NAV CANADA had previously published that the mandate for space-based ADS-B in Canadian domestic airspace would be effective for aircraft operating in Class A and B airspace above 12,500 feet as of February 23, 2023. Class B, C, D, and E Canadian airspace will not be mandated before 2026.

On August 2, 2022, NAV CANADA published an updated time for the mandate to become effective due to supply chain issues related to the COVID pandemic regarding delays in acquiring and installing the necessary transponder equipment. The equipage levels in each airspace class are still not the expected level. The level of equipage in Class A airspace is at 95%, and Class B is above 88% and increasing.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has made significant changes to the RIM Appendix 1 – Inspection Instructions and Pre-Described Findings. The revision is extensive and will require reviewing and updating your SAFA checklists and documentation to meet the new and revised items.

 

Highlights of the changes include:

  • PDFs, as used in this document, refer to pre-described findings and not a document type
  • New inspection instructions for General Aviation / NCC (non-commercial) operations and pre-described findings
  • New layout/structure of the instructions, pre-described findings, and standard references
  • Update of standard references
  • New definitions
  • New quick reference guide for finding placards, markings, and the corresponding instructions in inspection items

 

Effective March 1, 2022, North Atlantic tracks at FL330 and below will no longer be published. As a result, flights operating at FL330 and below will be free of the organized track structure. Although there have never been restrictions for random routing crossing tracks, this will aid the operators who plan not to cross tracks at active flight levels.

 

UPDATE!

From 25 Feb 2021, Datalink-equipped aircraft may again cross anywhere in the NAT HLA airspace.

 

Datalink mandated airspace is again  FL290-FL410.  Non-Datalink-equipped aircraft may only cross the NAT HLA at any altitude provided the flight is constrained to the surveillance airspace.   Additionally, the Non-Datalink aircraft must have operational ADS-B while over Greenland and conduct the flight under VHF coverage.