12, 1992;

AMA 549.201 Evaluation of Amateur-Built Helicopters, dated 5 November, 1990;

AMA 549/1A Amateur-Built Aircraft- General dated 13 October, 1992; and

AMA 549.7A Composite Primary Structures - Amateur-Built Aircraft dated 31 October, 1992.

Changes are identified by brackets [ ]; editorial alterations and typographical corrections are not identified.

Information note:

Note: Chapter 507D entitled Flight Authorisation is now fully implemented, and Special Certificates of Airworthiness for amateur-built aircraft are issued by Transport Canada. Therefore, the Note to the First Edition of this Chapter is herewith revoked.

AMA 500E/1 Aircraft Wooden Components - Inspection for deterioration dated 15 April 1987 renamed AMA renamed 571.101/5 1 January 1989

Amendment 549-2 - Effective: April 1 1996

This amendment introduces the following changes:

Increase in Gyroplane Take-off mass (NPA 93-14)

IFR (NPA 95-03)

One-off Aerobatic Approval (NPA 95-04)

[AMA 549.101A Amateur-Built Aircraft Aerobatic Demonstration and Evaluation (1 April 1996)]

[AMA 549/1B Amateur-Built Aircraft: General (1 April 1996)]

Format: The standards in this chapter are now presented in a newspaper column format. The amendment number and date of affected pages has been removed from the bottom of the page. Instead, affected sections will be followed by amendment numbers and dates of current changes as well as any previous changes. The word "Amendment" will henceforth replace "Change" (eg Amendment 549-2 rather than Change 549-2). Amended text is identified by brackets [ ]; editorial alterations and typographical corrections are not identified.